Grassrootes Caravan creates community on its way to the US Social Forum

Sunday evening, The Grassroutes Caravan bicycled in to the Fourth Street Garden Oasis for a potluck and casual conversation with local folks gathered at the garden. En route to the US Social Forum in Detroit, the group of 23 cyclists included men and women of all ages—and even children in trailers. They had set out from Wisconsin around 4 a.m., ferried Lake Michigan and rode the Musketawa Trail from Muskegon to Grand Rapids.

The gathering shared food brought by local folks as well as home cooked spaghetti, salad and homemade bread made aboard the Permibus, which is accompanying the riders on their way to Detroit.

On Monday, after spending a day of volunteer work weeding for a local independent farmer at Blandford Farm, the Caravan presented its Variety Show. The PermiBus puppeteers enacted humorous skits showing how permiculture could overthrow the system.

Thistle, Page and friends sang songs, including a powerful ballad about the BP oil disaster.

The Grassroutes Caravan Puppetistas concluded the show with a skit that demonstrated the power of community and the theme of the Social Forum, “Another world is possible. Another US is necessary!”

Once in Detroit, the Caravan will set up a bicycle city at the corner of Temple and Woodward, about a half mile from Cobo Hall, where the USSF takes place. The bike city will offer on-going bike maintenance and workshops.

If you missed the Caravan while they were in Grand Rapids, introduce yourself to them at the US Social Forum, Tuesday June 22 and through Saturday June 27. For information on how you can take part in this fantastic opportunity for envisioning another US, visit www.ussf2010.org.