March 2, 2005 was Bio Fuels Lobby Day at the Oregon state capitol in Salem, organized by the Oregon Biofuels Network. The idea was to gather diesel and ethanol powered vehicles from around the state and travel in caravans to the capital building to demonstrate support for biodiesel, ethanol and other reneweable motor fuels. There would be seminars, informational booths, speeches, and participants were invited to talk with their state representatives about supporting legislation favoring biofuels.
My involvement was through SeQuential Biofuels, and I agreed to take the EV and Pusher up and exhibit them. Spent all day Tuesday washing the car, vacuuming it, and getting it packed and ready to go. Set an alarm for 5AM to make sure that I had plenty of time to be in Corvallis to join the Grease Works! caravan, as the Eugene caravan wasn't leaving until 8AM, and it's over a one hour drive to the capitol. I wanted to get there in plenty of time to get a good parking spot. Unfortunately, I forgot that my alarm clock was still on Daylight Savings time, so it woke me up an hour too early, at 4AM (yawn).
Made the 45 minute drive to Corvallis, arriving a few minutes before they departed. Here's the lineup of vehicles that pulled out in a single file to drive the 30 additional miles to Salem:
The EV and Pusher was delegated to the end of the line so that I could help out Jacques in the Grass Car (second in line in this shot), in case he had a failure. The greeen Caddy at the front of the line belongs to Justin, and has a fresh 1.6TD under the hood.
Upon arriving at the capital, I was ushered into a prime parking spot right in front of the steps. Set up the canopy (light rain on and off), and got started on the task of the day, talking to the public, state officials and lobbyists that swarm the capital building:
It seemed that the people came in waves. A committee would adjourn in one of the surrounding buildings, a flurry of coming and going would ensue, then it would slow down a bit and I'd be left to talk with other drivers attending or curious visitors to the capital building, which included scouts (of both genders), seniors, and locals. It never did actually get slow until late afternoon, which meant that my lunch was eaten in shifts, and restroom breaks were nearly frantic when they did at last come.
I was told that in all, about 100 vehicles attended, they stretched along both sides of the garden mall in front of the building, although I was too busy to see many of them. There was a farm tractor, a Bobcat excavator, a 1947 Flexble bus belonging to Iron Horse Stage Lines, a large delivery van from Organically Grown Cooperative (natural foods distributor), a 12 person shuttle bus from Bend Oregon, a couple of fleet vehicles owned by the state, one "flex fuel" (gasoline and ethanol), the other compressed natural gas. Of course Jacques was there in the Grass Car. It looks like he is flipping me off, but I think he's doing some moustache maintenance with his index finger.
(This car was featured in a two-page photo spread in the August 2005 issue of National Geographic magazine!!)
Late in the day, things slowed down, I got to get some espresso, and eventually pack up. I had been a pretty typical day of showing my homemade hybrid. I probably talked to 750-1000 people, and as usual, ended up a little hoarse.
The drive back home was supposed to be a mini-caravan, with the two trucks from SeQuential following me, but they were too slow in the rush-hour traffic, and got bogged in a jam somewhere. I couldn't find a place to pull over to wait for them that afforded an easy-off-easy-on way to wait out the traffic, so I went ahead and got on the Interstate for the 60 mile drive home. I assumed that at 65 MPH, they would soon catch up with me poking along at 55. It took them about 30 miles to cover the distance. Then, instead of falling in behind, they blasted right by, leaving me to draft the semi I had been following the whole time.
Here's a pic of them not behind me. Ian is in the front truck (Actually one of Tyree Oil's trucks), and Tyson (who at least waved as he went by) in the SeQuential Retail Biodiesel delivery truck, pulling a trailer with three 330 gallon totes (plastic skid-mounted tanks). I never saw them again.
Oh well, drafting along behind a semi means I save fuel and don't have to fight with type-A drivers for command of the left lane.
Arrived home right at dark, another blow against petroleum fuels struck.
[edit] Justin now has a recap of the Biofuels Lobby day and 67 photographs in his photo gallery posted on the Grease Works! web site. [/edit]
