Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2003 16:16:17 -0500
Reply-To: John Rodgers <j_rodgers@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <j_rodgers@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: 3 weeks of beach driving/trip report short
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed
Herman, where you went is a great place. I have been there many
times........many years ago........before ANY development came even
remotely close. I remember standing by the Kitty Hawk monument and
marveling at the view. There was nothing else there except the monument.
And those dunes - WOW!!!! Once out on the beaches we - me and a bunch of
other scuba divers that use to hang out together - would drive for miles
down the beach to points where shipwrecks could be seen sticking above
water at low tide. We would wait for high tide to bring in clearing
water then swim out and hunt fish for spearfishing and just generally
do some exploring. There was a very old wreck there at one time that
was loaded with huge blocks of Greek marble - the marble was still
inside the ship. The decking was wood and much had rotted away so you
could swim over and see the marble blocks. Years later some enterprising
divers figured how to salvage that marble. The must have made a fortune.
Great country, great place to 4-wheel, camp, and generally enjoy life-
salt air, sand and sea - Ocracoke and the Outer Banks.
Hermann the German wrote:
> Just got back from three weeks of beach, sun, and fun on the Outer
> Banks in North Carolina. I won't tell you where because I don't want
> this gem to become more crowded. The syncro performed great in the
> sand. Lots of deep sand driving. The only challenge was the ramp onto
> the beach. Deep ruts and holes dug by stuck vehicles created
> problems. The ruts were so deep that the syncro bottomed out several
> times. Here is what I learnt (first time 4 wheeling on the beach):
>
> - deflate tires to 20 psi or lower
>
> -always follow somebody else's tracks
>
> -momentum, momentum, momentum. You can't downshift, so be in low gear
> before you get into a trouble spot.
>
> -bring a tow strap to help out others
>
> -bring a shovel to help yourself and others
>
> One day,at high tide, I was forced to drive too close to the dunes,
> the van lost momentum in the soft sand, I could not shift fast enough
> into low range and got stuck. I told my kids to get out and start
> digging. My 8 year old took my words literally. Instead of
> digging behind the wheels she began digging a hole right outside the
> sliding door. I had to laugh and being stuck turned into a memorable
> moment on the beach. We removed some sand, lowered the tire pressure
> even more, backtracked a few meters, and then with momentum and low
> range drove across the dune.
>
> Many a times were we approached by SUV drivers on the beach who
> wondered what kind of vehicle we were driving. They had never seen a
> van on the beach that was capable of making it across the ramp and
> through the soft sand.
>
> I wish I had a front diff lock. Maybe I'll give Derek Drew a call and
> talk to Santa Claus.
>
> Oh. Almost forgot one mishap. Driving up the ramp at full speed in low
> range we bumped so hard through the holes that the passenger window
> ,already lowered, shattered into a thousand pieces. We drove the 1300
> miles home with a duct-taped window. Thank God for ac.
>
> What the heck! The island is called Ocracoke and would be a perfect
> place for a syncro meeting. The Outer Banks have about 70 miles of
> driveable beach.
>
> Sightings: a bunch of westies at the National Park Campground, two
> other syncronauts in town. One strangely painted westy in Virginia on
> I-64 with a taxi sign in the front. Crabby driver. Would not wave back
> at us.
>
> Cheers,
> Hermann de Boer
>
> Kansas City,Missouri 87 Westy "Eurospec" 89 Syncro GL "...even if you
> win the rat race, you are still a rat..."
>
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