So, I mentioned yesterday that I was going to begin getting Happy Camperbus caught up by writing about the current news and working my way backwards. Well, today I was given a perfect prod on how and where to start.

Directly after the Forth of July holiday, Smick and I set out to visit a place in New Mexico called the ‘Solar Ark’. It is a fully sustainable complex that is located in New Mexico’s Northern Central mountains….it is about 100 miles North of Santa Fe. This was a seemingly wonderfully welcomed change that we were beyond excited about. We had just finished a stint in Roswell, NM followed by a brief stay in the hospital for me. (Much more on both of these items to come).

We were enticed by the idea of being able to live, work and gain hands on experience in an environment that was dedicated to the environment. The fellow, Arvo Thompson, who build the complex boasted a heavenly retreat (that just happened to take a lot of work to operate) and the graciousness to offer his services as a brilliant and patient teacher.

Here are a few examples of what we were told we would be going over:

• site evaluation and sustainable house design
• affordable alternative building methods (mud stone straw pumice pallets glass tires)
• different types of insulation and their proper uses
• greenhouse design and operation
• active and passive heating and cooling
• harvesting all needed electricity from solar panels, wind generators and hydro turbines; efficient appliances and lighting
• simple solar hot water systems for domestic needs as well as hydronic heating
• efficient and clean wood burning (masonry stove; rocket stove)
• solar and wind powered water pumping; rain water harvesting, filtration and storage
• greywater irrigation systems
• methane digesters, biodiesel and hydrogen
• geothermal heat (really just an excuse to go to the ‘secret’ chama river hot springs] and heat pumps for hydronic (radiant floor) heating

Cool, right?

OMG….jeez….I know it sounded SO cool and it really could have been except for some MAJOR problems.

One, Arvo is an absolute maniac. I am not kidding, or exaggerating I can easily and most appropriately compare him to the Grizzly Man….we were like his fox….he screamed and cursed us in a most unusually emotional way nearly the entire time we were there.
It was insane. You know how I mentioned he stated he was an accomplished teacher? Well, they are not-a-one-class currently going on, nor have they been for some time now…he can not handle it. He is a hermit for sure, with serious emotional problems.

Second has gotta be the filth. He has been living in extreme filth for some time. Oh…it was bad, never seen anything like it myself. He has this Raven living part-time indoors and it looks like he has never once cleaned the shit up in years. But that is a mild complaint compared to how gross the kitchen and living quarters were. This girl Brie who rode up with us, we picked her up in Santa Fe, and I cleaned the kitchen as soon as we got there and we got THE biggest ass-chewing from him ever. He lectured us girls for an hour about wasting water and resources and on his strange perspective on how and why his system works and is not unhealthy or dangerous. It was such bullshit….his ‘system’ was just not right.

My other major complaint is that while his place is mostly self-sustaining (if you are a weird mountain man, it works I suppose) it does not function as a normal house. For example, he has flushing toilet but we were told not to flush them or clean them. His obsession with conserving resources was not admirable, it was extreme to the max, and we were not allowed to use anything at all. Even simple cooking and cleaning procedures were forbidden. It was so not cool.

I know I sound pretty negative about it, but seriously, this doesn’t even cover the half of it.

Amidst the trauma endured by all visiting ‘The Ark’ I was able to extract some knowledge of sustainable living, both the do’s and don’ts. The trip was not entirely wasted. The good thing - something I learned alot about – is that NOTHING in his house goes to waste. I mean nothing. It was kinda a big deal to practice that, even for a matter of days. That in itself has made an impact on me and is something I can practice. Oh, and the indoor greenhouse was something to marvel at; though the favored veggie growing there was Swiss Chard….I can not say I would be compelled to sustain myself on that.

Me, Brie (the girl we picked up along the way) and Smick took off after Day 4, though we were planning on staying for a month or so. We three camped in the Bus and split ways shortly there after. Brie is a true traveler, been at it for 7 years now, and had a flight to catch to El Salvador. However, before she left due South, she forwarded this email to me that Arvo sent to her, it boggles the mind should you be on the receiving end of such a thing. We three were nothing short of kind, hard-working, thirsty guests. Here goes:

“i just want you to know that within an hour of your departure the raven returned, and in the afternoon it rained gently for hours. it was as if a curse had been lifted with your departure.

please know that i have run an open house for many years; i have had foreigners from all kinds of countries, men and women, young and old, vegans and heroin addicts. there have been, in all these years, only a handful of people i ended up regretting that i let them into my house. you are one of them. you are dishonest and have no regard for your host. i hope bad things will happen to you, to remind you that you brought bad things into my life. good riddance!!!”

—Arvo at his best.

Why I bring this up as a current event folks is this. Unfortunately Arvo Thompson tattooed our brains and has been a really hard person to forgive and forget. He comes up in conversation more often that I woulds care to acknowledge and it is always followed by at least an hour of stewing in resentment and ill feelings.

Today happens to be my 33rd Birthday and a dear girl that we have come to know and love in Santa Fe treated me to breakfast to celebrate the occasion and who pops up at the cafe? Yep. Arvo.
Smick and I have talked at long length about what might happen should we ever run into this man again (which seemed beyond unlikely mind you) and when we were within 50 yards of this man, we became completely convinced that should we even attempt conversation, our lives would be the worse for it. He scares us, bottom line.

Makes for a curious travelin’ story though, I must say.