Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2004 00:46:56 -0400
Reply-To: Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Subject: Re: When Is A Project Finished?
In-Reply-To: <003301c483f1$ec8cbd60$4ff5db0c@MAIN>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
:::-----Original Message-----
:::From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
:::Of Robert Fisher
:::Sent: Monday, August 16, 2004 8:34 PM
:::To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
:::Subject: Re: When Is A Project Finished?
<snip>
:::
:::I'm wondering why your van is a 'he'; when asked why ships are called
:::'she',
:::an old admiral famously replied "Because it costs so much to keep them in
:::paint and powder..."
Well heavens, they have to have vanagons of both genders don't they, how
else would we get new little vanagons? Mine's a female, but she's a bit
young for having little vannies, she's only a teen-ager.
:::
:::As a matter of fact, it would be interesting if the collective list would
:::detail the mods they've made, good and bad (and why) along with what they
:::were trying to achieve, to sort of get the sense of what the ultimate
:::Vanagon(s) would look like (I'm sure there would be at least three or
:::four
:::major flavors, by function).
I think there wouldn't be one ultimate Vanagon. I haven't really done much
in the way of actual mods (aside from second battery), though I did make a
thing that hangs from the back of my two front seats, with lots of pockets
for storing bits of stuff. And it can be moved easily (snap-on straps) to
the poptop bar to hang up higher and block the windshield if I don't want
folks to be able to see in. That's with the poptop is up - it's for
privacy, not for stealth camping. It's pretty handy. I've also got spring
clamps all over the place, so I can hang things up any time - laundry bag,
wet towels or bathing suits, at the moment I have a fan hanging from one,
etc.
Oh, and I have an original oil painting that's up on one wall. One must
have original art in the traveling home, you know!
Based on nine months in my van, I think if I were doing it over I'd get rid
of the whole kitchen setup. I've never used my water tank because there's a
hole in the intake hose and I haven't been able to find the right hose to
replace it. I carry a gallon or two of water and it's no problem, and I'd
wash dishes in the campground bathroom anyway since it usually has hot
water. (I don't stealth camp because I have a 19-foot boat on the roof and
a bike on the back and I couldn't in a million years look inconspicuous, so
I generally have access to water and toilets and things.) I hardly ever
cook in the van, beyond making coffee or heating soup or steaming veggies,
because I don't want to fill my van with grease or smells that will linger.
I use the fridge but it's a pain because the propane blows out when I'm
driving, and it's always warming up. Not enough for food to go bad, but
enough to have nasty condensation and melted water inside. Also it has lots
of wasted space for a silly "freezer" and things.
I really feel that I'd rather have all of that storage space instead of any
of the kitchen stuff. If I carried a camp stove (which I don't want to give
the space as it is) I could cook on it outside the van without worrying
about lingering smells. Ice in a cooler is a nuisance, but it lasts for a
few days and it doesn't warm up all the time because the propane blew out.
And I'm already using water jugs.
Not that I'm removing any of my kitchen stuff, and one of these days I WILL
find the right hose for the water tank. Meanwhile I'm saving all the
postings on how to disinfect it, I'll need them.
I've considered removing the upstairs mattress to reclaim some storage
space, but I'm not in any hurry to actually do that.
Joy
****************************************************************
Joy Hecht
and Matilda, 1989 Burgundy Vanagon
For musings about life and the vanadventures:
http://users.rcn.com/jhecht/gypsy
****************************************************************
