Green Tortoise San Francisco Hostel Blog - Adventure Travel

nospam@example.com (Green Tortoise Hostel) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:05:51 -0500

It's time to get ill.

Priceless 2010 is right around the corner - July 2 - 5, 2010

. Just four hours north of San Francisco we will celebrate under the stars surrounded by the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains. This is our fifth anniversary! We're pulling out all the stops and adding an extra day. Camping, music, art - it's a festival like no other you've seen.

Come get crazy with us!

MUSIC:

We're bringing it hard this year.

<http://www.flickr.com/photos/alreadythere/197514350/>From Detroit to Toronto, slammin' beats to beautiful vocals, we've got three days and three nights of amazing music for y'all to go nuts to.

With lots of names you know, and probably some you don't, we've been working hard to bring you this and can't wait to see y'all erupt on the dance floor, go ballistic on the beach and do the muffin-hop at the chill stage.

Priceless 2010 Lineup

<http://alxndr.dj/index.php>Alxndr (DownLow/False Profit)

<http://www.an-ten-nae.net/>Antennae (Acid Crunk/Muti Music)

<http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chlorophil/68072809447?ref=ts>Chlorophil (Synchronos/Bayareafolks)

<http://soundcloud.com/cullenmiller>Cullen <http://www.Cuneimedia.com/>Miller & the Stolen Nature Arkestar

<http://magnatune.com/artists/berkman>Daniel Berkman

Dave Jolley (Nexus)

<http://www.davidlast.net/>David Last (Konque/The Agriculture/Staubgold)

<http://www.mutimusic.com/>Dov (Muti Music)

<http://www.drtoast.com/departments/music>Dr. Toast (False Profit)

<http://www.myspace.com/akapapachango>El Papachango (El Circo)

<http://http://www.myspace.com/djeenoeugenesteele>Eugene Steele (Word of Mouth)

<http://soundcloud.com/evolutionista/>Evolutionista

<http://soundcloud.com/fkir>Fkir (Bad Unkl Sista)

<http://www.soundcloud.com/freddytodd>Freddy Todd (Run Riot Records/Car Crash Set)

<http://ganucheau.com/>Ganucheau (False Profit)

<http://www.myspace.com/genjidnb>Genji

<http://gladkill.com/>Gladkill

<http://www.myspace.com/illesha>Ill-esha (Glitch Hop Forum/Integrated Grime Unit/BluSaphir)

<http://www.illgates.com/>Ill.Gates (Muti Music)

<http://kidkameleon.com/>Kid Kameleon (Surya Dub/XLR8R)

<http://www.myspace.com/kyrstynpixton>Kyrstyn <http://www.kyrstynpixton.bandcamp.com/>Pixton

<http://www.myspace.com/singlilarose>Lila Rose

<http://www.lulacruza.com/>Lulacruza ("Andean Forest Dance-Folk")

<http://www.lynxandjanover.com/>LYNX & Janover

<http://mastermindtheatre.com/>Mastermind Theatre (DJ set featuring visuals by Miss Muffy)
Matthew Myro

<http://soundcloud.com/mihkal>MIHKAL(Symbiosis)

<http://www.myspace.com/muxmool>Mux Mool (Ghostly/Moodgadget)
<http://www.myspace.com/soundofnanda>Nanda (Muti Music)

<http://www.obi-j.com/>Obi-J (False Profit)

<http://www.false-profit.com/music/djjd/>Palindrome (False Profit)

<http://www.iampym.com/>Pym

<http://www.rd-sound.com/>R/D (the Designed Disorder)

<http://www.myspace.com/r3tic>Retic (Mute Rebellion/Envizagae)

<http://soundcloud.com/russliquid>Russ Liquid (March Fourth/Bounce Brigade)

<http://www.myspace.com/bensamplesmusic>SAMPLES (Denver Bass Squad/Daly City Records)

<http://www.saqimusic.com/>SaQi (Native State Records) with <http://soundcloud.com/russliquid>Russ

<http://www.myspace.com/djshawna>Shawna (El Circo )

<http://shenism.com/>SHEN (Native State/Muti Music/GSC)

<http://ghostly.com/artists/shigeto>SHIGETO(Ghostly/Moodgadget)

<http://shipwrek.com/>Shipwrek (False Profit)

<http://theslayersclub.com/>Slayers Club DJ's (Lokae, Matt Haze, Manitous and Professor Bang - featuring Joe Mousepad)

<http://soundcloud.com/timonkey>Timonkey (Muti Music)

<http://tinkerbeats.com/>Tinker (False Profit)

<http://tottertodd.com/>Totter Todd & <http://reverbnation.com/virginialee>Virginia Lee (of Heavyweight Dub Champion/Bad Unkl Sista)

watson (False Profit)

ART:

One thing that hasn't changed about Priceless over the years: we love art, interaction, and surprises!

Thanks to all the artists who submitted proposals for art grants. We have more projects that we'll be adding to this page soon, keep checking back!

Interlude:Activate (Faernworks)

<http://priceless.false-profit.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/06/maintain-adorn_1706e_sm.jpg>Mixed Media Photography with some installation accoutrement. ~~~>> think of it this way-its like putting together your life, a giant puzzle.

Petal Pushah (Da Joolz)

<http://priceless.false-profit.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/06/PetalPushah.jpg> Petal Pushah seeks to engage audiences into a reflection on their perception of nature.

Headroom (Brent Bishop)

<http://priceless.false-profit.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/06/Lord_Hestershire_02.jpg>The Head Room is a suspended, non-descript cardboard box that contains an entire world within. Upon entering, the unsuspecting participant is suddenly transported to the stately world of Lord Hestershire-a vision of tub-bubbly whimsy and sheer pimpery.

The Soundcave (Tyson Ayers)

<http://priceless.false-profit.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/06/2-Sound_Cave_Art_Night.jpg>The Soundcave is a room sized musical instrument that transforms nine salvaged pianos into an interactive chamber of echoes.

Capacitor (Jodi Lomask)

<http://priceless.false-profit.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/06/Capacior.jpg> Capacitor, San Francisco's interdisciplinary dance company, is renowned for conceptually- rich, bound-breaking performances.

Galaxy Conduit (Rich Trapani)

<http://priceless.false-profit.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/06/galaxy_ngc_pic23941.jpg>Galaxy Conduit is an immersive cosmic portal that transports the participants into the vast recesses of space, evoking wonder at the beauty of the universe and offering

Chaos Web (Justin Perry)

<http://priceless.false-profit.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/06/ChaosWeb.jpg> This installation, Chaos Web, will enable the viewer/participant to manipulate andinteract with optical feedback in an aesthetically pleasing and natural setting.

How to get here, details and all that:

Parking Passes
We require that ALL vehicles coming to Priceless purchase a parking pass, in order to encourage carpooling and discourage extra cars. Parking passes will be $25 per car, $10 per motorcycle.

Parking passes will be available at the gate, CASH ONLY.

Rideshare Board
Looking to fill your car or find a ride? Check out <http://priceless.false-profit.com/info/rideshare/>http://priceless.false-profit.com/info/rideshare/ to link up with others.

Biodiesel Buses<http://priceless.false-profit.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/07/100_37591.jpg>
Save some cash and save the planet in 2010 - take mass transit to Priceless. The party starts on the bus!

Get to Priceless the fun, sustainable way! Ride one of the Green Tortoise's buses. Tickets are only $35 and include round-trip transportation to and from Priceless. Choose either the San Francisco or the East Bay pickup location.

Click <http://tickets.false-profit.com/events/98070/Priceless-2010>http://tickets.false-profit.com/events/98070/Priceless-2010 to buy tickets.

The bus will not be used for sleeping at the event and you should bring everything you need to enjoy your stay at Priceless including a tent, a sleeping bag and food.

San Francisco Departure: Friday, July 2nd, 2pm. Transbay Bus Terminal (The corner of First St and Natoma). Please arrive 30 minutes early for check-in. Our bus leaves at 2pm.
East Bay Departure: Friday, July 2nd, 3pm. El Cerrito BART (In front of the terminal looking west). Please arrive 30 minutes early for check-in. Our bus leaves at 3pm.

Priceless Departure: Monday, July 5th, Noon.
East Bay Projected Return Time: Monday, July 5th, 6pm
San Francisco Projected Return Time: Monday, July 5th, 7pm.

*Please buy your bus tickets in advance, no tickets will be sold on the bus. Additionally, you MUST have already purchased a ticket to the Priceless campout. No tickets to Priceless will be sold at the gate.*

Zion!

nospam@example.com (Green Tortoise Hostel) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 21:28:21 -0500

To describe the beauty, history and awe-inspiring geology, you need to close your eyes, breathe deeply and awaken a connection between you and this scenic land.

Layers of sunset colored sand forms the Navajo Sandstone that weaves through the Grand Canyon, Bryce and Zion national parks. Time, winds, and water have forced the sedimentary rock layers to form canyons and shapes - world renowned for their beauty and inspiration. Mesas and domes tower 2,000 feet over the gorge created by the emerald Virgin River and in some places the canyon walls are only 24 feet (7 meters) apart and more than 1,000 feet (300 m) high!

Zion was once inhabited by the Ancestral Puebloan people (also known as cliff dwellers) who vanished mysteriously over 800 years ago. Later the Southern Paiute Native Americans resided here‚ and continue to live in Utah and Arizona today.

Within the park, camping visitors may spot herds of nearly tame mule deer browsing in meadows or listen to the echoing canyon wren's song. Hike to Emerald Pools, Weeping Wall, or the Narrows and you'll be in touch with the spectacular beauty of Utah's first national park.

Zion is just as impressive in person as its name implies. And ALL of the Green Tortoise Adventure "Western USA" trips will take you there! A breathtaking view and perfect trek is just waiting for you.

Visit West Coast U.S.A tours to find out more about Green Tortoise trips.

A Fun Weekend Trip to Yosemite National Park

nospam@example.com (Green Tortoise Hostel) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:04:12 -0500

Our weekend adventure pick is the Yosemite trip on the Green Tortoise
Adventure travel bus. This short wilderness camping tour will introduce
you the best of one of America's most beautiful National Parks!

You'll see cascading rivers and thundering waterfalls as well as the
legendary granite faces of El Capitan and Half Dome. Yosemite National
Park is a nature lover's dream! Walk on wooded trails, visit the alpine
lakes and meadows of the high country, and hike through an ancient grove
of Giant Sequoias, some of the largest and oldest living things on
earth!

This Friday night the Green Tortoise will trek to Yosemite,
California's first National Park and one of America's favorites. This is
the perfect two-day, three-night trip to take if you've never been on
the Green Tortoise and want to get a sense of what a longer adventure
trip is like. The cost includes all camping fees, the park entrance fee,
and all but one meal.

This trip will start and finish in San Francisco and will be in a custom built adventure bus outfitted with couches, dinettes and bunks. You can stretch out and relax, party the night away, or get comfy with
your new friends in the lounge style interior.

Already have weekend plans? Weekday Yosemite bus tours leave Monday
evening and return early Friday morning, giving you three full days to enjoy the park.

Or call us at 415 956 7500 and chat with us!

Green Tortoise Art Car for Burning Man!

nospam@example.com (Green Tortoise Hostel) — Tue, 19 May 2009 20:51:04 -0500

The Green Tortoise will have its very own art car for this years Burning Man event. In keeping with this year's theme, Evolution, we'll be crawling around the Playa inside a giant Galapagos Tortoise. With seating for up to 25 people and the ability to operate both night and day, there should be plenty of opportunity for everyone hop on and enjoy the ride! Of course we still encourage our passengers to bring a bike to the event for maximum independence. If you're thinking of riding with us this year, you might want to book soon... space is running out!

Great Deals on Adventure Travel

nospam@example.com (Green Tortoise Hostel) — Tue, 19 May 2009 20:31:52 -0500

Times are tough, but you can still have adventure in your life, and you don't need to break the bank to do so. Green Tortoise trips are already the best deal around (we're not just saying that, it's true), but we're also offering a few specials too. Unemployed, or just low on dough? Take advantage of one of our special offers to help ease the pain, but act quickly!

(1) Take 50% off the fare for our first Western Trail trip of the season, departing June 1 (offer expires May 31).

(2) Take 10% off the fare for either our June 5 Southern Crossing, or June 28 Northern Dream Cross-Country USA adventure (offer expires June 3).

(3) Take 10% of the fare for either of our two, summer 2009 Alaska Loop trips (offer expires May 27).

(4) Send us a copy of your current unemployment check and you will get 15% off any trip fare (offer expires June 3).

You must mention this discount offer at the time of booking. Discount offers are only valid on new bookings and cannot be combined with any other discount offer.

Two-for-One discount on April Yosemite and Western Roadrunner Trips

nospam@example.com (Green Tortoise Hostel) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:41:41 -0500

Spring is here, and we've got a great deal on a couple of upcoming trips. Grab a friend and take advantage of two-for-one on the fare for either our April 3-6 Yosemite National Park trip, or our April 12-18 Western Roadrunner adventure. The discount is on the fare only (everyone pays the full food fund), and is available for a limited time. Read on, or call or write to us for more information (see the "Adventure Travel" link at the top of the page). In order to qualify, you must mention any discount at the time of booking, and discounts are good for new bookings only.

On April 3, we depart for our first Yosemite trip of 2009. Though any time is a good time to see Yosemite, spring is unique for a couple of reasons. First, there are no crowds! The park seems (and is) extra quiet. You might even have a trail to yourself! Air quality is at it's best, so photos come out extra-clear! Signs for spring are everywhere, from chirping birds to the drip-drip-drip of small cascades throughout the park. This weekend, the weather forecast calls for clear, sunny skies, so why not join us for a refreshing, renewing, springtime adventure? The trip starts Friday night (April 3) and ends Monday morning (April 6). The price for two (which includes transportation, entrance and camping fees, and breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday and Sunday) is just $231!

http://www.greentortoise.com/adventures/yosemite.national.park.sierra.html

On April 12, our first Western Roadrunner trip of the season starts. This one's a new one for the Green Tortoise (2008 was the first run), and it packs quite a lot into just one week. Highlights include Pinnacles National Monument, Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon, and Death Valley National Parks, and a night out in Vegas. The trip ends with a spectacular drive up the California Big Sur coast. This trip starts Sunday morning (April 12) and ends Sunday evening (April 18). The price for two, which includes transportation, entrance and camping fees, and 2/3 of your meals, is just $629!

http://www.greentortoise.com/adventures/western.road.grand.canyon.html

Highlights of both of these trips (and all Green Tortoise adventures) include great hiking and photo opportunities, spectacularly scenic drives, gourmet, group-prepared meals, camp nights, and best of all--a bunch of new friends to share in your adventure (or your own friend if you grab our two-for-one special).

We hope to see you on the bus!

Dave@GT

Adventures in March

nospam@example.com (Green Tortoise Hostel) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:44:17 -0600

Hello from Dave at the Green Tortoise Adventure Travel

This is the first "adventure travel" blog entry. Many people don't realize that the Green Tortoise started as an adventure travel company, and the hostels came later. Yes, it was just one man, one bus, and one big dream. Somehow, the dreaam turned into a variety of trips, from 2- to 36-days long, as close to San Francisco as Yosemite National Park, and as far as the East Coast (USA), Alaska, and Central America. Even the shortest trip on the Green Tortoise is an adventure. It's sounds corny, but it's true! It starts with our passengers. Who takes the Green Tortoise? Well, the same type of person that stays at the Green Tortoise hostels: fun people who want to explore the world and get to know people.

So hop on the Green Tortoise and ride in style. Our sleeper coaches are custom-built (by us), with an emphasis on sociability and comfort. So you aren't stuck in one seat, staring at the back of someone else's head. Instead, you can sit at a dinette table and get a game of cards going. Or lie down in comfort and take a nap, any time of day. At night, if we aren't camping, the bus interior converts so everyone gets to sleep laying down! Our unique bus interior allows us to do much of the driving at night, with more time during the day, outside and enjoying the destinations. Our gourmet, group prepared meals, add to the fun and value.

Death Valley National Park

Spring is the perfect time to visit Death Valley National Park. The
days are sunny and warm, and nights are cool. Recent rains mean there's
a good chance for a spectacular wildflower bloom, and we've got two
more trips this season, departing March 13 and March 27, 2009. Death Valley is a wonderland of strange landscapes, like the colorful Golden and Mosaic Canyons, the lowest point in North America (Badwater) and the giant Mesquite Sand Dunes. But my favorite things about Death Valley are the spectacular scenic drives, the hike around (or into) Ubehebe Crater, and the star-filled night sky.

Green Tortoise Death Valley trips leave from San Francisco late on Friday night, and return early on Tuesday morning (pick ups and drop offs are also available in Bakersfield, for LA or Las Vegas area travelers). For more information, click the link below:

Death Valley National Park

Baja Beach Daze

We've also got two more trips this season to Baja California, Mexico. The highlight of this trip is the 5 days at our eco-camp on the Sea of Cortez, called Playa Escondida (Hidden Beach!). The landscape here is spectacular. Our beach camp is wedged between the blue sea and the towering Sierra Gigante (Giant Mountains!). Swimming and snorkeling is excellent here, and the hiking is too. We've got optional planned activities here (kayaking, mule rides, boat ride), but you may want to spend time on your own. It's your choice! But there's more to Baja--stops in Loreto, San Ignacio, and Ensenada give you time to try the local cuisine, shop for arts and crafts, or get to know some locals. Bring your camera--Baja is totally photogenic!

Green Tortoise Baja Beach Daze trips depart San Francisco on Friday night, with pickups in Los Angeles and San Diego on Saturday morning. Drop offs are available in all three locations. For more info, click this link:

Baja Beach Daze

Next time you're in San Francisco (staying at the Green Tortoise Hostel, of course) be sure to stop by our travel office, located right inside the hostel, and say hello. Or maybe we'll just see you on the bus!

Dave@GT