Date:         Sat, 4 Aug 2007 16:18:05 +0000
Reply-To:     Trvlr2001@COMCAST.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "John C..." <Trvlr2001@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: When a 20-yr old Can 'Create' a hippy bus ;o)

My original thread was perhaps
somewhat tongue in cheek,
It's neat the memories this sort of thing can bring back.

So Perhaps,
Even if  things can not be afforded

They certainly Can Be Created !!!

feel the magik!
JC...

> > I had this entirely in my mind when it happened today, this thread that
> > is.

> > See, theres a baywindow westy about 10 miles out of my way that someone
> > enlightened me to about a year ago. Every now and then i drive by to
> > reassure myself the white ghost is still there, and the treat thats
> > growing
> > out of its roof/right next to it is still doing well. Its the driveway of
> > a
> > nice old house. Some time ago i used google earth to find the houses
> > address
> > (as its not listed on the mailbox) in an attempt to eventually write them
> > a
> > nice letter asking them about the bus. On todays faithful stroll, i saw an
> > elderly woman sitting on the front porch and decided to go talk to her.
> >
> > Long story short, not only can a 20 year old afford a hippy bus, an 18
> > year
> > old can be GIVEN a 1975 westy and actually asked and encouraged to do
> > something with it (even if thats just part it out). The nice old lady
> > lives
> > alone, no remaining decendants, used to be her sons.....it comforts her
> > but
> > shed like to find it a home even if thats in a junkyard where people can
> > get
> > parts. She said its mine for the taking, the engine turns over by key and
> > it
> > ran when parked FIFTEEN YEARS AGO. Long story short, the body is GONE,
> > i'll
> > post pictures soon, but doesnt loook to be worth saving. I have little to
> > no
> > use for a baywindow that cant be saved, might take it for parts, keep my
> > favorite goods (make a couch out of the rear seat, a clock out of the
> > hubcaps, etc) and part out the rest. Anyone need something specific (or
> > alot
> > of specific things) off a 1975 Westy?
> >
> > So i guess i was wrong, good things do happen to good people and a 20 year
> > old CAN afford a hippy bus!

> > > On 8/3/07, Don Hanson wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Right, that's me. I took a pre-emptive retirement and spent my
> > savings
> > > > and some inherited money on the Porsche racing interlude. "Eat Desert
> > > > First" became my credo, after I watched my father (among many others)
> > > work
> > > > his butt off for 50 years so he could retire, then he died..Also, I
> > had
> > > a
> > > > close call myself with a truck hitting me as I waited for a flag
> > person
> > > > at a construction delay...Doing everything right, and I still lost a
> > > few
> > > > years of my life as I recovered. I vowed then that if I ever got back
> > > to
> > > > normal, I wouldn't waste my precious time "working, so I could retire
> > > > sometime and do what I wanted"..
> > > > You musta missed my "smiley face"..Actually, it is a bit easier to
> > > sustain
> > > > the 84 hippy bus than back when I flipped burgers for the 36hp 57
> > South
> > > > African panel van...But a carpenter's wage now is pretty dismal...
> > > > Don Hanson