Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2008 21:37:57 -0500
Reply-To: "Peter T. Owsianowski" <pnoceanwesty@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Peter T. Owsianowski" <pnoceanwesty@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Buses by the Beach Bus BRR Trip Report
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252
Chris showed up in his '85 Westy "Ramblin Van" (New GoWesty 2.2) last
Saturday morning and we hit the road heading east to Pokagon State
Park. Picked
up Scotty on the way as Kim was meeting us there later in the EuroVan. Cruised
east on I 80/90 on clear roads and 30F degree temps. Scotty spun up some
tunes in JoesVan on the pod and life was good. Don't you love the way the
week peels off when you're headed out in the bus?
Pictures here: http://picasaweb.google.com/pnoceanwesty/BusBRR2008
Rolled into Pokagon after getting a worried call from Jordan ('77 Westy)
"Hey, man where is everybody?" Got there and by the time we checked in,
Sherrie had arrived from Ohio. Even though Sherrie has a Vanagon Westy and
a sweet '73, both were a little down and not up to the 6 hour drive so she
took her Dad's Ford conversion van and had a blast being there.
Volks started rolling in as we stoked up the fire and shoveled some
snow. Charlie
and Cathy got there about the same time as Jake and Julie and the party was
on.
We broke out the food about 5:30PM. We had all kinds of stuff: Beef stew,
chili chicken, a huge pot roast and various kinds of snacks.
Had a group of about 15 head for the toboggan runs just as it started to
snow. Really pretty snow came down, maybe about 2 inches. We dusted off
the adult beverages and built the fire higher. The temps did start dropping
after the toboggan Volks got back as the wind picked up about 10:00PM . It
really started blowing after midnight.
Hit the bus for bed about 1:30AM and it was really frosty outside. Had a
nice big 1500W heater, some dry thermal socks, 2 sleeping bags and 2
comforters – no problem! Was toasty warm and zonked out to be awakened at
7:30 by the wind rocking the bus. First thought was about how the bus would
be on the road back. Checked weather, Gmail and email on the Blackberry and
saw wind gusts predicted at 40 MPH. The temp at that in Angola, Indiana was
2 degrees. Had to plan your outside moves for clean up and tear down ahead
and do them quickly.
Happy to report all the buses started up and got running. JoesVan had a
little groan but finally popped off and started. My Chris' 85 had an
apparently frozen radiator and kept overheating. We opened up the bleeder
screw and blue slush came out. The coolant was VW and was mixed 50/50/ Can
coolant loose it properties? it was jus put in around last May. He left
the bus there and is going back with a heater to heat up the radiator and
change out the coolant.
We all pitched in before we left for brunch and cleaned up the campground
and left it as we found it. It occurred to me on the drive home I have
never seen bus volk leave a mess anywhere they camp or cause and trouble. It's
always a cool scene! Thanks to Pokagan State Park, too. They opened up the
heated bathrooms and sold us really nice Oak firewood for the bonfire.
About 20 people made it to the gorgeous Potawatomie Inn for the fantastic
brunch. I had a custom omelette's, potatoes, sausage, and went back for
2nds! Bus Volk are about the eating, too!
Hit the road with Chris and his boys about 1:30PM. The wind was
*howling*with the temps still at 2 degrees F.
Blowing and drifting on I 80/90 headed west. Occasional whiteouts. The bus
('87 Westy) actually did pretty well. The Michelin Aegilis do a nice job of
holding it steady but occasionally a big blast of wind would catch me off
guard and give a nice pucker, especially when a big 18 wheeler was blasting
by.
Made it home to live for another campout. Gave JoesVan a nice pat on the
side when we pulled in at home in South Bend. That bus turned 142,000 on
the way home and looking at the odometer, "This old man can still run"!
Can't wait to see everyone at Bus Benefit at Grand Rogue Campground on May
15th-18th!
--
Pete
'79 Westy "Aardvark"
'87 Westy "Joe's Van"
WWW. Busesbythebeach.com
