Kick the Oil Habit Road Trip - Cruising on Homegrown Fuel

VIDEO: Kick That Filthy Habit!

Mark Pike — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 23:25:26 -0400

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You've all heard the hit song, now it's time to "Kick that Filthy Habit" with a fresh video straight out of Sin City. See what happens when my rap alias, MC Esher, hits the strip with hip-hop. If there's one thing in this world that's a sure bet, it's that MC Esher always comes fresher (especially when he rocks the green jumpsuit).

Mad props again to D'Genetics, of the group Degenerate Nation for being my beat conductor and DJ extraordinaire. Also, shout outs to my own personal Hype Williamseses: John Fiege, and Jeremy Dehn.

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Sin City Music Video! Kick that Filthy Habit..

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henderson, NV

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36.0397

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-114.981

VIDEO: To Live and Drive in LA

Stephen Geer — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 21:45:47 -0400

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Mark and the guys visit Lovecraft Bio-fuels in Los Angeles, meet some online activists who came to say congratulations, and talk to Dr. Shelley Luce, chief scientist and spokesperson for the California Clean Energy Initiative.

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We Made It!

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Los Angeles, CA

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34.0522

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-118.243

Sunset Strip

Mark Pike — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 16:45:44 -0400

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Somehow, some way, we made it. We travelled close to 4,000 miles, hitting up only E85 stations along the way and saw over 1/3 of the states in the Union. Thanks to everybody out there who has followed us along the way, had drinks with us at your neighborhood bars, and listened to us talk about our fantastic voyage on ethanol.

We made it to Los Angeles this weekend just in time to have an arrival event at Lovecraft Biofuels and talk with people about the Clean Energy Campaign and Proposition 87 the one Mr. Khosla was discussing with us on the phone the other day). In my short time here, it's pretty evident that California needs to do something about energy consumption. I'd estimate that 70% of our time here has been spent sitting in traffic. At least there's great radio stations!

My buddies left town this morning (I miss you already!), but I'm going to stick around Cali for a little bit to talk with some more people about our trip, hang out with old and new friends, and maybe meet some models. After driving cross-country on ethanol, do we qualify as D-List celebrities?!

Thanks to everybody for the sunrises, sunsets and memories. Nevermind the bugs on the windshield.

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Sunset Strip...

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Los Angeles, CA

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34.0522

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-118.243

VIDEO: Running Out of Fuel in Wyoming

Stephen Geer — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 20:35:17 -0400

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Mark and the guys run out of E85 in scenic Wyoming and are forced to refuel from backup cans.

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Evanston, WY

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41.2683

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-110.963

Today's Ethanews: Pretty Woman meets E85

LaTasha Crow — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 16:09:36 -0400

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Nissan plans to quietly market its FlexFuel version of the Armada that’ll be sold in areas where E85 is available. We won’t tell anybody! Ooops...

E85 is getting a pretty woman. Earth Biofuels announced that Julia Roberts will become a spokeswoman for the company and chair its new advisory board.

Viagra is facing some, umm, stiff competition from ethanol.The Xethanol Corporation, which uses wood chips and solid waste to make ethanol, announced that it will close on the sale of a phased-out Pfizer manufacturing plant.

Global interest in ethanol as an alternative fuel has sweetened the price of sugar in the commodities market. Analysts attribute the rapid price inflation to escalating demand for ethanol - sugar is one of the raw materials of the fuel - and recent supply constraints. Is Splenda next?

Some people are driving FlexFuel cars and don’t even know it. Now OnStar updates will tell users in monthly diagnostic e-mails if their vehicle is capable of using flexible fuels like E85.

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Sen. Tom Daschle & Vinod Khosla talk Ethanol

Theo LeCompte — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 13:54:37 -0400

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While on the road, Mark took a call from former South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle and ethanol investor Vinod Khosla. The three talked about Mark's challenges finding E-85 stations and the performance the drive team has seen from the Crown Vic fueled by ethanol. Take a listen.

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PHOTOS: Signs of Change

Stephen Geer — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 13:42:52 -0400

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E85 Across America

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VIDEO: The Top Gun of Alternative Fuels

Stephen Geer — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 22:20:57 -0400

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Nellis Air Force Base is exploring multiple alternatives to gasoline, including bio-diesel, O2-Diesel, and Compressed Natural Gas.

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Nellis Air Force Base

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89191

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36.175

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-115.136

Vegas, Baby

Mark Pike — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 18:13:56 -0400

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My goal for the Vegas leg of the trip is to win enough money to buy fuel to get to Los Angeles. Come on, Red 27! I need some E85!

Luckily, I won't have to cruise the Vegas Strip too much looking for E85 fuel pumps because we got our Google Map Ethanol Station Locator working! Just enter in your zip code and you can find out where you can fill up.

Find E85 stations near you:

Right now, about 90% of the locations have been added to the superduper fancy-schmancy machine we created. It'll be perfect soon. It'll be even more perfect when Big Oil punches in their zip code and realizes there's a real need for alternative fuel in this country.

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Red 27? E85.

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Las Vegas, NV

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36.175

Longitude

-115.136

Corn on the Blog: Thursday

Pete Backof — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 17:38:14 -0400

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Car companies seem to be digging on E85 SUVs. Maybe not the most environmentally friendly or fuel efficient option, but at least they're using less gas. Check out Nissan's new ethanol-capable vehicle.

You can even rock the ethanol in old school rides. Here's advice on converting classic cars to E85 .

Local folks are talking about new E85 stations in Michigan, sponsored by Meijer stores and GM.