Date:         Mon, 14 Apr 2008 06:10:22 -0700
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Subject:      Monday multi-post (from a digester)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"

  I saw about 5 vanagons out and about this weekend as I visited Mt. Adams
and circumnavigated Mt Hood in the Columbia River Gorge area of the
northwest.  Probably saw Ellen (off-white?) as I came home from my bicycle
race up I-84 along the river.  Also, there are two Dokas that live around
Hood River, Or..A very nice and frequently driven green one, double cab,
with some big Cibie lights, etc.

  For screens, curtains, and loose maps, lists, etc...Get a bunch of
magnets.  Incorporate them into whatever it is you are trying to attach,
temporarily, to your van...Our vans are steel and you can stick, with a
magnet,   anything  anywhere.
   I went online and Googled magnets, found an inexpensive source and bought
3 dozen that are about 5/8" long x 1/4" wide x 1/8" thick.  Very tenacious
things.  We sewed some into the removable curtains for my 84
weekender/westie wannabee. You can make some foldable screens from plastic
screening and glue-on edging(available at fabric stores)  I have some folded
up in my van that I've not used yet...I've seen screen curtains made in a
similar fashion for side-slider..   Stick the curtain, with sewn-in magnets
on the top,  sew or glue some weights in the bottom, size them to overlap in
the center of the slider opening..Not so slick looking as a dedicated screen
or a permanent curtain, but when you doggie is trying to protect your van,
or you are carrying plywood, or you pull onto the freeway and forget you are
in 'camping mode' with your curtains pulled shut...something like that...And
certainly less expensive than Go Westie or wherever...
  I like to to have my van adaptable, since I use it daily in various ways.
That's why I don't have a full-westie and why I left out the rear and the
overhead cabinets. Magnet-curtains and screens allow me to put them up just
when I need them and to not worry about damaging them  or working around
them the other 99% of the time when I am NOT camping in the vanagon..Takes
about 5 mins to install the curtains when I go to bed or have nosey
neighbors. If it's buggy, I'll stick up a screen over whatever window I
open..
  The extra magnets..I use to hold down paper maps,  hang up my damp
laundry, etc etc..
  Don Hanson