FAQ

2010-06-07T10:55:46Z

Markgodber:

==Basic==
*What is biketour?
**answer at page [[What bt is]]

*Where and when it will happen?
** From end of June until end of August, 2010
** The [[Route]] is probably one of the most dynamic pages in this wiki ;)

*Who to contact?
** [[Contacts]] or talk with Laura, Moritz or Mark

*How much does it cost?
** answer at page [[Costs]]

*What to bring?
** See [[What to bring]]

==Bikes==
contribution by Tiho and [[User:Greg|Ivan Gregov]]

*do I need to bring my bike?
**Well if you want to avoid all the things about preparations in hurry, you should. Otherwise the best is if you can contact someone before in the place where you will join Biketour and ask if is possible to find you something. There was a people who bought cheap bikes and later group were always looking back for them.

*how do I transport my bike across Europe?
**Sometimes it can be hassle with bike to travel on starting point of Biketour, but it worth to do. Trains, buses, ferries, planes all over the world can accept a bike as a baggage, what you have to do is to pack and protect you bike and other things from damaging. You should pay for it like for two large baggage. Sometimes you will have to dismantle your bike, front or both wheels, just to be easier to put in the baggage area. Also, packing your bike in a cardboard box (there are special large bike bags available too!) is good advice to avoid the problems! (See [[#Transporting your bike|below]])

*What kind of bike do I need?
**The one that you already have. Any kind would do (judging from previous years of Biketour), but with some bikes it will be easier. In ideal case, the most recommended would be bikes invented for travelling: trekking and touring bikes. If you have mountain bike, don't forget to put ROAD TIRES. If you have road (racing) bike, don't forget to put rough tires. This will make your life much easier.
**The one that you already have, from economic side it will the best. Any kind would do (judging from previous years of Biketour), but with some bikes it will be much easier. In ideal case, the most recommended would be bikes invented for travelling: trekking and touring bikes (usually they have 28 inches wheels and thinner tires, but some of the bikes called “hybrid bikes” have 26 inches wheels like mountain bikes but with race kind of frame, more gears, suspensions etc).
**If you have mountain bike, don't forget to put ROAD TIRES, the best are semi-slick tires which you can use as for road also for some easy dirt roads (because sometimes we use roads that don’t have so much traffic, like dirt roads). That makes Biketour much nicer and healthier.
**If you have road (racing) bike, don't forget to put rough tires, as thick as possible. This will make your ride and life much easier.
**No matter which kind of bike you used, you have to know that, if you want to travel without so much stress, best it will be if you to:
***Try to find frame (bike) size that is right size for you (it will be long ride and you have to feel you bike as one part of your body). Sometimes if bike doesn’t fit you, you can expect muscle pain in different areas. Try to ask some more information in your closest bike store. Regarding frame materials of your bike, usually bikes for travelling are made from steel, alloy or titanium (carbon fibre, other combination). Steel (Cr-Mo compound) is the best one for riding on this kind of trips, but it is heaviest one and it is cheapest one. For now the best solution according to the people who like travelling by bike is alloy (7001 type) frame bikes. They are enough stiff and they are lighter for travelling and they are little bit more expensive. The last one material for frames is Titanium, far stiffer, lighter, but very, very expensive (if you have one of those you are lucky and bring one good lock for it).
***Try to find bike with 36 (or more) spokes wheels if it is possible, made from stainless steel spokes (stronger ones) and double frame wheels (they are more stiffer and durable), or if you don’t have that kind of wheels, you could bring, for example, for every hundred km one spoke for your rear wheel (measured by professionals) plus tools for repairing. So if it is trip long 3000km you have to bring 30 spare spokes (1kg more to carry) plus tools for repairing (1kg more). So it’s up to you.
***How many gears? Well far now we notice that people travelled sometimes with just one gear, but if you want to have less painful travelling, you should have at least 18 gears that function. Because sometimes you can expect ascending up to 15% (like it was in Bosnia, Romania…).
***Rack and panniers? Well there are a lot of different kinds of both things. Rack just should be stiff and without ruptures that can hold all things that you should bring with you. If you have front ones is the same situation. Sometimes people made racks from steel for buildings and they carried backpacks on it, and it worked. But it is not so safely for riding with that. Panniers could be normal and waterproof. If you have normal panniers you should keep your things dry with lot of plastic bags or you will bagging other people for some spare close (if you are lucky that they are same size as you are). Waterproof panniers are the best solution but also the most expensive ones. Sometimes you can find on sale some cheap one.
***Suggestion: please, but please check all the things on your bike before you want to go on some trip like this. Frame, brakes, gears, spokes…everything.

*What kind of a bike I DON'T need?
**One that is already broken. New, super cheap from a supermarket (so-called Chinese ones, people from China no offense). Super expensive top-of-the-class bikes. Extremely heavy weight bike. Full suspension downhill bike. Avoid to bring borrowed bike you haven't tried before (or better - if you will borrow the bike, try it before Biketour, mostly to avoid problems with the size of the bike). Remember that you should feel comfortable on your bike, because you will be cycling several hours a day.

*What material do I need for my bike?
**Well first of all you should bring some of the spare parts for your bike. You have to know the weakness of your bike so you can bring important things for it. Firs of all it is: inner tubes and repair kit, one tire (if it is possible), brake shoes, oil for chain, spokes, pump, basic tool for your bike. Other things are highly recommended: lock for bike, helmet for you, rain protection for both, lights (front and rear), sunglasses, hat and water bottles.

*Is there anyone taking care of my bike and repairing my flat tyres?
**Well, there is always somebody that knows more about bike repairing but as we are the group that it is not always in one large group but divided in several small groups and maybe this person would not be in your group. What you should do is to bring your own tools and to ask somebody to show you how to solve some problems that you will have. That how you will learn more about your best friend.

*I heard that you carry everything by bike, how can I do it?
**All you need are RACK and PANNIERS (bike bags) attached to a bike. Two separate panniers are much better that just one big (it is easier to take them off, and we need to do it every day). Second thing is: don't take too much personal stuff. Try to put everything into panniers and check the weight: it shouldn't go over 15kg for 2 panniers together.
Bike Paniers (espec. seperated, light weight, waterproof and good shaped ones) can be pretty expensive. On the web you can find several diy projects on how to make your own from (recycled) material. Search yourself, or check [[http://www.sfbike.org/?racks here]] or for example [[http://cam.ucsd.edu/~spav/play/panniers.html here]] or [[http://kenkifer.com/bikepages/touring/bags.htm here]].

*And that you have "trailers". What's that? and will I be able to carry them?
**Well on trailers we are putting all things that Biketour family need. Food, dishes, flyers, music and other equipment, load up to 35kg. We have now 3 or 4 of those for carrying our equipment and one for carrying children. Everybody who have strong will and strong legs could do that, just if his bike is compatible (on most of the new bikes is possible to mount these trailers).

*What should I avoid bringing (bike stuff)?
**Too big and too heavy set of tools, or tools which you can't really use with your bike. Don't take super-strong and heavy locks, moderate locks are just fine.

*what advices would you give me for a safe, easy, cycling during Biketour?
**Well as you carry all things by yourself you should count twice what to bring. Not so much clothes but to have everything. Avoid bringing with you: anger, hatefulness, jealousness, xenophobia, grill, meat, guns, bombs, radioactive materials…

*What advices would you give me for a safe, easy, cycling during Biketour?
**Well many things it is up to you, but some tips could not be lion on the path:
**It will be wise if could do your health checking before you are coming to the Biketour, just you to be shore that you will endure all trip by bike. Maybe talk with your doctor about what you will do this summer. You can bring with you some basic medicine, sun protection and hat.
**Bring first aid with you.
**Prepare you bike as much as possible (if you can try it even with full panniers to cycle) and cycle few times before start of Biketour, that how you will avoid pain in the muscles in first days.
**Bring your helmet and wear it almost always
**Bring front and back lights.
**Cycle with the people who cycle same pace as you, or who are more experienced.
**Cycle not on the end of the road but one meter from the end line, that how drivers will notice you before and you will always have more tome and space to run from those who didn’t notice you.
**Learn and use bike signs.
**Bring bike bell or horn, you will need it for many things.
**If you really want to bring alcohol, only use it when you feel cold, but before don't forget that you have to eat a little bit.
**Always have some sweets with you and some worm clothes, you never know where you will astray.
**Bring some instrument and make music all the time and sing.
**Bring one sun for you and people from Biketour and ask wind if he can blow in the back for some time.
**Bring tend with you for two people so you can share with someone and you can make friendships or love or both.
**Bring good mood, smile, song, friend and national recipes for food and drink.

== Transporting your bike ==
(By Milan)

Now about bike transport bags. I've decided to build my own bike bag made of heavy
duty plastic

material that is mostly used for the base of a tent. It's light weight and it could
be folded easily.

I have found several types of bike transport bags on the internet at on-line bike
shops.

http://www.evanscycles.com/categories/bicycle-accessories/bags/bike-bags-transport

It doesn't have to be padded and dimensions should be: 115x85x24 cm

One zipper, one or two shoulder straps and that's all.

You have to dismantle wheels, handlebar, pedals, seat post, luggage carrier for
panniers

and mudguards if you have them. Then you can put some peaces of cardboard or wrap
around

sharp parts with some thin plastic foil to secure your bike from unwanted scratches
or damage.

Route 2010

2010-06-07T10:55:16Z

Markgodber: /* UK */

2010-05-26T14:50:01Z

Markgodber: /* Planned Equipment List for 2010 */

==Planned Equipment List for 2010==

Trailers - 2 or 3 - we are still trying to get 1 or 2 from Zagreb (we need to replace their axles and generally do some maintenance before using them), plus Moritz' trailer, maybe buy another one?

Rocket stove - one large and one small - we need to build these - maybe a workshop in London or Yorkshire?

Gas stoves - only small ones which some participants bring with them?

Biketools? (but maybe rely on the tools brought by participants)

Medical kit (anyone know where this is?) If we find the old we should check its contents and replace anything missing.

If possible ONE general BIODEGRADABLE shampoo, toothpaste and dishwash and a big handsoap is recommended to buy (and in a lot of countries those biodegradable products are hard to find). One general high factor sun-cream can be good too.

Pots - There is only 1 big pot (22liters) left from last years biketour (in Zagreb?). Needed additionally is a thinner metal pot one size smaller, and a small pot (2 liters or so) could be handy too for coffee and sauces

A big plastic box that wouldnt break easily, can be usefull to cary food supplies like rise, coffee, teas, etc Smaller boxes are quickly recycled while traveling from the packaging of daily food, so not needed to buy

Wooden cutting boards that we bought were too heavy, and finally left out of the supply- take 2 plastic ones instead

Same for the knives: 2 sharp big knives, 1 small and a bread-knife will do, together with a big soup spoon, 2 large wooden spoons, perhaps a flat grinder (rasp). Check if they are still with the trailers

T-shirts

Stickers

Biketour information leaflets

Some spare bikes? If you are thinking coming to the tour without a bike let us know, there might be ways of getting a spare one.

==Our Stuff==

===trailers===
'''Bob's after 2009 BT'''
* both at Zelena Akcija in Zagreb

=== not used in 2009 ===
'''Kid's'''
* one with WCN @ Prague

===other stuff===
*a laptop with jan in vienna
: Daniel: Who is Jan?
*last year pots at Zagreb and Prague
*printed trailer banners at Zagreb
*some pots from 2004 in the [[EYFA]] office
**the only pots Jan knows about are from 2004 still in Amesterdam eyfa office

== See also ==
[[FAQ]]

----
do you know of any other bt-stuff floating around ?

2010-03-17T17:35:47Z

Markgodber: /* Organizing 2010 ecotopia biketour */

(''nb: to edit the wiki, you need to [[Special:Userlogin|login]] with your account. if you dont have one, you make it [[Special:Userlogin|here]])''

==Welcome to the wiki of the ecotopia biketour==

===Information===
*[[What is bt]]?
*[[Frequently asked questions]]
*[[Route]]
*[[Map]]
*How to [[join]]

=== Organizing 2010 ecotopia biketour ===
This is a self-organized tour!

No club, no ngo, no political party. Just some people following an idea - since 1990!

In 2010 we are planning to start in the UK at the end of June, go to the [http://www.worldcarfree.net/conference/ Towards Carfree Cities Conference], then onto the [http://www.campclimat.org/ Camp Action Climat] in France at the end of July, and finally through Belgium, the Netherlands & Germany in August.

We are searching for people who want to join BT 2010 and take part in its organisation - see '''[[organise BT 2010]]''' how far we got already and where u can help!

There is an explanation on [[what bt is]] and how to [[organise biketour]] and collected some nice [[ideas]] about improving BT. 

Right now we are also working on the [[website]]. And where the hell is our [[stuff]]? 

====Tasks====

we have quite a lot of job opportunities :) smaller areas of the project, where u would be the right person to take responsibility:

*coordinating a bit of the route
*take care of our outreach during the tour: flyer, poster, website content, prepare an action, prepare a theater piece, prepare actions, prepare workshop to be given to the tour members or to the public
*coordinate the outreach for participants and organizers
*maintain the website
*style/desing the website, leaflets, posters...
*raise funds
*take care about visa
*overall coordination – done at the moment by laura and jan – are u interested ?
*backup office
*presswork
*bring bt to social networks like facebook and keep it updated there

* You can help us on-line!!! We do need help with moving pages from our old wikis and websites - have a look down to [[#Archive|archive]] - to this wiki. Also the [[website]] needs editing.

* Wiki organization
* Take care of moving old texts to here
* You can learn on [[How to edit Wiki]] for contributing
* Link this orphan pages: [[Special:Lonelypages]]

==Last years' tours==

===2009===
In 2009 we cycled from Macedonia to Croatia through Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Here you find the traversed [[route 2009|route]], and the [[Meeting_minutes/Felt_the_heat|final evaluation]], a sort of lessons learned.

===2008===
*[[lessons learned]]
*[[checklist for national/local organisers]]
*[[checklist for international organisers]]

===2007===
[[Main Page 2007|Main Page of this wiki during 2007]] [[Route 2007|Route of Biketour 2007]] [[Map 2007|Map of Biketour 2007]]

===2006===
[[diary 06]], [[booklet 06]], [[pressrelease06 eng]], [[outreachmail participants 06 eng]],
[[traveltips to lithuania and poland]], [[short route description 06]], [[flyer06 eng]]

====Archive====
* campfire [[recipes]]
* [[texts about bt]]
* the 2005 wiki - bosnia, serbia, romaina and moldova: [http://bt05.seedwiki.com/wiki/bt05/?CFID=5513191&CFTOKEN=69760497&jsessionid=c2302637811172265372968]
* the 2004 wiki, quite some texts in czech and german: [http://bike_tour.seedwiki.com/wiki/bike_tour/?CFID=5513188&CFTOKEN=25088710&jsessionid=c2301409891172265371765]

Organise BT 2010

2010-02-14T18:51:32Z

Markgodber: /* Other Route Ideas */

= Organising Biketour 2010 „20th Anniversary“ =

== Route ==

=== Consensus ===
At the moment we are re-discussing a weak online consensus to go to Ecotopia 2010 near Berlin – We are open for ideas about other action camps.
There is a strong online consensus to go to the "Towards Carfree Cities Conference" (TCCC)[[http://www.worldcarfree.net/conference/]] in York/UK, probably cycling before and after. WCN [[http://www.worldcarfree.net]], organizers of TCCC, were really enthusiastic to join forces :-) you can read some [[reasons to take the UK route]] from a chat protocol

=== Collection of alternative Camps ===
As going to ecotopia or not is in the discussion at the moment, we have to look out for other places to go. Please add which activist camps, festivals, summer camps you know which could be a possible destination.

=== The list: Activist/Ecologist Events in europe, summer 2010 ===

Here is an amazing list of activist events on or near the general route(s) we are talking about between May & August. Add anything else that you hear about. The list can also be seen on an open edit google map at http://bit.ly/ceNwc6

*26 - 28 May 2010 Global Carbon Market Fair & Conference, Cologne, Germany

*31 May - 11 Jun 2010 UNFCCC First sessional period in 2010 Bonn, Germany (united nations climate change talks)

*12th June Naked bikeride, London, England [http://wiki.worldnakedbikeride.org/wiki/London#Objectives_and_demands]

*19th June Naked Bikeride, Brussels, Belgium (to be confirmed)

*21-25 June - Two Degrees art/activism event being organised by Mark, London, England

*23rd June - 24th August: Baltic Sea Info Tour, Nuclear Heritage [http://www.greenkids.de/europas-atomerbe/index.php/Action:Infotour_Around_The_Baltic_Sea] to raise awareness aginast radioactive polution of the baltic sea

*25th June Critical Mass, London, England (& Brighton England)

*26-27 June - Exmouth Exodus - SW England equivalent of Dunwich Dynamo (see below) [http://exmouthexodus.co.uk/]

*28 June - 1 July Towards Carfree Cities Conference IX - York, England

*2nd July - 28th Aug Otesha project starts cycling, Lands End, Cornwall, England

*2-7 July - Tour de Elbe, international CZ-D ride from Decin /CZ/ to Magdeburg /D/ to promote Elberadweg

*1-4 July 2010 "Velorution Universelle" a big critical mass in Paris, France [http://velorutionuniverselle.org/articles/spip.php?rubrique6]

*3 July - 15 August "AlterTour" tour-de-france for a non-doped planet, France [http://www.altertour.net/]

*1-6 july 2010 YOUPEC Geel, Antwerp, Belgium

* 8-11 July FOIBOS greenways conference, Budapest, Hungary

*23-25 July The Big Tent, Falkland, Fife, Scotland

*23-27 July Peace News Summer Camp, Oxfordshire, England [http://www.veggies.org.uk/event.php?ref=1655]

*24-25 July Dunwich Dynamo, London-Suffolk (east coast), England - 190km overnight bike ride, not really an activist event, but one of the biggest mass participation, not-sport, bike events in the UK [http://www.southwarkcyclists.org.uk/dunwichfaqs.htm]

*25. july - 01. aug. Sieben Linden Sommercamp 2010

*30th July Critical Mass, London (& Brighton England)

*1-21st August Ecotopia, Flaeming, Germany

*27th september - 5th of october No borders camp, brussels. Probably interesting for people who want to travel on after BT.

* ongoing: Rossport Shell to Sea solidarity camp, Ireland [http://flag.blackened.net/revolt/rsc/]
* ongoing: (right now, at least!) Mainshill Solidarity Camp, southern scotland [http://coalactionscotland.noflag.org.uk/]
* ongoing: Major environmental in countries like Ukraine !
* ongoing: http://www.lappersfort.tk/ a occupied forest in Belguim, people are resisting against the destruction of the forest - worth a visit

''Dates not set yet:''
* Camp Action Climat (french climate camp [http://www.campclimat.org]) near Caen, France. Has a meeting the same weekend as our Mainz meeting !!

*The UK Climate Camp regional groups are meeting right now (Jan & Feb) - it's very possible that there will be several summer Climate Camps across the UK in 2010 but we don't know yet. National gathering weekend of 13-14 February, Mark can't go but is trying to keep in touch with their plans

* Reclaim the Fields [http://bit.ly/6MA9hQ] maybe France, maybe Hungary..

*Earth First! Summer Camp, somewhere in the UK. But it seems its not clear where and when it will be so far. At least I didn´t find any information about it. Niklas maybe knows more soon. Earth First! has a winter meeting in early Feb, maybe we can find some more information after that [http://earthfirstgathering.org.uk/2010moot/front.html]

=== Next Questions for the route: UK ===

How to get there:
*We need ideas how to come to the tour, how to reach York or any other starting point by cheap bike friendly transport on the surface, as there are the German wochenend ticket, mitfahrzentralen/ ride sharing, night train offers, the Czech bus student agency (do they take bikes?) '''Who wants to expand the list and fill it with details ?'''

How to get from the UK back to the continent:
*Mark has done some price research on all the possible route to France, Belgium & Netherlands http://bit.ly/dzeFXJ The cheapest ferries are the ones from Dover, and tickets get more expensive further away.
*School holidays in England and Wales start Fri 23 July so we should cross the channel before then to get cheaper tickets.
*One possible cheap deal is the DutchFlyer, London-Amsterdam ticket, quite cheap (£29/€33) if it fits the route, including trains in UK and Netherlands - but may only be possible for a small number of bikes.
*We also need to consider using a bus/van if it makes taking bikes on the ferry cheaper
*It is possible to '''hitchhike ferries''' – we could reserve some days for it, so the whole group has time to give it a try. '''Who could check out, which ferries work well, how it works and stuff ?'''
*We could also ask '''the ferry company to sponsor us, give some free transport or at least a discount. Someone up for checking that out ? ''' Maybe we should wait with that till our website looks fresh.

*'''We need more contacts in the UK'''. There is Mark who is ready for regional coordinating, also Kristina a former BT-participant wants to help out. Barry – well he is Irish, but still. Ask WCN for contacts ? http://otesha.org.uk/ ? London Critical Mass ? The organizers/hosts of the 2002 tour ? This massive bikesoundsystem, what was the name again ?

===Route questions for the rest of Europe===

** '''who would like to coordinate the Tour in The Netherlands ?''' We have quite some dutch people on the bt-org list. It is the bike country of Europa, with Groningen as best example city – 50% of all trips on bike. In Groningen there is Marij, a bt-veteran and other ecotopia people. Janneke´s mother wants to help out with the route! we can contact her as far we know that we will go to the netherlands.

**in Germany we can cooperate with '''janun[[http://www.janun.de]] for lower Saxony'''. Someone up to coordinate things ? Jan has the contact of Arne, a janun and bt veteran. Also there is the wendland on the way, a region which resists an atomic waste dump since decades. And the ecovillage „sieben Linden“ could be on the route. Jan and Moritz currently live in Germany.

** What about Belgium ? Luxembourg ? Jan has good contacts there. Bt has never been there, at least not this millennium. But its hilly and a bit out of the way.

=== Other Route Ideas ===

here is a list of the other ideas we had on [[Route 2010]]. if u want to give one of them energy, please do so on the bt-org list or write to info[at]ecotopiabiketour.net

== The Tour ==

here is the space to put ideas about the 2010 tour in general

=== Content/ Slogan ===
On sat 16 january there was a brainstorm chat on skype about a theme for BT2010, read the [[full chat here]]. summary:
'''theme proposals'''
nuclear, climate justice, traffic, link theme to biodiversity, renewable sources of energy ?
Climate justice could be a general theme where all other things can fit in/are related to. Everyone in chat was interested in this theme. Disadvantage of a wide theme is too loose focus, maybe its good to chose one angle. Climate justice has it a set stamp of ideologies, and actions to take, according to Laura, she would love to give a workshop about it!
'''More ideas connected to Climate justice as theme could be:'''
* the idea to meet with indigenous people from the global south and link BT to their experiences: to take their voices with us (as they probably can not join us, but should be heard). (laura wants to add here: she didn't mean indigenous people from global south -indigenous people, but also/and/or voices from global south)
* to link climate justice to practical stuff like recycling food, materials etc
* to address the green-washing problem: the problem of presenting renewables as green capitalist solution, the problem of carbon trading
* focus on voluntary simplicity, on using less, on people self.organization.... (we could make up a set of principals that consumption matters..)
* fits well to french climate camp (which could be our destination)
'''older notes:'''
i am especially excited about the opportunity to give some profound
content to bt, with wcn help. we will travel a lot of towns, where the
bike is already used a lot. but still there is such a long way to go for people to live sustainable !
"towards carfree cities" as a possible motto for the tour - but with a comprehensive website and good
material to present this during the tour.
i love the carbusters magazine, we would have to make a "best off" in
the format of a biketour, a travelling exhibition with interactive
elements called actions ;)

to have bt starting for days before the conference and let it be
embedded in the conferences press strategie - a more close cooperation
than ever, bt being more integral part of the conference

===Action/Theater/Propaganda===

inspired by [[http://otesha.org.uk/ otesha]] I would really like to see some preparation of an action, something creative, some theater play or such. Such creative work as a theater play is sooo good for group dynamics and so much fun. It would need one person, who wants to come to the start and knows a bit about theater, to work with the group on the piece, creating something which people coming later can easily join. More ideas include: To carry an exhibition, to carry a slide show, to prepare some workshops for the participants as well as for the public – all connected to the theme “towards carfree cities”

Janneke´s mother wants to help out with the route, sleeping places.. in the north of the netherlands (Friesland). She could prepare an action there against a highway.

Calais – moritz has some friends who are involved in actions and initatives trying to help the refugees whos camps are destroyed in Calais France. If we´re crossing the ocean from the UK to France that could be a stop for an action/helping out. I will ask my friends if they could imagine to prepare something or at least ask other people who maybe would like to have a nice biketour around and are willing to organise something. Could be connected to the topic climate refugees.

Seeds for Change Lancaster (a workers' coop offering activist trainings), they'd be up for giving us consensus, facilitation and other workshops as long as it is during the week, because summer weekends always are really busy.

=== Office Backup ===

it would be really great, if the tour would have a office backup while traveling, someone who has all the modern communication channels open for the people on tour, do a bit press work, answe the phone and mail, update the website, upload photos and stuff like that. Who would like to do that ?

===Veterans===

we could invite all the old people. Hey karl or mihail, is that not something for u ?
we should also still have the kids trailor around somewhere, no ?

== Staff ==

at the moment there is no payed staff. We do not have a club or ngo behind us. Just a group of more or less engaged volunteers. Should we change that ?

=== Volunteers ===

Moritz & Laura are our international co-ordinators for 2010!

Mark is [one of?] regional co-ordinator for England!

=== Evs ===

Laura will be doing EVS with FoE FLanders & Brussels, being based in Gent from beginning of March 2010. Her main project there will be co-ordinating BT 2010!

=== Jobs ===

we have quite a lot of job opportunities to offer :) smaller areas of the project, where u would be the right person to take responsibility:

*coordinating a bit of the route
*take care of our outreach during the tour: flyer, poster, website content, prepare an action, prepare a theater piece, prepare actions, prepare workshop to be given to the tour members or to the public
*coordinate the outreach for participants and organizers
*maintain the website
*style/desing the website, leaflets, posters...
*raise funds
*take care about visa
*overall coordination – done at the moment by laura and jan – are u interested ?
*backup office
*presswork
*bring bt to social networks like facebook and keep it updated there

== Meetings ==

''Things are moving!''

* Skype meetings (calls or chats) are happening weekly.

* Face-to-face '''Wintermeeting '''is going to be in '''MAINZ, Germany on 6th-7th FEB'''. Tell us if you are coming: [http://doodle.com/participation.html?pollId=xirvkc8ppb5ysbh4]

====Agenda of wintermeeting====
[http://btwiki.ecobytes.net/Agenda_Wintermeeting_2010] So here's the Agenda, please add to this, ''if it's something that doesn't already come under one of these topics''
Laura has made a new page [http://btwiki.ecobytes.net/Agenda_Wintermeeting_2010] to build-on each of these points to start of the discussions and to come to decisions/proposals. please put some notes or important facts or points, references to previous discussions that give direction as to how to move forward, and your thoughts- particularly if you aren't going to be at the wintermeeting. http://btwiki.ecobytes.net/Agenda_Wintermeeting_2010

*Bringing laura & moritz up to speed on organising
====Route====
*To Ecotopia or not to ecotopia?
*Route, Calender of Events/places to go!
*National Co-ordinators & local organisations
====Aim====
*What on earth do we want to achieve/how do we want to do it.
*Climate Justice/or other theme workshop?
*How the f*** do we realistically achieve want we want to achieve
*Biketour's name & tagline brainstorm

====Process====
*Daily Routine during BT
*Evalutations + avoiding making the same mistakes
*Outreach & recruiting
how to get new participants? Biketour presantations on eco-meetings/summits/places were activists are
*Ecorates & participants fees
*Applications
*email lists & moderation
*decision making processes
rapid response, organiser's contact details?
*minimum participation days/ set joining days
====Outreach====
*media
*make a basic video here & now for BT!
*What things we need "training" in at the start of the biketour:
-theme of biketour
-successful groups are thanks for successful meetings
-concensus decision making
-getting to know eachother
-languages
-facilitating
-bicycle repair
-travelling vegan cooking
-dumpster diving
-open space
Brainstorm on who do we think would do hold these workshops
*website updates, wiki, facebook, social networks

====Logistics====
*Budget
both minimum & most ambitious
*Fundraising
*BT hardware
Trailer, cooking equiptment, bike repair stuff.. Do we have it; how is it getting to the starting point
*Best kind of bicycle to get
*instruction booklet
*tshirts/bags/patches/screenprinting biketour-propaganda stuff mainly for participants!
*Think about all those extra things
To do with process, route, co-ordinators...If at the end of the biketour you say or think 'oh, if only we'd done....' or 'this could always have been done better......' !
'''*Biketour 2011'''
(laura) Ukraine? Baltic states? EVS or funding applications writing? co-ordinator recruitment
====Where to from here?====
*Organise next skype call, and/or next in-person meeting
*Make a road-map for the organisation of BT2010
laura would really appreciate this
Write down briefly the discussions had, all decisions made & briefly explain why
*People to do action points!

== Funding ==

Yo & mark are looking into funding so far.

We can alway ask small funds like x-y ''(any other ? more details ?)'' who already know us from previous years - so we have template applications to be inspired by. Do you want to write an application ?

Another way of DIY fund raising is to get a party or concert going and cook some food in your local squat or social center. offer us your profit and also ask people to donate for biketour. Jan will ask the vienna critical mass to do such a party.

You can go to ur local bikestore and ask for a donation - well we could make this quite big and ask bigger companies for sponsoring. there are so many adventurers getting their bike trips sponsored, so why would it not work for us. we can ask for money or equipment.

Then there is x-mas, where everyone loves to donate money. you could ask people doing that to donate for bt instead.

== Outreach ==

=== before the tour ===

we want to attract people to come to the tour and to help organizing. lets start now. we should concentrate on the countries we will pass, but it is also good to do it ur your environment, in all possibly interested networks. talk to people about biketour, hand out leaflets at your next (bicycle) demonstration/concert hang up posters about it in your local bikestore, anarchist bookshop, squat, bio-shop, community center, free shop...

online outreach should include couch surfing, warm showers, wcn, eyfa, facebook, critical mass forums, cyclotourism forums ''do you know any others ?''

we should announce our route, date and that we are an international collective based on volunteers.
what biketour is about and that we are looking for participants who already now join effords to organize, as well as hosts and people who would potentially want to organise BT 2011 !