For those of you who do not know, Mr. Joel Prive was our official Udall Legacy Tour Driver. I have a pretty silly memory of meeting Joel Prive for the first time…..
Everyone on the tour had yet to meet Joel until the official kickoff event in Washington DC. At the official kickoff event of the Udall Tour, we met so many wonderful supporters of the Udall Foundation. I remember shaking Joel’s hand and telling him it was nice to have met him. He joked back to me and said “he’d see me around”. I soon found out what that meant once we boarded the motor coach for the first time and he was sitting behind the driver’s seat! It’s a laughable memory and one I can now joke about.
Joel was far from just our driver. He is also a husband and father of three. His wife Lisa was a huge supporter of the tour – she frequently read our blog and commented on the tour flickr photos. His children are Zak age 7, Emily age 5, and Caitlin age 3. We had the pleasure to meet his family at our Vermont stop. Joel, in addition to being a family man, also helps run Lamoille Valley Transportation in Vermont as Operations Manager with his father and owner, Norman. Lamoille Valley Transportation, along with the Udall Motor Coach, were first to be Green Certified with the new program through the University of Vermont Extension.
In Phoenix, Joel’s family joined us for the last few days of the Udall Tour. We are thankful to all of our family and friends who we had to part with for this journey. For example, Sapna spent weeks away from her fiancé, David. Her wedding was only a few weeks after the tour! Between the crew, we all left friends, boyfriends/ girlfriends, brothers/sisters, parents, and other loved ones. Traveling around the country for eight weeks came with a sacrifice to those we love – and we are appreciative for all who supported us while we were away. Joel, however, was the only one who had to leave a spouse and children. Lisa, Caitlin, Zak, Emily, and Norman - thank you for your support and for sharing your husband, son, and father with us. 
Joel was one of our biggest motivators and supporters. Joel hiked with us in national parks, he came to our alumni meet ups, he helped us plant trees, remove invasive species, made sustainable pizza with the Portland Boys and Girls Club, and much much more! Joel also made sure we always found a place to get B20 biodiesel, made sure the motor coach was always in tiptop shape, and did his best to make sure we made it on time to all of our many stops across the country. Joel never complained and always stayed positive. He significantly enhanced the group dynamic on the tour.
Joel left us with many fond memories. I’ll never forget when a dead branch was in the way of the motor coach while in Grand Teton. Joel stopped the coach and jumped up like Tarzan to move the branch. Joel went canoeing with riders on Jenny Lake in Grand Teton, went to a Harry Potter party at a bookstore in Seattle with riders, and he took Bret to the post office to help us mail off our Parks in Focus cameras for our programs in Michigan and New Jersey. To write down all of the things Joel has done would take many many pages! Yes, Joel was our driver. Most of all, he is our friend and a part of the Udall family.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Driver Salute: Joel Prive is our Hero
Friday, August 3, 2007
Seattle Day Off – Indigenous Experience
(Editor's Note -- a quick jump back a bit ago ...)
Who: Martina Gast, Bret Muter, Bret Strogen, Bob Filbin, Jen Baldwin, Jenny Vazquez, and I (Jessica)
What: United Indians of all Tribes Foundation 22nd Annual Seafair Indian Days POW WOW!
Where: Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center, Discovery Park in Seattle, Washington
When: Sunday July 22, 2007
Why: To learn about and celebrate native culture
During our Seattle stop, Tribal Co-Coordinators Jenny and Martina worked together to arrange an optional visit to the 22nd Annual Seafair Indian Days Pow Wow. What a great idea!
We all piled into a taxi van and traveled to Discovery Park from the University of Washington. The Pow Wow was a remarkable experience for all of us.
The Seafair Indian Days Pow Wow ran from July 20 through 22, and typically has approximately 10,000 spectators, 400-600 dancers in full regalia, 25 drum groups, and over 60 vendors.
The 60+ vendors displayed a wide array of native art & crafts such as clothing, jewelry, music, carvings, and paintings. We ate lunch at the Pow Wow, which included traditional fry bread and a salmon bake… yum. It was delicious!
My favorite part of the day was seeing the Grand Entry. At Grand Entry all of the dancers celebrated together. The Seafair Indian Days Pow Wow holds the purpose to “celebrate the richness of the Native American culture”. The Pow Wow included traditional singing, drum and dance competitions, traditional foods, and much more. The Pow Wow helped enlighten my awareness of native culture. It was an exceptional way to spend our free day.
By: Jessica Fagan
Monday, July 23, 2007
Parks In Focus Goes Grand Teton – Jackson Lake Lodge, Wyoming
The choice of Grand Teton National Park for our second Parks in Focus program was a perfect match. Savanna, months before in our planning stages, always reinforced the breathtaking beauty of the Tetons. I was equally astonished and excited to enjoy my first visit to this special place with the Eastern Shoshone Boys and Girls Club.
Morning Ferris, from the Eastern Shoshone Boys and Girls Club, worked with us to bring ten youth and a handful of adults to meet with us at Jackson Lake Lodge for Parks in Focus.
Bob Filbin, Savanna Ferguson, Bret Muter, Martina Gast, and I worked together to teach the children about photography, the environment, and the legacy of Mo Udall. We were also very happy to have Melissa Millage join us during her short visit from Arizona! We couldn’t have asked for a better group.
The morning consisted of lessons about safety, basic photography, Morris K. Udall, and conservation. We gave each participant a digital camera to use during the program. Savanna led our first hike on the trails behind Jackson Lake Lodge.
Our first photography stop included a lesson on wildlife photography. The children practiced taking pictures of the Jackson Lake Lodge trail horses and whistle pigs that scurried around the horse fence. After some practice, latter in the day, we were able to capture wildlife shots of birds, a deer, and even a moose.
As Savanna continued the hike, Bob taught about how to take pictures of flowers using macro functions. Savanna joined in to teach them about the natural history. In our program, we try to teach conservation through “taking on pictures, leaving only foot prints”. Indian paint brush, sage, aspen, the forest was full of so many beautiful plants.
After a yummy lunch, and a few skits about the geology of the Tetons, we hiked along the Lunch Time Trail outside of the Lodge. The trail is an excellent place to view the Tetons. Bob did one last lesson about landscape photography. We ended our day together reinforcing conservation, taking a group pictures, and rewarding the Eastern Shoshone Boys and Girls Club with certificates of completion, our Parks in Focus patch, cliff bars, and Udall Nalgene bottles.
By Jessica Fagan
A Teton Picnic
Monday Evening July 16, 2007
After our two service projects, the group rejoined to visit the Indian Art Museum at Colter Bay. The museum had a stunning array of native art. I was amazed at the intricate bead work displayed on clothing, hand bags, and moccasins.
Following our visit to the Indian Art Museum, the group traveled to a cookout site within the Colter Bay campground. We made burgers, ate lots of chips and salsa, and really enjoyed a relaxed evening together. To top off the event, we used sticks to roast s’mores and toasted bananas. We sat around the fire in camaraderie. We are happy to have joined together on such a spectacular journey. This will be an experience we will never forget.
By Jessica Fagan
Floating Down the Snake River – Jackson Lake Lodge, Wyoming
Sunday July 15th, 2007
Sunday was an official day off for the Udall Legacy Bus Crew; however, we carried the legacy of Morris K. Udall with us as we ventured around Grand Teton National Park. We had the opportunity to enjoy some of our country’s most beautiful public lands.
Some of us went canoeing on Jenny Lake, others hiked, a few went horseback riding, and several of us took a float trip.
Melissa Millage, Bret Muter, and I enjoyed the early morning float trip out of Jackson Lake Lodge down the Snake River.
Was it gorgeous? Yes.
Did we see wildlife? Pronghorn, bison, birds, and a little baby chipmunk.
Did we get to help steer the boat? Yep…. It is a lot harder than it looks!Did we take lots of pictures? Of course!
Did we eat great food? The trip included a BBQ at the end… Yum
In the afternoon, several of us went on another hike to scout out trails for Parks In Focus. It was a wonderful day for everyone. Several of us even spotted a few black bears. Joel Prive, our driver, came back to the lodge with sun burned knees… evidence of his exciting canoeing adventure. What a great day.
By Jessica Fagan
Escape from the City… I can see Stars! – Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Saturday July 14, 2007
The late night streets of Nashville and New Orleans were full of neon character and culture. Today, Wyoming skies revealed a very different view.
The drive from the Colorado Rockies to the Grand Tetons was absolutely gorgeous. This is my first time to Wyoming. I will never forget my initial glimpse of Mount Moran…. Wow! I will never forget how the Teton mountain range dominated the sky after hours of driving through rolling flats. I will never forget seeing the reflection of the Tetons mirrored so beautifully in Jackson Lake.
We arrived to Grand Teton National Park in the late afternoon. As the sun was setting, thousands of stars appeared behind the outline of towering mountains. It was an amazing site. Many of the riders just sat there in awe.
By Jessica Fagan
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Ithaca Hospitality – I’m Homesick for Cornell Already, New York!
For Beth Fiori, Scott Perez, and Ding Kong.
After days of travel, Cornell welcomed the Udall Legacy Tour with high energy and friendly smiles. Traveling to different stops almost everyday is an amazing opportunity and adventure. It is motivating to be a part of the Morris K. Udall Legacy. It is also inspiring to travel around the country, highlighting and working towards solutions to pressing environmental and Native American issues. I have had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful new people, I have observed fascinating new places, and I have already gained a great deal both personally and intellectually….. to think we have only been on tour for less than two weeks! I can only imagine how special the upcoming weeks will be.
While traveling on the Udall tour is exciting, adventurous, and encouraging….. it is also very busy, and sometimes exhausting.
I was incredibly thankful when we visited Ithaca – their generous hospitality left us feeling rejuvenated for another 5+ weeks of travel. In honor of those who made our stay at Ithaca and Cornell so wonderful, I have put together the following:
1. Our Udall family/hosts that share the vision of the Udall Legacy – Beth Fiori (Cornell Fellowship Coordinator & Udall Faculty Representative), Scott Perez (Cornell Graduate Student & ’99 Scholar), and Ding Kong (Cornell Undergraduate Student & ’07 Scholar) we love you!
2. Meeting Carolyn Peterson, the Mayor of Ithaca, and her grandson Sebastian.
3. Banquet Dinner with Cornell Community members - Faculty, Staff, and Students (Thank you Cornell for hosting this wonderful evening!).
4. Orientation material with organic dark chocolate included and a Moosewood dinner for the Udall Riders upon arrival to Cornell (Thank you again Cornell! Excellent organization, food, and company!).
5. Max at the Farmers Market – One of the cutest children we’ve met on the tour who visited the Udall Motor Coach with his father at the Farmers Market. Max would say “Biodiesel” and “Welcome to Ithaca” in an oh-so-cute voice.
6. Ithaca Farmers Market – Great community, zero waste (everything at the market was either recyclable or compostable), plus lots of great food: Samosas, Lemonade, Strawberries, and much much more. Yum.
7. Single Rooms at Cornell with Recycling Bins (We all are great friends, but with living and working together 24/7, everyone enjoyed a little privacy)!
8. & Single Bathrooms.
9. Fresh fruit and Breakfast (in the same building as our housing!).
10. Free Laundry and Detergent – the machines were even more sustainable front loading washers.
From City to Countryside – Borderview and Allenholm Farms, Vermont
After a successful press conference, which unveiled our coach's Green Certification through the University of Vermont (UVM), tour riders and community guests traveled around the Vermont countryside to visit two local farms. Director and Natural Resources Specialist, Dr. Lisa Chase and Senior Program Manager, Dr. Dave Kestenbaum, both from the Vermont Tourism Data Center, developed the UVM Green Coach Certification program.
Lisa is also a ’99 Udall Fellow. After the exciting morning press event, she helped the Udall tour plan our afternoon which highlighted two local area farms in Vermont: Borderview Farm in Alburgh and Allenholm Farm in South Hero.
Our first stop was Borderview Farm in Alburgh, Vermont. To get to Alburgh from UVM, you must cross a bridge over the famous Lake Champlain. I had never been to Vermont nor seen Lake Champlain before our visit. It was a spectacular site. The water and mountains were breathtaking. Alburgh is a small town, called an Island by locals, but is rather a peninsula attached to Canada. Borderview farm is located right next to the Canada and USA border… which is probably why the farm received the name Borderview. Fellow rider Crystal Olin, one of our community guests, and I lightheartedly walked the few feet across the Canadian border. After leaving the country (jokingly), we quickly returned to the United States to rejoin the group. Dr. Doug Lantagne, Dean of the UVM Extension, introduced the Udall tour to the owner of Borderview Farm.
Borderview Farm is owned by Clare and Rodger Rainville. Borderview was previously a dairy farm. The Rainvilles, over the past three years, have converted the farm into a laboratory in partnership with the UVM Extension. They currently grow Canola in an effort to better understand and make local biodiesel. The farm also supports ongoing research projects to identify optimal growing conditions for plants (e.g. wheat, spelt, and soy beans). Dr. Heather Darby, UVM Extension Assistant Professor, works directly with the Rainville family. Heather gave us a tour of the farm. She was very engaging – lots of energy and high spirits.
The stop emphasized the need to have a self-sufficient local economy. The tour riders were also reconnected to the land. It is too easy for society to go to the grocery store and buy food products without even knowing how the plants that produce their oats, wheat, and different grains and beans actually look like. The farm was well marked with different signs and jars full of the various different harvested products. The farm was practical, experimental, and educational. I walked away from Borderview with increased knowledge of more sustainable farming practices.
After saying good to Rodger and Heather, we loaded back onto the biodiesel motor coach. I must note that besides traveling on our biodiesel motor coach, we have traveled using many forms of public transportation. Throughout our various adventures in the big east coast cities, we have journeyed on the DC “Metro”, the Philadelphia and NYC “Subway”, and the Boston “T”. However, after driving to South Hero, we went from the fast paced hustle and bustle of city transportation to a rural Vermont wagon and donkey!
When we drove up to Allenholm farm, located in South Hero, Vermont, owner Ray Allen welcomed us and directed the group off of the motor coach and onto his tractor pulled wagon. He drove us from his small family farm store and petting zoo up to his home and apple orchard.
Ray welcomed us into his home, which also serves as a bed and breakfast. Ray and his wife Pam both own and operate Allenholm farm along with their children and grandchildren. Their family has owned Allenholm since 1870 and their grandchildren are the 6th generation to live on the farm. The Allen family made an excellent lunch for our visit. We ate lunch outside in their beautiful yard – full of gorgeous flowers. Fresh applesauce and strawberry lemonade were some of my favorite menu items. Their beautiful apple orchard and Lake Placid were in view off in the distance. Perhaps my favorite part of their house was seeing a cute dusty orange cat curled up on its back in one of the bedrooms.
After our homemade lunch, Ray and Pam took us back onto the wagon to revisit their farm store and petting zoo. Ray and Pam talked with us about their business which includes a Bed and Breakfast, Farm Store, Petting Zoo, and Orchard. They also host different events on their orchard and will sell other items, such as homemade apple pies, to local area businesses and restaurants. They utilize several forms of agrotourism. Agrotourism helps them develop a sense of community at Allenholm and stabilizes their farming business.
The Udall riders really enjoyed visiting the Petting Zoo. A couple of the Allen’s bunnies had just birthed two litters of baby bunnies. Ray showed us the less-than-24-hour baby bunnies. They were hairless, but very cute, and already wiggled their little noses. The animal who received the most attention was their donkey Willy. Pam explained how spoiled Willy is on the farm. Ray will give Willy kisses by putting a peppermint candy between his lips … letting Willy “kiss” it from his mouth. Everyone was laughing at this silly site! He asked if anyone else wanted to try. Sure enough, Bret Strogen, Matt McMahon, and Julie Curti were up to the challenge. One by one they gave Willy a big kiss.
Doug explained that out of his many visits to Allenholm, he had never seen a visitor kiss Willy. I think everyone was surprised. Especially when the donkey, while kissing Julie, gave her such a big smoocher that Willy knocked her glasses off! Ray even let Martina Gast, who is afraid of horses, take a ride on Willy’s back. What a spoiled donkey! While I did not give Willy a kiss, the rest of us were very much a part of the laughter and excitement. After visiting the animals, we went into the Allen’s farm store and ate dessert. They made us fresh apple pie with soft serve ice cream. It was amazing! Of course I couldn’t leave Vermont without trying some Vermont cheese and purchasing some Vermont maple syrup from the Allenholm Farm store. When we left Allenholm, it was like saying goodbye to our own family. Allenholm Farm was very welcoming. Having grown up in Virginia, I felt like I was in the south even though I was actually in the northeast…. Lots of kindness and home cooked food.
By the end of the day, my mouth was literally hurting from smiling so much. Borderview and Allenholm Farms both give me hope that society can work towards both peace and sustainability. I would like to thank both farms for giving us their time, passion, and for sharing their knowledge and businesses with us. I also give a big thank you to Rachel Cadieux who works for the Farm Service Agency with the US Dept. of Agriculture. I had the pleasure to learn so much about Vermont farms and culture while sitting next to her on our motor coach throughout our adventure. I can’t believe we'll be back in New York tomorrow. However, I’m already planning a return trip back to beautiful Vermont!.By Jessica Fagan
