Date:         Sat, 31 Dec 2005 16:47:19 -0700
Reply-To:     jbrush@AROS.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Anonymous Digest <jbrush@AROS.NET>
Subject:      Hello, Happy New Year, and unusual request :-)

My van has been parked for the better part of the last year, just drive it
maybe one weekend a month to keep it from getting too sad, so I haven't
had much of anything to say.

However, I read the list as often as I can,  appreciate the ideas I come
across, and I enjoy being a part of the community, even if I am way out
here "in the boonies" :-)

Lacking any chance of owning a westy, I have been camping with my van and
a tent, and enjoying that, but...... I am down to my last child, a son,
who is going to be free to camp and get away now and then, as the others
are gone, or have jobs in that crappy retail sector that never gives
anyone two days off in a row, let alone a long weekend, or god forbid, an
actual vacation....

When I camp, I just remove the rear seat back, and have a queen size bed,
minus a few inches as you all know, while the kids sleep in a tent. Its
good to be the Dad. If I also pull the middle seat, my young son will have
a decent place to put his air mattress, sleep inside, and we can keep all
the gear in our small dome tent (except in bear country <g>)

Anyway, without the seat back, and minus the middle seat, its not real
safe to be hauling much gear that can go airborne in a sudden move, or
even more sudden stop, so I need to come up with something light, easy,
and doubtless clever, to keep my gear more or less in its proper place
during those unplanned instances when the van is not just going straight
ahead, or gently around a curve.

Some have cargo nets in the trunk of their car, there are larger versions
for pickup truck beds, and I am wandering the sporting goods and auto
parts stores looking for inpiration along those lines, that would actually
fit close to correctly.

I could keep the gear on the floor where the middle seat would be, but
need to have some kind of net, or some other unique device to keep things
in place. Don't want to cover the entire floorspace if I can avoid it, so
I can see some kind of net attached in some manner to the floor.

Or if I could get a reliable net or divider that would go across the back
seat, things could sit in the back like they used to before I pulled the
seat back and the rear seat. something that could hold up, but be stowed
in a small area would be perfect.

Just  thought I would enlist the wisdom of the community, as I have a
feeling someone has done something similar, or at least thought about it.
Its not real good "water cooler" conversation, as I don't personally know
anyone else with a van, and most of my friends have no idea why I am
hanging on to mine for all this time :-)

Not really the usual technical question, but it gives me a chance to say
thanks to all, and to say Happy New Year.

Suggestions or comments will be appreciated.

Thanks a lot,

John