OFf Grid @ a Sun Dance

The MBN team spent a frutitless day searching for renowned scientist working in Toad Stool National Park, but we got a good hike in and relaxed off line for a day.



We are now at a Horse Sanctuary near Hot Springs, SD totally off grid, running the satellite off of the generator while we await the Sundance next week.

We were also able to score an easy 50 gallons of veggie oil from the Safeway in Chadron, NE before haeding out here. ... yeah oil!

Going Off Grid

We've been hanging out with the Red Cloud family for a couple days. Went to the Veterans Pow Wow where their cousin handed over her Princess Crown and had a wonderful experience in Tom Cook's bi-weekly sweat lodge.

I'm using my satellite on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in southern South Dakota. We're plugged into an outlet now but tomorrow we'll be going into a wild horse sanctuary and running off the generator... totally off grind.

On the Res

We've arrived on the Pine Ridge Reservation and have achieved satillite internet at our first destination. There is no cell phone service. We be be on the reservation until the 22nd and will have internet when stationary for more than a day.

Chadron, NE Fire Dept.

Funnel Clouds and Pumping Oil with a Hangover

We holed up in the Flying J truck stop for showers/laundry and to wait out the potential tornado, which can very close to us. We were evacuated from our dinner to stand in the shower stalls (safest place in the building) shoulder to shoulder with a variety of truckers. After the 1st tornado past us we went out to the bus to check on things and saw a Funnel Cloud siloetted by rapid lightening flashes right across the street from the truck stop. It later turned out to be this tree.


We found some 15 gallons of oil in a little town along the way and 10 more along with some wonderful people in Neligh NE. We closed down the bar that gave us the oil. This morning we left Neligh at 9am with hangovers and stopped on the side of the road to transfer our 25 gallons from the collection barrel to the oil tank. Then in O'Neil we were able to pump 40 more gallons into the collection barrel from 2 very tight back alley dumpsters ... without puking.



Tonight we're in Chadron preparing for a journalism leg of the tour.

Factory Farms and Commercial BioDiesel

Iowa and Nebraska seem ruined for getting used oil by asking. We were about to bite the bullet and burn diesel but my friend Colin @ HighCottonFilms.net spent a few unjaded minutes online an hooked us up with the Omaha Biodiesel Coop. We're meeting in the morning to see how much they can score for us.

NOmadjik got a motor oil tranfusion today, too.

We saw no signs of the horrid weather we feared would strike us other than the lightening show that was many miles away. It didn't even rain on us.

Waiting for Ice/Missles

We're posed outside of Ohmaha waiting to get hailed on. There is suppose to be severe thunderstorms and/or flash flooding and/or possible hail/tornados passing through this part of Nebraska/Iowa tonight. The truckers seem to have all stopped hardly anyone moving this evening... Hurry up & wait. I think we will remain out of the path but not by much. Tomorrow is an oil gathering day unless it's raining.

Iowa City

Davenport Iowa sucked the life out of us. Spent most of the day looking for oil. There must be a commercial biodiesel plant nearby because almost all the places we went were getting paid for there oil and didn't want to give it to us. Then there was the places that PAID to have it hauled off who didn't want to upset their contractor! IDIOTS. We were able to find about 60 gallons and nop have enough to get to Ohmaha. Hope it's easier there. Sorry Mike, we forgot to get a picture of your burger joint.

Iowa City is the Austin of Texas. The Morgantown of WV. The Ashville of North Carolina... etc etc.