Date:         Fri, 31 Dec 2010 11:30:24 -0800
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      The Looks.....(vanagon envy?)
Comments: cc: WetWesties <wetwesties@yahoogroups.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

   I am spending some time in the Desert southwest in my 84 vanagon.  I am
using the WiFi at the county library of a small town where lots of
Weekenders end up as well as the off-road crowd and RVers galore.   The time
between Xmas and New Years is probably one of the busiest times all
year..lots and lots of people coming out and "camping" or having a
Wilderness experience in their Jeep Laredos, their Range Rovers, their
Prevost motor coaches, etc etc.

   My vanagon is a low roof with a westie interior, the windows are dark
tinted. I have some KC driving lights on the bumper and a roof mounted
spotlight..2wd, but at a decent height from the road and on stout tires.
Anyhow, I get so many looks as people saunter past and I am inside, unseen
because of my window tint..People nudge each other and point or nod, usually
with an approving grin...like.."Say, Harriet, maybe we should get us one-a
dem, rather than this Lexus SUV, this Dodge dually pickup with the topheavy
cab over camper..."

  Pretty interesting.

   And going in and out of parking spaces or negotiating a steep gully to
get to a more isolated parking space in the "Wilderness"    Or pulling in to
fill up with some $3.50 gas and knowing I'll be burning it at about 23miles
per gallon rather than 2 or 3miles per gallon...that is pretty handy and
satisfying.

  It's gonna be really noisy tonight, as all the city folks party down out
in the wilderness and blow off fire works, shoot their guns in the air and
stuff...Most will leave early Sunday morning..to "beat the traffic" back
into the city..

  Interesting....camping around Southern California.

  Don Hanson