Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2004 11:31:45 -0700
Reply-To: Tobin Copley <tcopley@SFU.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Tobin Copley <tcopley@SFU.CA>
Subject: Re: swapping vanagon for Prius (was RE: license plate light bulbs
In-Reply-To: <E1BzNQP-000255-00@smtp01.mrf.mail.rcn.net>
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On Aug 23, 2004, at 3:36 PM, Joy Hecht wrote:
> Hi Tobin,
>
Hiya!
> For sure, camping in the rain sucks.
>
> But then I'm the one whose laptop got wet in a rainstorm when water
> came
> gushing in the edge of the poptop, and I had to get a new computer!
> So hmm,
> which leaks more, the tent or the poptop? :-)
Hmmm... Never had a pop-top leak on me--and I live in a rainforest! I
think you really drew a short straw there.
> I kind of think the hassle of setting up a tent about balances out the
> ability to leave a campsite in my car for the day without having to
> pack it
> all up, if I'm returning to the same place that night.
I've never needed more than 15 minutes or so to get ready to go. I
leave a table and stuff to "mark" my site if I want to go and come back
to my site.
> And I have just
> found that if I want I can borrow a big tent - big enough to almost
> stand up
> in and to put in a little table and chair so I can sit at my computer
> and
> work properly and not be really crowded. Which would be nice.
Sounds cool. I've often thought a "room" type tent would be a useful
addition for my vanagon camping gear, but only for those trips in which
we settle into a place for a couple of days or more.
>
> So it's possible that in terms of amenities for me the van and the
> camping
> might kind of balance out.
I wouldn't look at it like as either/or...
> ...And I would definitely like to know lots more about how to fix my
> van, even
> while I recognize that the time it would take to become a good
> mechanic is
> likely to be more than I'm willing to give it. Especially as I don't
> have
> anyone to apprentice myself to. I don't really know anyone (present
> company
> excepted) who works on cars or knows vanagons.
> In a way I almost don't mind
> the cost of the repairs - it's a reasonable tradeoff for having my
> time to
> do other things
Nothing wrong with buying leisure time. That's why we have such an
integrated economy!
>
> Any good mechanics out there who want a hanger-on for a month or two
> who
> wants to learn to fix stuff? Intelligent articulate adult, writes
> well,
> generally clever, but no mechanical knowledge, available as mechanical
> assistant in return for education about Vanagon repairs.
Charlie Ford did something like that on his big traveling tour. I
recall he hooked up with a pro mechanic in Seattle for a few months.
He didn't know much of anything when he started, and learned first-hand
starting from zero. he was pretty comfortable with mechanical things
by the time he came up and stayed with us for a little bit. He started
sweeping floors and doing the odd oil change and progressed to getting
in and helping with engine rebuilds. I don't think he asked for much
in exchange except the opportunity to learn. He had a great time, and
found the whole thing to be a great expanding confidence-building
exercise. If you search the Vanagon list archives for "Charlie Ford"
you'll find his posts about his travels. It'll be in there somewhere.
T.
