Date:         Sat, 5 Feb 2000 23:22:13 -0500
Reply-To:     "Horace K. Sawyer" <firestream@MINDSPRING.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Horace K. Sawyer" <firestream@MINDSPRING.COM>
Subject:      Re: Dead 'O Winter Campout going well - long
In-Reply-To:  <200002052025.MAA09051@beryllium.cobaltgroup.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Just got back from visiting the campout at Cloudland Canyon, Georgia.  The
Westy had to stay home.  Supposedly it is sold to one of our brethren from
the West Coast.  He injured himself inroute to pick it up.  Poor dude.  I
don't feel right driving it around and camping, and you know, while it is
waiting to be sold.  Sooo, long story . .   

But my wife and I drove over in (forgive us) an all original 1986 BMW
524td, working diesel engine with glow plugs, fully operational turbo
charger, the whole nine yards.  I just had to be different, you know how it
goes.  

So here we come rumbling/clattering into the campsite area.  We rolled up
thinking there would be about 5 vans there.  I spied a Eurovan.  Hmmm.
There's another Vanagon.  But that's all I see!   "Honey, no one came!  I
just can't believe this!  I feel so sorry for the people who organized it!"
 We keep driving.  Joy said, "Look, there's more.  There's a whole bunch of
them!  Look, Busses!"

Surprise!  The place was loaded down with loafs.  Loafs and more loafs.
Everywhere we looked, there were loafs.  And there were vans too.  Poptops
galore. All raised in a formation salute.  A cool side poptop, and those
funny center pop jobs that only loafs have.  Loaf pickups, loaf splittys,
loaf 21 window.  It was loaf heaven.  

Suddenly, I found myself wanting a loaf.
I thought to myself, "you know, I may just defect and get a loaf."  I have
always imagined myself driving along in a loaf, looking cool, wearing
sunglasses, and with a cool one nearby.  Then I guess I went into some sort
of trance because I could have sworn I saw my wife look over at our old 524
and then say, "I am so tired of hearing that noisy diesel.  That car is
soooo uncool.  And it stinks too.  And it smokes.  Why don't we get one of
those old busses with all the windows?"  Then I snapped out of it, and
said, in typical fashion, "yes dear."  I still don't know if that was for real.

Back to the campout -- (sorry for the digression)
There was a wonderful fire going.  A very hot fire. That was good because
being the dumbass that I am, I didn't bother to bring a jacket.  Met a nice
couple from LaFayette, Georgia, nearby, who kindly threw a blanket over me.
 Thank you, Stewart!  Thoroughly enjoyed visiting with interesting people
from Tuscaloosa to Knoxville, and from our own native state of Georgia.
There was all kinds of cooking going on.  We were invited to partake of
taco's, hotdogs, and whatever.  I tried to pay Dave, of Peach State
Transporters but he wouldn't have it.  Thank you, Dave.  It was getting
really cold by 7:00.  Supposed to go down to 19° tonight.  (thanks for the
ALT 248 tip, Benjamin, just came in handy : )  

Cloudland was very very very quiet, and very remote.  Campsites were pretty
few and far between.  A couple of vans and busses pulled in around 5:30 to
6, and there were no campsites available.  Ranger said, "No doubling up."
Bummer for the guy with splitty.  A girl drove up in a nice looking blue
Westy, estimated 91 model. Huge bike rack, but no bikes to be found.  Don't
know if she had a campspot available either.  That "no doubling up" will
get you every time.  Makes a man real mad.  I would have just told that
Ranger, "Look buddy, we pay your salary."  Then I would have snarled a real
mean snarl.  That seems to work like magic.  Especially if you want to get
thrown out of a park real quick.  The Rangers were there in force too.   4
trucks were casually parked at the visitors center, ready for action.  I
was relieved I actually paid the $2.00 parking fee for once.

Well, our baby sitter couldn't/wouldn't wait forever, so we had to split
the scene.  We said good byes and gave a last look back.  Everyone was
hovering around the fire, or near the cooking burners.  Everyone was having
a great time.  We look forward to going on a campout soon, and actually
camping out.  

Oh, and don't worry, we will be getting another van soon I hope.  But it
could be rounded on the top.

: )

HK