Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 09:56:00 -0800
Reply-To: "ThomasD. Hanlon" <hanran@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "ThomasD. Hanlon" <hanran@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject: Re: Port Isabel (Texas)Trip Report
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
"ThomasD. Hanlon" wrote:
>
> George,
>
> See if the ferry to Hondouras is still running out of Port Isabel. The vessel is
> the same ship that used to make the run from Panama to Colombia. Using
> that route, one could get beyond the impassable Darien Gap, in Panama,
> and finally drive in South America without the price for transport of a
> vechicle equaling the War Debt.
>
> Toim Hanlon
> Palm Springs, CA
> 84 Westfalia
>
> J Greenberg G Jannini wrote:
> >
> > On our first day out, the van had been running pretty well, but we
> > suddenly got a flashing LED on the temp gauge. Needle showed we were
> > running in the normal range. Pulled over, tossed alla the camp stuff outta
> > the wayback and opened the hatch. Coolant low, but no apparent leaks.
> > Drove to a gas station bought a gallon of water and topped off the
> > reservoir. Called D&D Garage who'd repaired the heads. They said it might
> > be the pressure cap.
> >
> > Found a VW dealer in Mobile, Alabama. Sitting in his yard it became
> > obvious where the leak was coming from...somewhere on right side, up where
> > we couldn't see it from underneath. Caged the cat, pulled the gear out and
> > opened up the engine hatch. Deja vu all over again.
> >
> > It was fairly late and pretty quiet at the shop so the service writer had
> > his tech take a quick look at it and agreed to let him do the job off the
> > books. Simply a short piece of hose blown at one end. The tech repaired
> > it in the driveway..$8 for 1 1/2 feet of hose, a clamp and $20 straight
> > into his pocket. Gas mileage has fallen off by about 3mpg, but we'll
> > straighten that out when we get home.
> >
> > We're staying in a run-down motel/trailer park in Port Isabel. Hell,
> > the whole town's run-down. Our kind of place...cheap and real. Property
> > with access to water is fairly affordable, but I doubt that'll last much
> > longer as millions of boomers begin retiring. Some fairly nice places are
> > already being built around here.
> >
> > Good windsurfing in the bay between South Padre Island and the coast. I
> > don't think the wind ever stops blowing here. Access is on SPI, free beach
> > camping there too...there's a Canadian E-Van Westy and Rialta parked out
> > there. They're from Quebec.
> >
> > Made a Tequila run south of the border into Progresso to shop and pick
> > up some fancy hooch. Got some Cuervo 1800 and Tres Generaciones Sauza.
> > The stuff I generally drink, the Sauza Conmemorativo is just under thirteen
> > bucks for a quart, and the Texas tax on that amount is around a buck...not
> > bad. We may make one more trip down there.
> >
> > I've been out with our friend Peter on his Zodiac a couple of times.
> > Took it out to view the eclipse. Spooky at night, dodging the dolphin
> > watch boat and huge barges in the Intracoastal Waterway. J&I did the zoo
> > in Brownsville yesterday...a nice one. Rest of the time is cocktail
> > parties, sleeping, eating and shopping. On tonight's menu...Colette's
> > home-made sushi.
> >
> > George Jo & Beau
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