Date:         Mon, 17 Apr 2000 21:50:46 -0400
Reply-To:     Tom and Dana Cates <dcates1@HOME.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Tom and Dana Cates <dcates1@HOME.COM>
Subject:      Everybus Report, moderately short
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;

We left Asheville about 6:30 Fri. night in a downpour. 

We lost the passenger side wiper (KATHUNK), arm and all, in Hickory. It nearly took off the side mirror, too. We probably laughed for five miles, but we never slowed down. The rain cleared up just as we pulled off the freeway in Greenville. We knew we were headed the right direction when we saw a strange high top Vanagon abandoned by the roadside. (It arrived later on a flatbed wrecker, and it occurred to me that there is probably no better place to arrive in that fashion than a VW campout.)

Anyway, of course as soon as we arrived at 10:30 it began to rain again. So we set up camp next to Joel and Carrie, who graciously saved us a space, and between our assorted tarps and awning we managed to create a reasonably dry spot spanning the two vehicles.

Then the party began. Royce came by and so many other people that I can't even remember the names. We carried on through all day Saturday and Sunday morning. Intermittently, we went out into the rain to visit, and I have to agree that it was 'Laid Back'. 

Saturday night was the big event, Door Prizes and Concert. Apparently we did win a prize, as did Joel, but we were both sort of temporarily incapacitated in our respective vans and regretfully could not be present to accept. We were on hand for the attendees choice awards. Although we voted for the trailer queen RHD Vanagon for the 'I can't believe that you made it here in that thing' category, I think that one of the Ohio boys won (deservedly). The concert was a high volume hoedown and our favorite was a VERY impassioned rendering of 'Wild Thing'. I don't know who the singer was, but that's OK because I have to doubt that he remembers singing it at all.

Sunday morning came early when the sun came up in clear skies and turned the Van into a toaster. We had a wonderful breakfast of burritos and headed off for home, kind of sad it was all over.

Tom and Dana Cates
83 Air-cooled Westfalia 'Hammurabi"
Member HTTP://www.FullMoonBusClub.com
Second runner up, Martha Stewart Award, Everybus2000....Next time I will try to get Dana to make more brownies 8^)' 

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