Date:         Sun, 19 Sep 2004 01:15:53 -0500
Reply-To:     Chuck Reisinger <chuckphoto@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Chuck Reisinger <chuckphoto@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Where stuff is stored
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Really, the only things that are stored in the living area are the port-a-john (behind passenger seat); a hinge-top wooden box (that houses trash can, bug spray, etc. & becomes our coffee table/step stool, extra chair); and the pillows & blankets sit on the rear seat. The wood box goes outside when we set up, the pillows & blankets in the pop-top, so the living area is clear again for camping.

The rear luggage area is not particularly full. We now use a large plastic tub for dirty clothes so the duffel gets smaller as the tub gets full (until wash day). Rear luggage area stuff goes under the awning on the portable picnic table or also into the pop-top to clear the mattress for making the bed at night.

The leveling ramps and 3 canoe bags of spares or seldom-used stuff on the roof racks is 100 lb., just under the 110 max allowed.

Probably the thing that frustrates most people is how we cut clothing to the minimum. 4 pants, 4 SS & 4 LS T-shirts, 8 sets of skivvies. PJs & 8 pr sox. At the end of a week, we hit the Laundromat. 
Each has a heavy chamois or wool shirt, sweatshirt, windbreaker and the listed ponchos in the closet. If it doesn't fit, you can't take it! My wife agonizes for three days on what if's and what matches. I grab the first 4 pair of jeans and top 4 of each shirts. She says I cheat.

Gross weight with all VW tanks + 5 gal. cooler + aux. fuel tank (7 gal.) is 5,279 lbs. [Max GVWR is 5,515.] Distribution is very even, within 49 lb. per side, 197 more in rear but that's before driver & passenger. Average mileage is 19.60 miles per US Gal. for all camping trips since new -- over 51K.


Hope this helps....Chuck