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Date:         Sat, 1 Jan 2011 00:48:32 -0600
Reply-To:     Max Wellhouse <dimwittedmoose@CFU.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Max Wellhouse <dimwittedmoose@CFU.NET>
Subject:      Re: The Looks.....(vanagon envy?)
Comments: To: Rob <becida@COMCAST.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <vanagon%2010123122103324@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

Rob and Listees: This story reminds me of a kayak trip I took to the Guadalupe River back in the 80's in my '71 Loaf. There was a slalom race held on one of the rapids by a campground and after helping set up the course on Friday afternoon, we'd pretty much called it a day and were collectively chillin' around an April campfire. Maybe a 1/4 mile up the campground closer to the main road, we could hear some locals carrying on and that included beer, of all things. Soon we heard a few loud POP POP POP sounds and wrote it off as a bunch of 'necks shooting off fireworks. Fifteen minutes later here comes every emergency vehicle, fire truck and police cruiser from 3 different municipalities converging on their campsite. We were slightly curious so we sneaked closer to overhear what all the commotion was really about. Turns out one of the males in the group was with"another woman" and his wife found about about it and brought the family .22 caliber rifle down and shot him in the a$$ a few times. The story they were trying to sell the cops was that he was cleaning his gun and accidentally had the gun go off 3 times while cleaning it. Maybe it's Texas HIll country tradition to clean your rifle while drinking beer and steppin' out on your spouse. By comparison, the slalom race was WAY less eventful than the Friday night that preceded it.

DM&FS

At 09:00 PM 12/31/2010, Rob wrote: >On the way home from a flea market I saw a road heading off towards >the south, I'd seen it before and wanted to take a look. Went down >that back road, down a dirt road for a few miles, down another dirt >road on you are in the 'beach area' of the lake. We find a spot >still on solid ground with the sliding door facing the water and >nothing between us and the far side of the lake 5 or 6 miles away but >some gravel beach and water. >We take stock of the supplies and we have enough food & water for a >night so we decide to spend the night. Put the poptop up, close the >curtains and leave the sliding door open. >There is a guy fishing from a kayak, he is from the big RV behind us >up towards the road. 50 yds in front of the bus a young couple has a >fire going and are cooking hotdogs and doing what not. Almost 1/2 >miles down the beach (we'd have to open the hatch to see them) is a >fair sized encampment of people in tents and 150 yards behind and >away from the lake is a gathering of large RV's with a good sized >fire and gen sets running. They are circled like you'd see wagons do >in the movies. >Further behind them is a line of large RV's parked like they are in a >formal camp. >With the curtains closed and the sliding door open we have the lake >to ourselves. > >We set up the grill and cook some dinner, I don't recall what it was >but there are times when nothing will taste poorly, this is one of them. > >The sun slowly goes down over the mountains past the lake, the fog >starts to creep our way from across the lake. We sit in the bus a >watch it come, just talking and enjoying the night. The noises from >the surrounding camps is not bad, the light from their fires is not >in our way. We can hear the folks having a good time and talk of >camps we were on like that. >It's almost dark and the fog is almost on shore... it was a GREAT >night. We went to bed. > >Around 2am I'm woken up by someone giving out a giant YAHOOOOOOOOOOO >followed by 5 or 6 quick shots. Sounded like a large caliber handgun >followed by another loud-happy shout. I smiled, there is nothing like >popping a few rounds off in the middle of the night when you know you >have a safe direction to do it, it's loud, it's bright and the flame >from the barrel seems to reach forever. If feels good. >I listened to see if there were any 'bad' noises, there was none. I >smiled and went back to sleep. Been there done that, good fun.. My >wife never even heard the shots. > >I forget that this type of camping is not for everyone.... > >Rob >becida@comcast.net >Western WA state > > >At 12/31/2010 04:34 PM, Mike wrote: >>Drunks shooting guns?.............wouldn't want to be within 20 miles of >>them! >>YMMV, >>Mike B. >> >>-----Original Message----- >>From: Don Hanson >>Sent: Friday, December 31, 2010 2:30 PM >>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM >>Subject: The Looks.....(vanagon envy?) >> >> 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


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