Boaz Frankel is a typical guy like you and I. He enjoys his life, has his hobbies and is always happy to be living life to its grandest. This latter item he did quite uniquely earlier this year, channeling his energies into traveling across country and back in any mode of transportation except a gas-powered car. This trip, known as the Un-Road Trip, began in April and ran through the end of June. As Frankel mentioned at one point on his blog while cataloging this adventure, he did “12,000 miles, 101 modes of transportation, 32 states, 10 weeks, 3 pairs of shoes, 2 countries.” We caught up with him a bit after his travels were complete and got some details on his journey and some of the green-tech focused ways he ventured around.
EarthTechling: You embarked earlier this year on your Un-Road Trip across America. Tell us what this trip was about and why you were doing it.
Frankel: I’ve always been a fan of alternative vehicles and finding new ways to get around my community. Growing up in Portland that wasn’t too tough- it’s easy to navigate the city on bike, bus, light rail, and streetcar. I also love taking road trips, but with the high price of gas that’s a lot more expensive than it used to be. And it’s not so environmentally-friendly either. So I had the idea to combine those two interest and take an Un-Road Trip across the country without using a car. I saw it as an opportunity to see the nation from a whole new perspective- from our bike paths, rail lines, forest trails, and waterways- while researching alternative vehicles and sustainable transportation.
ET: What forms of green-technology focused alternative transportation, such as Segways or electric cars, did you use during your trip? Which ones stood out the most for you and why?
image via Boaz Frankel
Frankel: I used over 100 modes of transportation, though some were certainly more practical than others. I rode camels, motorized coolers, pneumatic pogo sticks, and couch bikes- though you probably couldn’t use any of those on a commute. I rode a Segway for nearly 30 miles in New Hampshire, and found it to be surprisingly pleasant. I checked out a number of electric cars including the Tesla, Aptera, ZAP truck, and a range of self-converted electric cars though I’m still not sure they’re the silver bullet. I was really impressed with the range of electric bikes I tried during the trip. I had checked out some electric bikes a few years back, and didn’t find them to be very powerful, but the ones I encountered on this trip were amazing.
MIT is also working on some very cool electric vehicle projects. Their “Green Wheel” is nearly ready for the marketplace. Essentially, It’s an electric self-contained back wheel that you could potentially attach to any bicycle and turn it into an electric bike. They’re also working on a folding electric motorcycle to be used in share programs. I could keep going for hours- I saw so many awesome vehicles!
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