Date:         Fri, 27 May 2005 23:24:56 -0400
Reply-To:     kayakjr@JUNO.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Reynolds <kayakjr@JUNO.COM>
Subject:      X-Country -1 Week - DONE!
Content-Type: text/plain

Some of you might remember my original post on X-Country in 2 weeks with
kids.  As it turned out, the wife declined, and a friend and I flew from
Mass to Washington for a one-week delivery of my new 86 Westy Weekender,
literally from within sight of the Pacific to within sight of the
Atlantic - true coast-to-coast.

The whole story is long - will be in some future LiMBO newsletter
(www.limbobus.org) But suffice it to say, I experienced intermittent
Vanagon Syndrome, almost from the start getting real bad in nowhere-ville
South Dakota in a snow storm.  AIRS came thru with directions to Import
Service in Rapid City where I picked up a used factory "fix" harness and
the problem was cured - Thanks Steve!  This is after replacing the cap,
rotor, fuel filter, using wire dryer (it was the week when it rained from
Mass to Washington state) and fruitless searching for plug wires in stock
at over 1/2 dozen flaps along the way - including a NAPA warehouse in
Montana.  After that, pretty smooth sailing, except for more and more
rain.

We dealt with miles of torn up roads in the Dakota's, so bad that a
tractor trailer trick got stuck, endless rain, snow and a remote mountain
pass in the snow that we almost could not reach the summit when it was in
site.  Turning around BTW, was 1/2 to 1 day detour to get back to where
we were! 1/2"+ thick ice build up on the headlights

Problem and detours had us miss Devil's tower and Mt Rushmore, but at
least the sun was shining in the Badlands - my favorite part of the trip.
 http://tinyurl.com/arf22 for picture. But, hey, at least we got to visit
the Spam museum in
Minn.!

Lessons learned - if you don't have that harness if and are planning a
big trip - get one!
AIRS and Vanagon rescue squad - print it out or put it on your lap top -
but have it!
WalMart camping is free, but noisy - better to pay for a campground and
get a good night sleep - else get ear plugs.
Even at 45, I still can live endlessly on PB & J, and Spaghetti and skip
fast food.
The Vanagon seats are the most comfortable seats for long distance -
period!
If you don't bring your camera and your friend drops his into Puget sound
while sailing, you will not have any pictures until one of you breaks
down and buys a camera.
Even when you are 7 hours from home, you can bump into your coworker at a
restaurant!
The i-Pod (and cassette adaptor), don't leave home without it (Thanks
wifey for letting me borrow it!)

and finally... a friend who takes this trip with you and is not phased by
mechanical problems, bad weather, road closures and more is a true
treasure!

John
81 Westy (for Sale)
86 Westy Weekender