Date:         Wed, 1 Mar 2006 12:43:49 EST
Reply-To:     RobInfante@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Rob Infante <RobInfante@AOL.COM>
Subject:      vermont in winter
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

I spent the past two weekends ice diving in vermont, and sleeping in the
syncro westy afterwards.  It was brilliant!  I loved not worrying  about a hotel,
and the 4wd worked great on the snowy slippery hill we  parked on next to the
water, especially last Saturday when it snowed 4" or  so.  I had my -25F down
bag with me, even with the temps below zero every  night I was toasty as can
be.

Given that degree of cold, would a propane heater really do much to heat
things up?  I usually would just sit in the sleeping bag and stow all the
curtains, then out for diving.  It would have been nice to crank up the  heat before
getting up, but if it was going to take more than 5 or 10 minutes to  warm
the bus it would have been wasted.

Another question I have is about driving in high winds.  The second  weekend
was better than the first, as I had another person and their gear with  me,
but I was still being buffeted all over the place.  I had thought about  putting
15" or 16" tires on, but would that make it even more unstable?   Its pretty
unpleasant.  Would more power have any effect? I was watching a  dodge sprint
package truck sail along while I felt the rooster on top of a barn,  and
wondering why he could be so stable, narrow and taller as he is.  Any  ideas?

regards
rob infante
'87 syncro westy
boonton nj

btw, last month I had written about my hesitation issues, and the general
recommendation was to change the O2 sensor.  I did to no effect, and  finally
had my mechanic sort it out.  He found the catalytic converter  clogged solid,
and changed it out.  It has never driven so well in the 10  months I've had it,
it goes up the steepest hills doing 50 and has great takeoff  and
acceleration.