I had a great trip to RISD Tuesday, both the drive there and very invigorating discussions about both the 'POD and the Electrathon car class  that Michael Beresford invited me to participate in! After a reschedule to to rain the previous Thursday,  Tuesday dawned overcast but dry.  I had decided on a very back-road route through south central Massachusetts, northwest Connecticut, the eastern side of Rhode Island.  The 'POD worked like it was supposed to, with added luxury provided by finally having all the windows in!  I could block off the cold 40-something morning air!  A Stop in Palmer, MA filled up the tank ($8.06) and I was on my way.  Part of my route was on MA-20 through the towns of Brimfield and Sturbridge and the path of this summer's tornado that touched down in springfield.  I was amazed by the devastation right down the road from where I live.  The route then took me through Southbridge, an interesting good sized mill town that I had not heard of, then on to Woodstock and Putnam CT before crossing  into   Rhode Island on CT-44 at Gloucester.  After a brief episode in north Providence and GPS glitch, I was there! After a ...

I am showing the ROOPOD at my Alma mater Rhode Island School of Design tomorrow! I will be outside the Industrial Design Building on Water Street with the ROOPOD from 11:00am to 1:00pm if you are in town please come see the 'POD and ask any questions you might have! Here is a Google map of the area:  if you need to you could get ddirectiond to here with the map link... ">View Larger Map

  Come Watch the ROOPOD compete, or be displayed at Boston City Hall Plaza!

      ROOPOD WILL COMPETE! SUPPORT TEAM ROOPOD AS WE COMPETE IN THIS EVENT!!! Please click on this link to a secure facebook/Paypal donation page where you can use your credit/debit card to contribute. ? WATKINS GLEN, NY – Drivers of alternate-fueled vehicles, hybrids, and traditional gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles will have two unique opportunities to test their mettle at the 2011 Green Grand Prix on Friday, April 15. Organizers are cranking up the challenges and excitement this year by taking the Green Grand Prix to the famed road course of Watkins Glen International. “The Green Grand Prix Committee is proud to be partnering with WGI for this exciting event geared towards efficiency and sustainability. It’s a showcase of technology that points towards a cleaner environment,” said Gillespie, Chairman of the Green Grand Prix Committee of the IMRRC. The Green Grand Prix, now in its seventh year, promotes the growth of clean and sustainable innovation in the Northeast. “As the chairperson of the Green Initiative Committee for our parent company, International Speedway Corporation, I am thrilled that we are hosting this great event,” said Michael Printup, president of Watkins Glen International. “The Glen has made a strong commitment to being green with initiatives such as our extensive ...

Check out my nephew's race!

Come see the ROOPOD 0n the common in Amherst...and I promise that there is new stuff done...

I showed roopod at altwheels fleet day Monday and was a bit lazy with my camera (read no pictures) but I found this one on cnet...this is in front of Staples World Headquarters it was a fun event and I got to talk a lot of tech talk with all the big truck bigwigs! almost everyone was in a suit!  Bill Buchholz was there with Dirago (background in the picture) and it was fun hanging out with him,  probably the most interesting bit was a talk with the guy from Valence batteries (www.valence.com) about what it would take if I wanted to make roopod have an electric poweplant option I was surprised that he predicted that I would need only 71 kg  (156lb) of batteries to have a 100 mile range I would get rid of 150 lb of diesel engine, get that back with the batteries, and then maybe another 100lb for the elec motor etc...not near as bad as I thought...they would have to give me those batteries, though....probably about $20,000.00 worth!!!...guess that's about it for altwheels!  thanks for looking...plus here is some press they got...not much to do with roopod...but interesting none the less... http://www.necn.com/Boston/SciTech/2009/10/05/Cherry-pickers-go-from-seeing/1254775077.html http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10367683-54.html http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2009/10/06/alternative_energy_vehicles_on_exhibit/ http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x2060103328/Alternative-fuel-fleets-showcased-at-Staples http://www.boston.com/cars/newsandreviews/overdrive/2009/10/altwheels_2009_staples_electric_truck.html

Attend altwheels festival!  roopod will be there... Come Join Us at Staples World Headquarters Fifth Annual AltWheels Fleet Day —  Monday,  October 5th, 2009  - 8:30a to 3:30p  —

not much to say here, I got to show the 'pod at the hometown festival...there was an impressive amount of car tech knowledge there! [nggallery id=5]

  Here are some articles just come out...hope the links work...sorry if you can't get to them without paying...you still have to buy your paper...lol...Roo (this is a front page picture) http://www.boston.com/news/globe/larger_view/?g_date=2009_08_17 (this is the actual article) http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/green/articles/2009/08/17/the_race_is_on_100_miles_on_just_1_gallon/ this is the Greenfield Recorder article http://www.recorder.com/story.cfm?id_no=6474048 This is basically the same as the Recoder, but in the next town over paper...The Daily Hamshire Gazette http://www.gazettenet.com/category/local-news/greenfield

http://home.myfairpoint.net/vze6omtd/jorysquibb/id24.html This summer,  on Aug 19-22, 2009, and unusual road rally will take place in Western Massachusetts, which will give the public a first glimpse of new-generation ultra-economical cars.  It's called the One Gallon Challenge.        We have rented an old hunting lodge on the banks of the Connecticut River near Greenfield, Mass.  to be our base camp.  Entry cars will gather there on Wednesday August 19 and be on display in downtown Greenfield 4-6 PM.  Wednesday evening we will have a barbeque back at the Lodge, explain the details of the Rally, and get acquainted with other participants.  Cars will be fueled up/charged up at this point.    On Thursday morning Aug 20,  the cars, now with odometers and energy gauges zeroed,  will re-assemble  in the middle of Greenfield, the checkered flag will go down about 11AM, and a 100 mile drive on country roads to Boston's Greenfest at Boston City Hall Plaza will begin.    Once there,  they will be on display all day Friday and Saturday,  showing how much energy they consumed during the trip.  Some, having run out of fuel,  may finish the last part of the trip on trailers, but all will be on display in Boston ...