Date: Mon, 3 Jun 2002 09:17:57 -0700
Reply-To: "Loren A. Busch" <labusch@ARCZIP.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Loren A. Busch" <labusch@ARCZIP.COM>
Subject: Plug and Trip Report (Long)
In-Reply-To: <200205210007410.SM02284@gerry.vanagon.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Beware, this is an unabashed plug for VolksCafe in Santa Cruz, Ca.. I
just returned from a one month, 3100+ miles road trip in my '90 Westy,
"Garfield". I had traveld from my home in Lynnwood Wa. (just north of
Seattle) to southern California to visit friends in the Bay area, Laguna
Hills and San Diego, and attend a conference at Big Bear over the
memorial Day weekend. I had planned on returning up Highway 395, inland
in California, and making several stops along the way. On the way down,
after stopping for a day in the Berkley area, I made a swing through
Santa Cruz to check out VolksCafe and especially their very heavy duty
bumper package for the Vanagon. (www.volkscafe.com) I was impressed,
not only with the bumpers, but also with the warm and friendly reception
I received as a 'visitor'. After a discussion with Peter, the owner, I
opted to pass on having the bumpers installed, it would have been a
budget stretcher at the time. I continued on with my journey. After
spending two weeks visiting in So Cal, I took off on Thursday moring
before the holiday weekend to head for Big Bear. Just a couple of miles
up the road, I pulled off into Tustin to pay a visit to the last duty
station I served at while in the Marine Corp some 40+ years ago, MCAS
Tustin, also know as LTA (for Lighter Than Air because it was at one
time a blimp base). It is now abandonded but still contains two of the
largest wooden strucctures ever built, the old blimp hangers. I wanted
to take some pictures of these 300 foot high by 800 foot long monsters
before they are torn down. As I was driving down the road that leads
in front of the base, just before I got there, a mini-pickup just ahead
of me and in the lane to the right suddenly pulled over into my lane and
slowed down. To avoid hitting him I ended up laying down 20 feet of
skid marks, climbing a center divider, and taking out a street sign on a
metal post with the front of my Westy. (He was responding to a fire
truck at the intersection we were aproaching). As the dust cleared, my
front fiberglass bumper (that had had some trade in value a few seconds
before) was history. I lucked out: no damage to the radiator, grill, or
windscreen, only the bumper, underlying structure, and a ding in the
panel between the grill and the windscreen. Would you believe the other
driver (that cut me off) stopped and provided ID and info? Even
admitted (at least at that time) that he was at fault! Anyway, after
the usual with the local police (very polite, very professional, thank
you Officer Rowe of the Tustin PD), I was back on my way. Except for
the ugly void in the middle of the front bumper, and my front license
plate hanging by only two screws, I had no mechanical problems at all.
While at the conference at Big Bear, I deceided to change my route home
and return through Santa Cruz. I called VolksCafe, they had bumpers in
stock still, and agreed to hold a pair for me. I told them I'd be there
Tuesday or Wednesday after the Holiday. I took the 'scenic' route up
Highway 1 through Santa Barbara, Carmel, Montery (beautiful drive for
the passenger, but narrow and winding road, not much time for the driver
to enjoy the view). I arrived at VolksCafe in Santa Cruz in the early
afternoon, and they were busy as a shop their size can get, both in the
shop and at the counter. I talked to Peter, explained my situation, and
he said "Since you are 'passing through', we will get you out this
afternoon." And they did! I was on the road by about 4:30, just in
time to miss most of the traffic. BTW, while waiting for the work to be
done, I saw more Vanagons and Vanagon-Westy's drive by on the street
than you might see in a year in other places! Santa Cruz is Vanagon
Country in spades! Although the new bumpers (boy are they massive!)
don't have a place for a front license plate, they were able to come up
with a very good attachemnt method without having to mess up the new
bumpers, extra effort on their part, much appreciated. Bottom line is
simple: based on my personal experience as a neady pilgim 'passing
through', I can give my strong endorsement for the service and the
business practices of VolksCafe in Santa Cruz. As to the new bumpers,
the next mini-pickup that cuts me off may just get creamed! If I had
had them installed on the way down, the worst I would have encountered
would probably have been scratched paint.
Please excuse the cross-post on this, I'm putting it up on both the
Vanagon list and WetWesties.
Pictures available on request, going up on my Website soon.
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