Praise for "Greasy Rider"
"An entertaining combination of 'On the Road' and 'An Inconvenient Truth.'"
— New York Times Book Review
"A thought-, and perhaps action-provoking lesson in alternative fuel."
— Publishers Weekly
"Melville's tale of a cross-country drive in a decades-old Mercedes converted to run on used cooking oil is...
a hopeful, goodhearted portrait of those he meets—be they Minnesota wind farmers or hippie diesel mechanics —
who are getting a head start on building the post-carbon future, a tomorrow fueled by a refreshing optimism, as well
as by grease."
— Newsweek
"From its punny title, to its unique premise, to its serious message, to its easygoing writing style, this is just a splendid book "
— Booklist, starred review
"Melville has a breezy, unpretentious style as well as the ability to work
in the occasional edifying digression-a brief history of wind power, for
instance, or a discussion with a professor about cellulosic ethanol-without
disrupting the book's brisk, novelistic pace. At trip's end, Melville
explains to his pal that they have proven something important: "If two
goobers like us can actually get in a car and drive across the country
without fossil fuels or putting a lot of carbon into the air, the answers
for sustainability are easier than people think."
— Audubon Magazine
Greasy Rider: Two Dudes, One Fast Food Fueled Car, and a Cross-Country Search for a Greener Future
Is it possible to drive coast-to-coast without stopping at a single gas
pump? Journalist Greg Melville is determined to try. With his college buddy
Iggy riding shotgun, he sets out on an enlightening road trip. The quest: to
be the first people to drive cross-country in a french-fry car. Will they
make it from Vermont to California in a beat-up 1985 Mercedes diesel station
wagon powered on vegetable oil collected from restaurant grease Dumpsters
along the way? Their trip takes them to the solar-powered Google
headquarters; the wind turbines of southwestern Minnesota; one of the first
houses to receive platinum certification for leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED); and a so-called "eco-friendly" Wal-Mart.
Part adventure and part investigation of what we're doing (or not doing) to preserve the planet, Greasy Rider is upbeat, funny, and full of surprising information about the many sustainable measures that are within our reach.
Read Greg’s Blog
Buy Now!
101 Best Outdoor Towns
Grab your gear; pack your bags and beat the developers to 101 of the greatest places left for living, visiting and playing-outdoor towns where you can still eat breakfast at a local diner; play all day in a gorgeous, natural setting; find microbrews and comfort food; and flop yourself into bed at a family-run lodge. 101 Best Outdoor Towns includes information about the towns, their history and all the things there are to do-as well as lodging and dining information. You'll even find each town's "stay" factor for just how livable and affordable the place might be for the long-term.