Date:         Mon, 11 Oct 2004 19:26:21 -0400
Reply-To:     William Alexander <william.alexander@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         William Alexander <william.alexander@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Outer Banks NC campground nod
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Just got back from my first "real" trip in my new '87 Westy (Dubbed
"Zebra-Van" by one witness over the weekend. I've got to say it - this
vehicle as reawakened a part of me that's been a sleep for the last 7
or 8 years.. and I couldn't be more happy about it. Driving from
Roanoke to the Outer Banks on 460 in Virginia in a nice long segment
of nearly no traffic at all thinking about how we'd taken the "road
less traveled" really started the trip off with this deep warm
appreciation for just what I've gotten myself (back) into by buying
this little cash-effigy.

From the very beginning of the trip, too, we started off with the
exclamation that "no matter where we're going, we're already there!"
which is corny but the truth of it really sank when we arrived on
Hatteras Island and realized that the feeling of angst that sometimes
accompanies arriving at a destination and wondering where we'd stay
and what the place would be like etc. was completely not there at all.

We camped at a place called "Frisco Woods Campground" on the Sound
side of the island. $35 or so anight, depending on who took your money
at the window, and the place was more than half empty. Our campsight
was right on the sound, in a corner of the area so that walking back
to the van from the bathroom saw you sighting your way down through
RVs and travel trailers and seeing this little half moon window lit up
and glowing against the backdrop of the sun setting on the sound. I
can not tell you how good that wacky paint job looked contrasted
against all of those cookie cutter pop-up trailers and RVs.

Coffee and eggs on the stove were superb, the fridge kept all the
meats and veggies as cold as they ever needed to be, the new feather
bed on the mattress had us sleeping like king and quenn while the
sound lapping against the sand 15 feet from our bumper lulled us to
sleep.. Martha in from Colorado enjoying the "loft" and Amber and
myself downstairs.

BTW on the way down to Hatteras on Friday I did see the top of a
Vanagon pop-top at the campground at Pea Island - that any of you
guys?

After two nights at Frisco Woods we realized for the second time
another of the great benefits of this little transporter: Designated
non-driver! We went to a wedding and got rightly shnockered
afterwards, said our congrats and goodnights and goodbyes to many "be
careful!" and "how far do you have to go?"s and then promplty walked
out the door, down the steps, into the yard and into the van and
passed out.

Cooked it back at 6am this morning and made it back to Roanoke at 2:00
- girls asleep in the back for the first 3 hours. Beautiful sunset as
we pointed West and off of the Outer Banks. The van ran like a TOP
despite the fact that in my grogginess this morning I ran her for 5-7
minutes at 60 mph in 3rd gear :( felt very guilty for quite a while
and was concerned... but no ill-effects yet.

Anyway every time I do anything with that van I love it more and more..

William in Roanoke, Va
homepage.mac.com/william_idzyn/vanagon