Footloose Forays is a small travel business begun in 1983 while I was still in graduate school at San Francisco State University. It has grown slowly and organically through the intervening years. I have taken over 10,000 people on various natural history outings ranging from 4-hour night hikes on Mt. Tam to three week adventures in Ecuador. I have enjoyed nearly every minute of this work. The Buddhists refer to the importance of right livelihood and I have been lucky enough to find that. I lead every single trip. Footloose Forays = Michael Ellis. I have no staff except when I enlist my lovely wife to help me. I have a very high repeat business and most trips fill up way in advance. One of the many blessings is the lovely relationships that I have with my fellow naturalists all over the world.
Currently I am concentrating on international travel and only offer a few of my favorite Footloose Forays trips in this country, mostly week-long camping in the mountains or deserts. If any of these trips interest you please feel free to contact me.
In addition to my own natural history forays, I often lead trips for a number of Bay Area organizations. I have a BS in Botany and Masters in Marine Biology. Though I firmly believe that formal schooling is only a small part of the educational process. I have been a regular contributor to the KQED-FM Perspective Series since 1988 and write the Ask the Naturalist column for Bay Nature Magazine.
August, 2010
Hello:
I am gone to Lassen Volcanic Park leading a trip from August
20 to August 27. Then I am heading east into Nevada for my annual foray to the Burning
Man festival. http://www.burningman.com/.
If any of you are attending this remarkable event you may be able to find me at
my theme camp–Deep Heaven. Our address this year is 3:30 on the Esplanade–look
for the big red heart. It is especially easy to see at night.
I was invited me to join a fire spinning conclave from
Oakland this year. I will be
doing my flaming hula-hoop in a routine we have developed. We will be part of
hundreds of spinners right around the MAN as he burns on Saturday night,
September 4. This festival is
definitely not for everyone but I love it!
Here is a little video I made the other night while
practicing for the big event–http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiM2nW3KIuU.
And here is our practice from last night http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoqljL21qLc.
Please note that is Carolyn spraying the huge flame that emits from between my
legs at the end of our performance!!!
Here is the current status of FOOTLOOSE FORAYS offerings–there is still room in the Birds
Birds Birds trips in December. However they are getting close to being full, so
sign up soon if you are interested.
The following trips are now full; I strongly suggest getting
on a waiting list for them; there are often last-minute cancellations. WAIT
LIST ONLY- Fall 2010 footloose hiking series, the Galapagos and Ecuador January
2011, Tanzania and the Serengeti February 2011, Baja boat trip March 2011, both
Mohave Desert trips April 2011, Turkey and the Turquoise Coast May 2011.
I have added a new trip next June. I will be exploring the
eastern part of Turkey. I have the details if you are interested. It is
designed for people that have already been with me on the first trip. And
I am using the same wonderful guides - Jasemine and Cemil- that I use on my
"regular" Turkey adventure. My son, Hunter, is majoring in Ancient
Greek Literature at Lewis and Clark College in Portland. He will join me in
Turkey, er make that Ancient Greece, next May to see for himself some of the
sites he has been learning about.
Believe it or not I am already taking registration for the
February 2012 Tanzania and Serengeti trip. I also have two trips
scheduled for Bhutan in April/May 2012. The first one is my “normal” trip
to the middle Himalaya and the Ura festival. The second one will include the
lowland area on the border with India. This is the region that harbors more
biodiversity and is less visited than other parts of this wonderful country.
I canceled the Madagascar trip next September because of
continuing political unrest. It is very sad that the National Parks are being
devastated in this impoverished land.
However I do intend to offer it in the fall of 2012.
The trip to Rwanda and Uganda is next October 2011.
Those countries have greatly healed from the instabilities of the past and I
want to encourage ecotourists to return and enjoy both the people and the wild
places that are protected in both countries. We have a great opportunity to see
our close relatives – chimpanzees and gorillas. The mountain gorillas are one
of the most charismatic animals left on the planet and there are only 750 of
them in the world. Not one is in captivity. The entire population is in a very
small mountainous area that includes parts of Uganda, Rwanda, and the
Democratic Republic of Congo. This is an area not known for stability, to
say the least. The trip description is now posted in the Upcoming trips area of
the website.
Here are two links. The first to John Hunters Blog about the
trip.
http://www.travelpod.com/z/jhunter319/3/1254245536 .
password: gorilla.
second is Matt MacPhee's photos of the
trip.http://picasaweb.google.com/matttfm/UgandaRwanda2009?authkey=Gv1sRgCI7Ok9XIgJmhew&feat=email#.
Have fun and be safe,
Michael Ellis
June, 2010
Summer,
2010
Hello:
Happy summer! I
thoroughly enjoy these long days in the northern hemisphere and do not schedule
too many trips in the summer months because I so enjoy just being in Northern
California. However I will be in the northern Sierra Nevada camping from July 17 to August 1.
Like to be my friend on Facebook?? Find me - Michael Ellis - and send me a note along with your friend request. Please include a personal note otherwise I might just ignore you. There are many people out there just trolling for friends. Go figure!
Lucky for
me the only outings that still have room in 2010 are the three BIRDS
BIRDS BIRDS trips in early December. But they too are getting close to capacity.
The
following trips are now full but I strongly suggest getting on a wait list for
them; there are often last minute cancellations. SORRY FULL: Lakes Basin trip July 2010, Mount Lassen Volcanic Park August
2010, Fall 2010 Footloose Hiking series, The Galapagos and Ecuador January
2011, Tanzania and the Serengeti February 2011, Baja March 2011, both Mojave Desert
trips April 2011, Turkey and the Turquoise Coast May 2011. Thank
you so much for your interest and support. I thoroughly enjoy introducing people
to the wonders of the natural world across our planet. We are very good
emissaries for the people of America.
I have added a new trip next June. I
will be exploring the eastern part of Turkey. I have the details if you are interested. It is designed for
people that have already been with me on the first trip. And I am using the same wonderful guides - Jasemine and Cemil- that I use on my "regular" Turkey and the Turquoise Coast adventure. My son, Hunter, is majoring in Ancient Greek Literature at Lewis and Clark College in Portland. He will join me in Turkey, er make that Ancient Greece, next May to see for himself some of the sites he has been reading about.
Believe it or
not I am already taking registration for the February 2012 Tanzania and
Serengeti trip. I also have two trips
scheduled for Bhutan in April/May 2012.
The first one is my “normal” trip to the middle Himalaya and the Ura
festival. The second one will include the lowland area on the border with
India. This is the region that harbors more biodiversity and is less visited
than other parts of this wonderful country.
I canceled
the Madagascar trip next September because of continuing political unrest. It is
very sad that the National Parks are being devastated in this impoverished
land.
But I have
added another trip to Rwanda and Uganda for October 2011. Those countries have greatly healed
from the instabilities of the past and I want to encourage ecotourists to
return and enjoy both the people and the wild places that are protected in both
countries. We have a great opportunity to see our close relatives – chimpanzees
and gorillas. The mountain gorillas are one of the most charismatic animals
left on the planet and there are only 750 of them in the world. Not one is in
captivity. The entire population is in a very small mountainous area that
includes parts of Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
This is an area not known for stability, to say the least. The trip description
is now posted in the Upcoming trips area of the website.
Here are
two links. The first to John Hunters Blog about the trip.
http://www.travelpod.com/z/jhunter319/3/1254245536
. password: gorilla.
second is
Matt MacPhee's photos of the
trip.http://picasaweb.google.com/matttfm/UgandaRwanda2009?authkey=Gv1sRgCI7Ok9XIgJmhew&feat=email#.
I continue to be a bit obsessed with hula hooping. Just in cased you missed it you can see my hula hooping on
the roof of Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro. I got a note from the Guinness Book of
Records congratulating me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCOBWzCvrvw
Here is another one with my new LED hoop
and LED juggling balls. Really I
have no shame!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DByHQRWKcc
Here is another hooping adventure in the capital city of
Bhutan. I did this in a Gho, which is the traditional dress in this
Himalaya country.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X2SPXdHmQg&feature=related
Fondly,
Michael
April, 2010
April - May, 2010
Hello:
I am in Bhutan until May 7. This is an adventure I do every
other year. This country is undergoing remarkable changes. Bhutan is well known
throughout the world for the philosophy of Gross National Happiness as a
measurement of a successful country. Two years ago they had their first
democratic election. My dear friend Sonam ran for office and lost. The attempt
at a two-party system has failed in Bhutan. The majority of elected positions
went to one party in a lopsided win. It will be very interesting to see how things are progressing in this theocracy/monarchy
masquerading as a democracy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhutanese_general_election,_2008
Many of you know that I am working on a book on Bhutan
tentatively titled “1oo Common Roadside Plants in the Middle Kingdom”. This is a gift to the tourist industry
in Bhutan. There is a real need for a simple book like I have in mind.
I had my usual two trips to the Mojave Desert this spring. The
wildflowers were superb. I also encouraged both groups to hula-hoop at the
Badwater (at -282 the lowest dry land in the Western Hemisphere). Please check
out the YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yta8RJJDVtc
The following trips are now full but I suggest getting on a wait
list for them –
Tanzania and the Serengeti February 2011;
the Lakes Basin
trip, Mount Lassen, Ecuador January 2011. Thank you so much for your interest and support. I
thoroughly enjoy introducing people to the wonders of the natural world across
our planet. We are very good emissaries for the people of America. I hope
everyone continues to have a fantastic spring.
Just in cased you missed it you can see my hula hooping on the
roof of Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro. I got a note from the Guinness Book of
Records congratulating me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCOBWzCvrvw
I canceled the Madagascar trip next September because of
continuing political unrest. It is very sad that the National Parks are being
devastated in this impoverished land. I have added another trip to Rwanda and
Uganda at this time. Those countries have greatly healed from the instabilities
of the past and I want to encourage ecotourists to return and enjoy both the
people and the wild places that are protected in both countries. We have a
great opportunity to see our close relatives – chimpanzees and gorillas. The
mountain gorillas are one of the most charismatic animals left on the planet
and there are only 750 of them in the world. Not one is in captivity. The
entire population is in a very small mountainous area that includes parts of
Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is an area not
known for stability, to say the least. The trip description is now posted in the
Upcoming trips area of the website.
Here are two links. The first to John Hunters Blog about the
trip.
http://www.travelpod.com/z/jhunter319/3/1254245536 .
password: gorilla.
second is Matt MacPhee's photos of the
trip.http://picasaweb.google.com/matttfm/UgandaRwanda2009?authkey=Gv1sRgCI7Ok9XIgJmhew&feat=email#.
Fondly,
Michael
March, 2010
Hello:
I just returned from a month in Tanzania. And I managed to climb
Mount Kilimanjaro with no problem. I took my hula hoop and hooped all the way
up 30 miles in my tennis shoes! Our guides and porters loved it – they had
never seen anything quite like it. You can go to YouTube and see the video from
the very top.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCOBWzCvrvw
The Footloose Forays brochure for 2010-2012 was mailed during
the month of February and
everyone should have one by now. If you do not let me know and I will
drop one in the mail. I am around until March 24 when I leave for two trips to
the Mojave Desert. Then I am back for just a few days and go to Bhutan.
I canceled the Madagascar trip next September because of
continuing political unrest. It is very sad that the National Parks are being
devastated in this impoverished land. I have added another trip to Rwanda and
Uganda at this time. Those countries have greatly healed from the instabilities
of the past and I want to encourage ecotourists to return and enjoy both the
people and the wild places that are protected in both countries. We have a
great opportunity to see our close relatives – chimpanzees and gorillas. The
mountain gorillas are one of the most charismatic animals left on the planet
and there are only 750 of them in the world. Not one is in captivity. The
entire population is in a very small mountainous area that includes parts of
Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is an area not
known for stability, to say the least. The trip description is now posted in
the Upcoming trips area of the website.
Here are two links. The first to John Hunters Blog about the
trip.
http://www.travelpod.com/z/jhunter319/3/1254245536 .
password: gorilla.
whoThe second is Matt MacPhee's photos of the
trip.http://picasaweb.google.com/matttfm/UgandaRwanda2009?authkey=Gv1sRgCI7Ok9XIgJmhew&feat=email#.
The following trips are now full but I suggest getting on a wait
list for them –
Bhutan April 2010; Tanzania and the
Serengeti February 2011 (The wait list for this trip is not long);
the Lakes
Basin trip. Mount Lassen in late
August has a little room. Thank you so much for your interest and support. I thoroughly enjoy introducing people to the wonders of the natural world across our planet. We are very good emissaries for the people of America. I hope everyone has a fantastic spring - the wildflowers should be glorious!
Fondly,
Michael
