Date:         Sat, 21 Jun 2008 10:14:05 -0700
Reply-To:     Rob <becida@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Rob <becida@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Traveling report #1
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

I'm on the road with my '84 Westy, interesting time. I have a Subaru
2.2 siting in my garage, I got the harness finished and school was
out about the same time. I decided to go traveling. I think about
this every time I down shift going up a hill (and that's a lot <g>).

I had to pull the refrigerator and clean it all to get it to light
but it's been on and doing it's thing since last Tuesday, that was a
good feeling. I hooked up city water at home before we left and blew
the faucet out so I have to carry water.
We took off late and made it just out of WA before we stopped at Ft
Stevens State park in Oregon. Passed another brown westy going north
just before we crossed the bridge into Astoria.
The drive down the Oregon coast is a great trip and well worth the
gas & time. I could have used a lot more time for that part of this first trip.
Oregon has nice state parks, a lot nicer than the Washington park we
stayed at in May. The next day we didn't make it far and we tried
another Oregon state park, I was rested the morning after that. I
realized that there is not enough time to do everything I wanted to
do (like that's unusual) so we headed out for Jedediah Smith State
Park in Calif. It's been 20+ years since I stayed there, outrageous
scenery but the park is #3 behind Oregon & Washington. The Oregon
Caves are still a neat trip and worth the gas but give yourself
enough time for the drive up, the 90 Minnie tour and the wait for the
tour to start. The lady selling the tickets said we were lucky only
having to wait an hour as 3 hours is not unusual. With a 3 hr wait
the Oregon Caves would be a full days trip but there is a campground
up 'by' there (I did not stop and see it).
Down 101 to Santa Rosa... I could take a month going from Astoria,
following 101 to Santa Rosa just camping at great looking spots and
spots I remember from years past.

The VW is running great, not fast up hills but it just keeps on
chugging with the 4 of us in it.  But the air conditioner does not
work... I passed a Harbor Freight and thought of stopping for some AC
tools to fix it but I really won't have time this trip as we have to
be back Monday night. When I started planning this first trip I had
10 full days, when we left Tues afternoon I had to be back Monday
night... but the VW & it's 1.9 are working great. Other than the
oil/filter, and alignment I changed the minute oil to Red Line MT90
and like I said everything works great so far.

I have passed 4 westys while driving, seen 6 parked and there were 2
syncros at Jed Smith park. There were 3 air cooled type2s there also.
Gas is a 40 cents+ more in CA than in OR but there is gas.

I have to get going and head down to Santa Cruz, I told my son I'd be
down this weekend and we do have to be back home Monday night

Rob
becida@comcast.net
in an '84 westy in Santa Rosa (right now).