Date:         Sun, 3 Jul 2005 23:19:11 -0600
Reply-To:     dusty edwards <dusty.edwards@MAC.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         dusty edwards <dusty.edwards@MAC.COM>
Subject:      a CRAZY story involving my westy
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we had planned it for a year.  high sierra music festival was the only
music festival that we'd be attending this summer.  we opened a
"vacation" savings account after we got home from our big summer
adventures last year and this is what the amount was going toward.  the
tickets to the festival were previously purchased.  we took almost
3-weeks off of work - our adventure would entail camping in northern
california before the festival and after the fest, back to the coast,
then up to the redwood nat'l forest, then to portland state parks, then
eugene, then portland and back home to denver.  i'd worked on the westy
all winter adding a propane heater, a shadyboy awning, and other
accessories to make our trips more comfortable.

long story long...
just getting the camper ready to leave was complete madness the days
before departure.  i was doing my best to get the AC charged and
working (do you remember those posts), then eventually took it to a
mechanic who charged me $300 to tell me that it was all charged and
ready to go, but the switches won't turn the compressor and blower on.
however, on the way to take the westy to THAT guy, the "check
alternator" light came on.......and that was replaced too.  so, we were
headed to the desert with no AC on our way to san fran and..........

(6/24) 1 mile out of denver the dash started smoking.
then..............that's right,  the unimaginable happened - THE DASH
CAUGHT ON FIRE.  the instrument cluster burned to a crisp.  we were
absolutely devastated.  we stood on the side of I70 talking to the cop,
sobbing, watching the firefighters go the the van checking for any
unmanaged sparks.  my westy IS my pride and joy.

so, we hopped a flight to miami and drove to key west and spent over a
week there.  an RV rental was just out of the question.............has
anybody ever priced RV rentals????.....it's ridiculous!

...anyways, my wife and i just got home from our tropical vacation and
i wanted to share our sad sad story with the people that i KNOW will
care.

THE GOOD NEWS!
it's fixable and it's covered by my insurance company and i have a
really nice deductible at only $250.  apparently, the aux. battery
shorted out, making the main wiring harness go up in flames.

the only other thing that i have to say is that i NEVER wish this upon
any of you.  it really hurts your soul to see your westy on fire.

like i said we were completely devastated...call it materialistic, but
these quirky VW Campers that we drive are part of a lifestyle and i
can't freakin wait to get her back on the
road!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  first trip - to northern california
then to the coast, then up to the redwood nat'l forest, then to
portland state parks, then eugene, then portland and back home to
denver.

also, kudos to the guys at blazer auto in englewood, CO.  they always
take good care of our '90 westy!

thanks for reading!

dusty.

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