For a while now we have been having the (internet) age-old debate: “Bring the laptop, or don’t bring the laptop?” Or, in honor of our impending overnight in Stratford-Upon-Avon, “To laptop or not to laptop, that is the question.”

I think it’s official. We won’t be bringing the laptop. On the advice of some coworkers we’ll be doing our blogging at internet cafes. That lightens our travel load and allows us to get out into towns and talk to people. Being the frugal type, I will also be forced to minimize the number of times I check my email (or the progress of my fantasy baseball team, for that matter).

In other technology news, I purchased a Griffin iTalk mic for my iPod. This will allow me to record presentations at the Energy 2007 conference, interviews with the public, personal reflections, and random songs about sheep Erin and I compose while driving through the English countryside. We’re also debating whether to rent an international cell phone for the trip. Our verizon phones only have CDMA technology and can’t be used in the UK. Its an extra expense, but the safety and convience of having one will probably make our road trip smoother (because driving on the other side of the road certainly won’t!)

T-minus fourteen days.

Recently, we have been investigating our exact route. If you have any suggestions about any of these places, please let us know. So far, it looks like this:

6/19-6/22: UK. Energy 2007 Conference Wessex Institute of Technology, New Forest, England

6/23: Visit Stonehenge, check out wind farm sites, and drive to Exeter, where we’ll spend the night at the Telstar Guest House

6/24: Drive to and explore Delabole, Cornwall, Wales, where there are some pretty sweet wind farms. We’ll actually be spending the evening in Tintagel, the rumored site of King Arthur’s Camelot, at this green B&B.

6/25-6/26: Drive to and stay in Swansea. Investigate sites on Gower Peninsula, meet with local author/activist Tom Anderson, meet with Welsh Minister of Environment. Spend two nights at the Ael-y-Bryn House near the waterfront.

6/27: Drive to Milford Haven, stay in Aberystwyth. Visit Castle Pill Windfarm site, meet with Wave Dragon engineers

6/28: Visit Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth, and then spend the evening at a lodge in Bangor (that’s Bangor, Wales, folks, not Bangor, Maine)

6/29: Examine wind farms on the Isle of Anglesey. Then drive to Stratford-upon-Avon (gotta keep the English teacher happy) where we’ll spend the night and revel in the aura of the bard.

6/30: Mosey around Stratford-upon-Avon a bit more, drive to London and fly to Dinard, France, where we’ll spend two nights.

7/1: Examine Barrage de la Rance.

7/2: Train to Paris. The end!

As part of an Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound Fund for Teachers grant, I will be traveling through the United Kingdom (England, Wales, and Scotland) and France researching wind power and tidal power. First, I will be attending a scientific conference at the Wessex Institute of Technology in New Forest, England. After that, I will be doing field work in Wales, Scotland, and France.

I have three goals for this fieldwork:
1. Learn about current and cutting edge renewable energy technology.
2. Learn about the obstacles, process, and problems, of installing renewable technology.
3. Interview scientists, lawmakers, authors, activists, and the general public to learn about the benefits and drawbacks of installing wind and tidal power facilities.

My fieldwork will go from June 19th to July 2nd. I will be collecting materials, pictures, video, and audio recordings of my researching. I hope to use these materials when teaching Windsor 8’s renewable energy expedition.

Stay Tuned!