Date:         Fri, 15 Jan 2010 11:45:53 -0800
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      It's just not the same...
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

...traveling and camping in other than my Vanagon.

This winter, due to a variety of circumstances, I was forced to come to the
desert driving my wife's diesel pickup and hauling a Wells Cargo
trailer. Normally I can meet my  wife down here and drive my old 84 inline
with all my 'stuff' in it.  So coming from near Portland Oregon to near San
Diego cost us well over twice for fuel (we paid about $3.10/gal for diesel
and used +plenty+)  The pickup has a pop-top camper and all the stuff (work
tools and bicycles, etc) fit into the wells cargo, but California limits
vehicles towing to 65mph..and we were forced to take the boring interstate 5
route south this time with plenty of 'hungry' cops out looking to help with
'fornia's budget shortfall.  The size of the combo...not big compared to
what most snowbirds take along, but much bigger than a vanagon...not so
handy.  Trying to sleep in the poptop at one of our overnights (a casino
parkinglot frequented by big rigs and diesel pusher motorhomes....pretty
noisy, hard to get into "the back 40 with the trailer" and a pain getting
into and out of the camper..

  Here I am, sitting in the front seat, crosswise, typing rather than all
relaxed in the comfort of my camper and my bicycle is propped-up
precariously in back, getting walked on by the dogs and all scratched up...

  Vanagons are best...

  One thing better about the big 3/4 ton pickup was it was pretty
comfortable to sit in on the trip...just loafing along without any
connection to the outside world, really...

  Don Hanson