Sponsors
This campaign would not be happening without the help of these organizations and some amazing individuals. I don't mind paying my own bills for something I believe in, but I'm always open to new sponsors and networking opportunities to broaden the scope of this campaign and amplify its volume.

Blue Sun Biodiesel
I was introduced to Colorado-based Blue Sun Biodiesel at the February 2006 Sustainable Biodiesel Summit and National Biodiesel Conference in San Antonio, Texas. It was there that I met John Long, who is the Business Development Director at Blue Sun. John also happens to be an extremely authentic and down-to-earth person with a lot of biodiesel knowledge and a commitment to seeing it produced in the most sustainable way possible. But although we hit it off on a personal level, we didn’t discuss a fuel sponsorship because the bioTrekker campaign was mostly a West Coast venture at the time. But in May 2007, when my bioTrekker cohort Nash Evans landed some presentation spots and booth space at the Wakarusa Music and Camping festival in Kansas, the Bonnaroo music festival in Tennessee and 10,000 Lakes Music Festival in Minnesota, we knew we’d be spending a good amount of time in Blue Sun territory. We approached John about a sponsorship and the rest is history.

John and the team at Blue Sun have been extremely accommodating and professional to work with, and for the last 5,000 miles their fuel has been running like a dream in the ‘trekker’s Cummins diesel engine. It’s important to us that we’re selective with the biodiesel producers we partner with, and we’re extremely happy with SeQuential and Blue Sun. Blue Sun believes in sustainable, locally sourced biodiesel feedstock, and while their present feedstock is canola, they are actively pursuing the production of biodiesel from algae. For more information, check out www.gobluesun.com.


SeQuential Biofuels
This is an exceptional company and an exceptional group of people. They are the pioneers of the biodiesel industry in Oregon and deserve all praise I can heap upon them. While they have achieved great success out of humble beginnings, I know from first-hand experience that they are committed to biofuels out of a genuine desire to create a better world. This was apparent even in my initial dealings with them. I could tell that this company had heart. Their business and biofuels model is rock solid, and it’s one that I believe should be emulated around this country. It is a local model, based on using local fuel sources and building strong relationships. This helps create greater energy independence within each community, truly enriching the local economy. What’s more, they create a product of the highest quality, which I use. I have absolute confidence in referring everyone to SQ fueling stations. For more information, please visit www.sqbiofuels.com.


Monaco Coach Corporation
I worked as publications editor at Monaco Coach for nearly five years before embarking on the bioTrekker campaign, and this experience provided me with all the tools I needed to pursue this dream. It was the best corporate environment I’ve ever worked in, and even in an organization of 5,000-plus employees, I feel that the company leaders are committed to hiring the best people and providing the best work experience that they can. This is reflected in the quality of the products and service. After years of experiencing the inner workings of this company, I felt confident in purchasing a Monaco product, and I knew that I’d be taken care of with great service afterwards. The managers were very supportive on a personal level, and did their best to assist me with a coach discount.

Monaco Coach Corporation produces recreational vehicles that range from under $20,000 to over $450,000. For more information on all their products, have a look at www.monaco-online.com.


Guaranty RV
The people at Guaranty RV dealership were dedicated to renewable resources long before I approached them to partner in this campaign. Chief Financial Officer Eric Nill was known for his biodiesel advocacy and was also the driving force behind Guaranty’s installation of the third largest solar panel system in the state at their Camping World store in Junction City, Oregon. Nill had even approached Monaco Coach Corporation about partnering up in an effort to advocate biodiesel long before bioTrekker existed.

Guaranty RV and auto dealerships have a reputation of excellence in Oregon, and I can testify to this from my own experience. When deciding on a coach model and floorplan, I approached Guaranty salesperson Larry Oor. Larry didn’t know where I worked or why I was shopping for a coach, but he offered casual, no-pressure assistance, and was extremely informative and gracious with his time while we took a few models out for test drives.

If you’d like to purchase a vehicle from folks who are knowledgeable about their products, support renewable resources and who truly care about quality service, Guaranty RV comes highly recommended. Check them out at www.guaranty.com.