Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (July 2001, week 1)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Sat, 7 Jul 2001 01:34:09 -0000
Reply-To:     Hermann the German <urlauber10@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Hermann the German <urlauber10@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      trip report Ocracoke Island/Eurospec conversion/road rage
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

Hi Listees!

Just got back from a wonderful beach vacation on the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Hate to give away the location, but there were only four VW Campers in the park, so I guess it's okay. Get out there and enjoy beach, sand, water, and bugs!!!! The campground is a National Park on the Island of Ocracoke, right on the beach. Cold showers only, but after a day in the sun, they are the best in the world. The small village has anything your heart enjoys, no fast food and no chains. Seafood is king, we had the best spanish mackrels, even the seagulls liked them. One divebombed the frying pan when I turned away for a second. Here are some VW specific facts: Fridge lit w/o problems using the electric bicycle pump method. Ran for two weeks until gas was gone. Cooled great, however major condensation. Any suggestions? Screens did okay, however, no-see-ums galore and the original Westfalia screens are not up to the challenge. The Go Westy side screen did handle the job ok. Next year, I need to prep the van better. The island gets so hot that you need to leave the side door, hatch, skylight, and vents open. We used hotshot bugspray on the screens and that did the job.

Gas mileage about 21mpg premium fully loaded, Thule weekender on top, side tent, bikes, beach toys for two kids etc.. I ran the Eurospec at about 80 mph on the interstates, only had to shift into 3rd gear once going through the Smokies.

No mechanical problems, only a screw in the right rear tire. A friendly mechanic plugged the leak for 15$.

Other Westies seen/met: Listmember Alan "UCMYVAN" with his syncro, JJ the sausage king from Ottawa, Canada, with his 76 Automatic, and that's it. Some sightings along the way, all in all maybe 10, one even being towed by a huge RV.

Question: I don't understand the American merging "behavior". Whenever I approach a construction site with signs telling motorists to merge either left or right, drivers immediately do so causing major traffic jams. I ,however, having been trained in Germany and having survived the Autobahn for over 15 years, try to drive as close as I can to the obstacle, then merge. This has caused road rage from " THE FINGER" to merely being blocked by truckers and rednecks. Being a crafty Westy driver, I just smile, wave, drive on the shoulder like Michael Schuhmacher and use my 115hp effectively. Have Americans not been trained in the "ZIPPER" method?

Cheerio, Hermann de Boer Kansas City,Missouri 87 Westy 283 000 miles Eurospec 3 years old 51000 miles

_________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.