Ditch the Van Bike Tour

Atlanta Friends: We need your help!

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:42:24 -0500

Friends and fans in Atlanta, your old Uncle Ben needs your help! We’re shooting a music video this week on the 16th and 17th for a song on the new record, Inclusions. We have a really powerful vision for the visuals but we need people to pull it off. If you have any availability or interest please contact Mary Puchalski at the below address. Thanks so much for your consideration and support!

mpuchalski@schoolofhumans.com

Let's use your riding footage in the upcoming music video!

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 13:36:03 -0500

In preparing for exciting things in the coming year, we’re filming a new music video and, with your help, would love to include your favorite bike ride in the video. We’re calling for footage that shows “where you’ve been” on your most picturesque rides. Here’s how to help:

Maybe you have footage from an amazing bicycle excursion ready to go. But if not, strap your camera to the back of your bike or helmet and point it backwards. Start rolling. Then start riding. Try to ride in the middle of the road or path that you are on (BUT BE CAREFUL). And try to make each take as long as you can. 2-3 minutes each is optimal. And most of all, we challenge you to surprise us with the most awesome, idiosyncratic, and dramatic ride-by scenery known to humankind.

Ideas / Thought-starters:
- Lush country road
- Shanti town
- Chinatown
- Concrete jungle
- Dusty desert road
- Small airport runway
- Abandoned city street
- Someplace that reads as Turkish / eastern Mediterranean
- Treelined street
- Road through rolling hills

HOW TO SUBMIT: Quicktime .MOVs are preferred if you can swing it. Send your footage to bensolleebiketour@gmail.com, and include your name, address, and Twitter account or other online URL if you have one so we can give you props!

You can attach smaller files to your email, but if you have a larger file, consider posting it to Vimeo and sending us a link (marking the option to allow downloads of the video). Or you can use a file sharing service like YouSendIt to send the file to bensolleebiketour@gmail.com.

Submissions are open now through February 9th! And we’ll make sure to keep you up-to-date on the video progress through Facebook and Twitter and will drop you a line when the video is released.

LEGAL MUMBO JUMBO: By submitting your video, you give permission to use the footage in a music video, recognize that that video may be distributed or broadcast internationally, and release Ben Sollee and School of Humans, LTD, from all claims and demands arising out of or in connection with the use of your footage in the video.

This all star team of cello sledding athletes including Ben...

Sun, 12 Dec 2010 06:39:00 -0500

This all star team of cello sledding athletes including Ben Sollee, Billy Bragg, Daniel Martin Moore and friends have assembled at Arthur’s Round Table, a neolithic monument in Cumbria, to further the development of this emerging new sport.

Not every backstage has an amazing, vintage bumper car on hand!

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 21:08:14 -0500

Not every backstage has an amazing, vintage bumper car on hand!

Give a tree with Oxfam America

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 12:32:22 -0500

In conversation with Oxfam America’s Anna Kramer we discussed the role of a song in social change. Check out the new video featuring Prettiest Tree on the Mountain encouraging people to get involved and give a tree with Oxfam Unwrapped.

Hello Scotland! We miss you...

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 06:56:10 -0500

Yesterday was some kind collage, dream-like, terror. Which is to say, it was very memorable.

On our way out of Penrith following a magical day of music, sites, and a new found love for bowling, Billy took us by a neolithic henge at Mayburgh. It was a massive circular bank of earth and rocks balanced on a single remaining rock it the direct center of the arena-like gathering space. Evidently there had been other stones that had been removed over the millenia, but it’s not by chance this one remained. As Billy, who has mind for historical detail, related to us, the people of the time choose stones in their natural state for these sites based on their masculine or feminine quality. This stone was most certain a femine stone inspired by the shape of the pregnant lady.

Even though a major highway (the M6) was close by there was a tender silence in the center of the henge. The scale and form of the stone, and the effort it obviously took to get it there was humbling. The craftmanship of nature, the critical eye of humans, and the desire to connect to something greater was still very tangeable.

As we exited the henge we noticed another formation in a neighboring field; the sign said King Arthur’s Table. And it certainly was a large, round plater of land surrounded by a moat-like ditch. As, we walked around it I admired the shape of the land, exaggerted by the fresh layer of snow and it occured to me that I must sled this hill.

I ran back the van a fetched my cello case, having had some experience in the past. The case is constructed of stiff carbon fiber and has a glossy, slick finish that makes it an incredibly smooth ride. So, I ran back to the field, past the sheep, over King Arthur’s Table, and laid the cello case against the neaolithic monument and slid. Immediately, everyone wanted to try.

First up was Grant Showbiz, our soundman, who was immediately transported 25 years back in time and giggled over and over as he slid down the hill. Next up was Billy, who considered it a challenge to try unique seating positions. Then Simon, the merch man, and Daniel Martin Moore. Everyone was in and as Grant says, “Oh, how we laughed.”

Back at the van our tour manager, Henry Cross, was getting word that further up the road, the winter weather was causing trouble in Scotland. So, when we all piled in we knew we might be in for a long journey. Fortunately, we took some time to prepare.

It was smooth sailing for 85% of the trip, it was the last 15% of the 2 hour drive that swelled in to 11 hours on the highway. Semi-trucks, or lollies as the gang calls them, were getting stuck. Traffic would be idle for 45 minutes sometimes only to figget a few hundred feet. We were hearing on the radio that people had been in their cars for hours waiting. All we could do was wait, but the gig in Glasgow, was certainly not looking likely.

The thing is, the weather was not that bad. It was no longer snowing, and there was only 6-8 inches on the ground. It’s just that it was really cold and not steps had been taken to winterize the roads. In the 11 hours we were on the highway we saw only two police cars, one emergency vehicle, and one salt truck (not salting our scraping). It was a massive infrastructure failure to an even that had been forecast days ago. People were abandoning their cars on the highway, whole busloads of people were stuck, the service station was out of diesel and any real food. The nearby hotels were loaded and it looked like we were going to be sleeping in the van.

We had to cancel the gig put pushed through the hours and hours of traffic to get to the Glasgow City Center where we had hotel rooms. Henry did all the driving and had a great air of chivalry when he got us there and we did the best thing we could think of to cope, shared some pints.

Versions of Joanna out now! Here my cover of Sawdust and Diamonds, support flood relief in Pakistan.

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 04:53:27 -0500

Versions of Joanna out now! Here my cover of Sawdust and Diamonds, support flood relief in Pakistan.

The story of Ditch the Van continues through the hills of...

Sun, 05 Dec 2010 06:56:27 -0500

The story of Ditch the Van continues through the hills of Pennsylvania. Loads of fun riding along all the beautiful land cared for by Amish and Mennonites (who particularly resonated with out industrious bicycles).

We may not be on our bikes physically but virtually, the Ditch...

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 17:55:05 -0500

We may not be on our bikes physically but virtually, the Ditch the Van tour lives on. In Chapter 10, we ride to the sustainability festival in Kempton, PA. A beautiful piece of riding and some very special new friends.

Train through Appalachia

Sun, 26 Sep 2010 15:58:36 -0400

After performing an early morning set for the folks at Appalachia Rising we hopped an Amtrak back to Kentucky. Katie and I are plotting out the script for the Idea Fest with coffee in hand. Jordon and Marty are resting… Marty has been editing videos like a mad scientist. The mountains are so beautiful, some of them with foggy hats. looking forward to being back in Kentucky.

Chapter 9 finds everyone on the east coast for their first two...

Sun, 26 Sep 2010 06:52:02 -0400

Chapter 9 finds everyone on the east coast for their first two shows in Havre de Grace at Biller’s Bikes.

Catching Up

Fri, 24 Sep 2010 09:18:22 -0400

Boy, the last four days have been packed with riding and performances. The hills are alive and well in PA and MD and so are we. But it’s been hard to find the time to keep up with the blog. I’ll catch everyone up soon. But today we ride out to Bethesda, MD and we’ll be escorted by none other than the famous Jeff Schaulk.

He’s one of the elite mountain bike racers in the US and we’ve been staying with him and his lovely wife Anna. He’s going to ride with us (very slowly) down to the Strathmore Mansion today and to keep his throttle down he’s going to do it all on a single speed, 69er mountain bike. And, I think he’s going to try out our loads…should be fun.

Chapter 8 is up! We say goodbye to Colorado with a show at the...

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 10:11:06 -0400

Chapter 8 is up! We say goodbye to Colorado with a show at the Oriental Theater where we shared the stage with the uber talented Patrick Dethlefs.

as fast as we need to be...

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 10:04:22 -0400

Riding through the edge of the mountains in Pennsylvania. With the all these hills we really have to start early each day and kick right up until load in. Yesterday we made a stop in Lyons for the Fiddlers Fest. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen all the old fiddlers gather. One fella was bowing up a storm from his Rascal motorized wheel chair. But we payed for the visit with a photo finish to soundcheck in Spring City. In fact, we had so many problems with flats that we weren’t sure we were going to make it (highway 422 was filthy) but a nice fella named Randy stopped to help about 5 miles from the gig. he hauled Jordon’s bike and gear with Jordon so that at least he could get set up. its amazing how this stuff seems to just work out when there’s problems.

kempton’s morning sky.

Sun, 19 Sep 2010 06:58:47 -0400

kempton’s morning sky.

backstage at the PA Renewable Energy Festival. the OXNY Taiko...

Sat, 18 Sep 2010 18:14:07 -0400

backstage at the PA Renewable Energy Festival. the OXNY Taiko Ensemble is opening.

we’ve stopped at a dinner for some brunch. imagining how...

Sat, 18 Sep 2010 11:47:11 -0400

we’ve stopped at a dinner for some brunch. imagining how many more customers they could accommodate if everyone road bicycles. IMAGINE!

we’ve stopped at a dinner for some brunch. imagining how...

Sat, 18 Sep 2010 11:46:25 -0400

we’ve stopped at a dinner for some brunch. imagining how many more customers they could accommodate if everyone road bicycles. IMAGINE!

The new Ditch the Van T-shirts are up online! We didn’t...

Sat, 18 Sep 2010 09:40:26 -0400

The new Ditch the Van T-shirts are up online! We didn’t print a ton but you can get yours at the link below and support the tour. The image of the man towing the airstream with his bicycle was hand-drawn by my good friend Lina Tharsing. Then, Lexington’s own Cricket Press pitched in to help make the image screen-printable.

riding along the D&L Canal tow-path. really lovely. the...

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 16:40:40 -0400

riding along the D&L Canal tow-path. really lovely. the temperature is perfect and there were no cars… ah. arriving in to Allentown a bunch of cop cars raced by. we hear there was a bank robbery.