Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 13:20:41 -0700
Reply-To: Bill Kasper <dragonlist@IPMTS.UCSC.EDU>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Bill Kasper <dragonlist@IPMTS.UCSC.EDU>
Subject: trip report...very short
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we're back, and happy. did a completely different trip than expected and it
was lovely (stayed in oregon rather than the grand circuit to black
hills/santa fe).
highlights:
*meeting tom and margo salicos of portland, making their friendship, and
spending some excellent time with them at belknap hot springs in the central
oregon cascades.
*the hood river at tucker county park on the outskirts of hood river, or.
low due to drought, but great for swimming and body rafting some small
rapids.
*the heat: in two weeks we saw no rain, just heavy mist around astoria.
*the rogue river was strong and gave us much pleasure, stayed at valley of
the rogue state park (too much traffic, but RV'ers ease).
*big lagoon county park north of arcata (thanks to tom for the
recommendation), quiet and beautiful, horrid camp host.
*portland zoo and children's museum, the max, and downtown portland are
highly recommended.
*cougar hot springs on cougar lake not far from belknap.
*nick and pat, expert vw mechanics, who solved our alternator problems and
set us up with a good used one installed for $50.
*excellent smoked, bbq'd and fresh salmon from paul of klamath, ca by the
101 roadside.
many more, actually, most of the trip was highlights. and we learned to
travel at the pace of the one who needed it slowest, our lad alexander. an
excellent traveller and keen observer of railroad crossing signs.
lowlights:
*taking two extra days at the beginning to get the passenger power window
setup working, including one day lost to a frozen back (mine).
*breaking the alternator belt in salsa-lito, though easy replacement.
*alt and oxs lights coming on again with altbelt intacto; nick and pat found
bad brushes, then a bad cup bearing and thus a bad alternator.
*the road construction that probably cost us a full day in cumulative
delays.
*the horrid camp host at big lagoon county park, nearly bit off my wife's
head.
*the short cut from steamboat to disston that had us wondering if we were
lost in the cascades.
*the pedestal seat in the van: alexander loved it, but it makes camping
very hard.
*an exploding diaper at 3 am (i dare you to ask me *s*).
thanks again to all who offered numbers, driveways, beds, and suggestions of
places to go (matt, richard, al, and EVERYone). phaedra, your number is not
properly listed in your local phone book (tried to call you the night we
stayed at hendy woods, our last on the trip); i didn't bring yours because i
didn't expect to be in the area to use it!).
ben, we're going to try to get to the SFvanagogo. will pmail you; we're
leaving for mammoth lakes that am, but will try to swing up through for a
couple hours. thanks again for the AC belt confirmation.
and tom and margo salicos are two fine people. kind, humorous, and generous
beyond the beyond. thanks to you both for helping make our trip both fun
and special. i am glad to find that our two vans come within TWO DIGITS of
each other, theirs 029137 and ours 029135...certainly family.
i'll be posting some longer, incremental trip reports that'll be worked into
a website when the pics are ready and scanned.
bill
'87 syncro westfalia
http://www.scruznet.com/~kasper/pics/westy/
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