Worth reading: A foodie rebirth for San Fran's Ferry Building

As much as I love the idea of RVing, I've always been afraid of the fuel costs that would be involved on a cross-country (or, heck, cross-town) trip in one. Yes, some enterprising souls out there are retrofitting RVs to run on restaurant grease, and some other folks are even working on developing hybrid versions of new RVs, but this contraption, designed by Brooklyn-based artist Kevin Cyr, has them all beat. It began as a two-dimensional work of art—the bulk of Cyr's works depict (or use as canvases) run-down buses, ice cream trucks, and hoopties of all sorts—but this one actually came to life, so to speak, in 2008, when Cyr constructed a prototype version of a functional bike-drawn camper in Beijing. I'm not kidding myself that I'd actually have the gluteal power to haul one of these things down the street—and in fact, the artist hasn't taken the bike beyond Beijing's outskirts himself—but wouldn't it be cool if you could carry your lodging around with you like a snail or a hermit crab (and get a mean workout in the process)? If you're into it too, you can check out more of Cyr's work online or at the Alden Gallery in Provincetown, Massachusetts; a new show opens August 21. [via Meanred productions]

The Austin Ice Cream Festival, going on this Saturday, has a simple mission—"to have fun with family and friends while enjoying a variety of wonderful ice cream treats." Let's break it down: Fun: Besides ice cream, the festival oversees four contests centered around the sweet confection—ice cream making (contestants bring their own ice cream machines), ice cream eating, screaming for ice cream (open to all ages; screams are judged on decibel level, style, and technique), and a popsicle sculpture competition. There's also live music, a funny-looking ice cream truck, and a sprinkler zone. Family and Friends: Admission is $5 for adults, but kids under 12 get in free—and attendees are encouraged to bring their pets (because even Spot likes ice cream). Festival organizers expect about 15,000 people. Wonderful Ice Cream Treats: Vendors sell ice cream tastes for around $1. Quite a crowd!: Festival organizers expect about 15,000 people. And a Bonus: Some proceeds go to the local Big Brothers Big Sisters foundation. And really, you've got to be some kind of summer scrooge to not love ice cream—especially in the throes of August's heat. Austin's Saturday forecast calls for sun, with temperatures topping out at a balmy 101 degrees. Perfect for a frosty sweet treat. The Details: Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Waterloo Park. See icecreamfestival.org for more info. Admission is $5 for adults, but kids under 12 get in free—and attendees are encouraged to bring their pets (because even Spot likes ice cream).

Some of our favorite links from around the 'net this week: Many dams are coming down, uncorking rivers for kayakers to explore. [The New York Times] A San Diego luxury hotel discounts rooms to $19 a night—but you have to sleep in a tent. [CNN] Keats House, residence of poet John Keats, re-opens in Hampstead, England, after a two-year renovation. [Wall Street Journal] Gear alert: Incase's new digital camera bags. [Cool Hunting] Adventures in places with unfortunate names. [World Hum] The U.S. House Transportation Committee questions airline fees. [Cheapflights.com] For more travel blogs, go to Alltop.

Going on safari. Spending a week on a private island. Climbing Kilimanjaro, driving cross-country, floating the Grand Canyon… We call them Dream Trips, and every year we publish a special issue dedicated to making them real. As we get ready for the next installment, we'd like to know: What's your dream trip? I'll start: My dream trip is a sea-kayaking excursion in the Galápagos, and I'm hoping to do it in the next year. So share your dreams with us! You may just find the perfect Budget Travel itinerary in an upcoming issue… Also: How long would a trip need to qualify as a dream trip? How would you be willing to sacrifice in order to make your dream trip happen next year?