Date:         Sun, 24 Dec 2006 00:23:13 -0800
Reply-To:     Toni Rizzo <toni@MCN.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Toni Rizzo <toni@MCN.ORG>
Subject:      Intro
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"

Hi all, I've been lurking for quite some time so I figure it's time I
come out of the closet and introduce myself. I think the artsy-come
out of the closet thread got me going. You sound like an interesting
bunch of volks! In my former lives I've lived in NY, Puerto Rico,
Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah, and I landed in northern California near
Mendocino and Fort Bragg 8 years ago. I've worked in hospital labs,
academia, taught school, done cancer research, and am now a freelance
writer specializing in medicine and science, with an occasional
outdoor or nature article, and host of a radio public affairs show.
I'm an avid gardener, collector of cacti and succulents, and a
mosaic-artist wannabe, and love to hike, camp, and explore...

I've wanted a westy and have been researching them for a few years
and last summer I finally took the plunge and bought my first one
ever....a  lovely burgundy '90 Westy and I absolutely love her! Of
course I immediately took her to my mechanic who's renowned in these
parts as a vanagon specialist and had him give her a thorough going
over. Several hundred dollars later she emerged with new brakes,
coolant hoses, several other things, and a clean bill of health. In
Sept we took our first trip, to drive my daughter up to Bellingham,
WA and  had a wonderful time. Of course, the starter started going
out in Portland, OR where we were towed to a mechanic recommended by
someone on the rescue squad (Thank you if your on this list!...I
can't remember your name). It was 7 pm and the mechanic looked at her
and got her started and reassured us that we'd be ok for a while, and
gave us some tips on how to get started if it happened again. So we
merrily headed north into Washington where we camped for the night
and got stuck again. Anyway, after calling AAA, I managed to get her
started again and we drove to a shop (recommended on vanagon.com) in
north Seattle, where the starter was replaced that afternoon and we
were on our way again with no further mishaps.

There are many things I want to do with my westy (she doesn't have a
name yet) as I have the money, including adding a second battery and
having the gas tank and lines checked out (gas runs out if I fill it
too much), and a little spot of rust fixed. I've learned a lot from
reading this list and I'm sure I'll have many questions. Most of all
I want to hit the road again, hopefully to the southwest this winter
for an extended camping and exploring trip. I spent a month last year
camping with a friend in a pickup with a camper in So. CA and
southeastern AZ and I can't wait to do it in the westy.  I don't know
if I should mention that my other car is a subaru with so many of you
lusting after subie engines... ;-)

Sorry this is so long for my first post...Thanks all for being there..

Toni
'90 burgundy westy
'90 subaru wagon
'86 nissan p.u.