Eco-Road Trip – Valverde Commons

Valverde Commons Community – Summary:

  • Who: James Ludden
  • What: Visited the Valverde Commons Community
  • When: Monday, April 9
  • Where: Taos, NM

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My Route:

Planning my Eco-Inspired Road Trip Blog Post

 

My Travel Story:

After the The Greater World Earthship Community, I traveled to the other side of Taos to visit Valverde Commons.

“Valverde Commons was conceived as an active adult CoHousing community in 2006 and developed from pastureland starting in 2011. Currently there are 22 energy efficient houses with 6 additional ones expected by 2023. Thirty four people live in the community as of 2018. The community is located in the heart of Taos, New Mexico and a short walk from the historic Taos Plaza.

The individual homes are clustered on 10 acres surrounding an almost 4 acre common green space, plus an adjacent 10 acre park with walking paths and gardens.

Our beautiful common house has a full kitchen, large meeting room, library, and laundry facilities. It is frequently used for group dining, parties, meetings, classes, and entertainment. The common house has rooftop solar energy to promote sustainability. We also have a barn building for communal garden tools, tractor, and garden carts. The barn also includes a complete professional wood working shop and other studio facilities.” – Valverde Commons FIC Profile

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Eco-Road Trip – Hummingbird Community

Hummingbird Community – Summary:

  • Who: Rich Ruster
  • What: Visited and toured the Hummingbird Community
  • When: Monday, April 9
  • Where: Cleveland, NM

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My Route:

Planning my Eco-Inspired Road Trip Blog Post

 

My Travel Story:

I left the Commons on the Alameda that morning and drove into the high mountains of New Mexico to visit the Hummingbird Community, also known as the Hummingbird Transformational Living Center.

“Nestled in a valley among the Aspens, Cottonwoods, and Ponderosa Pines in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of northern New Mexico, rests a 500-acre ranch that is home to a 20-person residential Hummingbird Community.

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Eco-Road Trip – The Canelo Project

The Canelo Project – Summary:

  • Who: Bill Steen
  • What: Got lost without GPS/Cell reception; Visited the natural buildings of the Canelo Project community
  • When: Friday, April 6
  • Where: Elgin, AZ

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My Route:

Planning my Eco-Inspired Road Trip Blog Post

 

My Travel Story:

After leaving Avalon Organic Gardens & Ecovillage, I spent the day driving to The Canelo Project in Elgin, AZ. While it was a beautiful countryside of grassy plains and desert parries with mountain ranges dotting the horizon – I had no cell phone reception to call or search for my GPS location – so I spent several hours lost in the area, going down wrong roads, waiting for free-range cows to cross the road, and circling back to high hills to get one or two cell bars to make calls.

I finally find the right road a few hours later, much to the exasperation of my host, and this was another destination with a long road seemingly to nowhere – passing camping grounds, a ranger station and over several cow pastures.

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Eco-Road Trip – Wind Spirit Community

Wind Spirit Community – Summary:

  • Who: “Don”
  • What: Visited the Wind Spirit Community
  • When: Thursday, April 5
  • Where: Winkelman, AZ

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My Route:

Planning my Eco-Inspired Road Trip Blog Post

 

My Travel Story:

My second stop of the day after The Bee Oasis was after a long drive through the desert canyons and mining towns to Wind Spirit Community (WSC) in Winkelman, AZ. (This was another community with a long road seemingly to nowhere, but I pushed on and finally made it without any GPS navigation.)

A picture from my drive to Wind Spirit Community, which resembles the general terrain I was driving through.

I stopped in a mining town rest-stop and took a picture of the old refinery factory on the hillside.

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Eco-Road Trip – Easter Sunday at Sunburst Sanctuary

Easter Sunday at Sunburst Sanctuary – Summary:

  • Who: Emily Wirtz
  • What: Attended Easter Sunday service and hiked the property at Sunburst Sanctuary
  • When: Sunday, April 1
  • Where: Lompoc, CA

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My Route:

Planning my Eco-Inspired Road Trip Blog Post

 

My Travel Story:

Following the day I initially spent driving from Fresno to Santa Barbra, I went to my planned destination at Sunburst Sanctuary for their Easter Sunday service.

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Eco-Road Trip – Occidental Arts & Ecology Center

Occidental Arts & Ecology Center (OAEC) – Summary:

  • Who: N/A
  • What: Visited OAEC, worked in the plant nursery and ate with the volunteers
  • When: Wednesday, March 28
  • Where: Occidental, CA

Quick Resources:

My Route:

Planning my Eco-Inspired Road Trip Blog Post

 

My Travel Story:

My day started off by heading over to the Occidental Arts & Ecology Center (OAEC), an 80-acre research, demonstration, education, advocacy and community-organizing center in West Sonoma County, California that develops strategies for regional-scale community resilience and the restoration of biological and cultural diversity.

I managed to schedule my visit on one of OAEC’s work volunteer days, which is how I got to visit OAEC for free – by helping label plants in the nursery for an upcoming sale to the public.

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