Getcha a different motor in a Vanagon. That is the only way to make one go cross-country at a quick pace.

I agree, there are stretches of highway that I can do without seeing again (and again and again) I'd leave the N/S I-5 or 99 through central California right out of my travels, if I could, after traversing that about 100 times..Since I do have to go that way, I have a slightly stronger motor in my Vanagon that allows me to go at a reasonably quick pace..but it's still a long boring slog the 101st time through, no matter what the pace. I often just go "around" and use hwy 395, but even that beautiful route sometimes drags on.. "Beam me up, Scotty!" is a frequent thought during some of my longer "Point A to B" journeys.

Don Hanson

On Sun, Nov 29, 2009 at 8:10 AM, Mark Hineline <hineline@helix.ucsd.edu>wrote:

> While I am sympathetic to the "slow down and enjoy the scenery" > notion, life is short and art is long. I have considered buying a bus > or Vanagon and parking it long term in Flagstaff, Bishop, or St. > George, then driving (or, in the case of Flagstaff, taking the train, > which I actually did every weekend two summers ago) my GTI to get > where I'm going, and swapping vehicles. > > Yes, it's lovely between San Diego and these places, and I have seen a > lot of what lies in between -- many times. > > However: I don't consider slowing down to 20 or 25 miles an hour on a > long grade to be fun. It's mostly about staying alive, with folks > texting and whatnot and not paying attention to the slow moving > vehicle ahead. > > Mark >