Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:47:20 -0700
Reply-To: Ken Wyatt <57skibum@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Ken Wyatt <57skibum@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: BBB 2012 panorama, trip report, rule of 3s
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Greetings Vanagonauts,
I got home last Sunday evening after an extended week of camping following
Buses By the Bridge. Just before 0900 on Sunday morning at BBB, before
many people had left, I climbed aboard "Walter" and took a composite set of
panorama pictures. Stitched them together yesterday. So I wanted to offer
anyone wanting a copy of the BBB Panorama. Its pretty good for an amateur
with no tripod. File is about 6 MB to email. Pmail me if you'd like a
copy, it has pretty good detail.
As far the post BBB trip, the van ran great except for a few things. (No 1)
The transmission seal appears be leaking. Started noticing small fist
sized pools of tranny oil on the way down. Then I noticed them at most
stops. It drips between the engine and tranny. I monitored the oil level
and was prepared to ad gear oil as necessary. So we limped it around like
that for a week. Now that its home, I'll need to deal with it.
The van got anywhere from 14 to 19 MPG depending on winds and topography.
Average was about 17.5. And that's with a 16 foot canoe on top. The
fairly new 2.0 AC engine used no oil and ran smooth and
consistent. Canoeing Topack Gorge was beautiful and Friday was calm and 70
degrees. All went well until the take-out when I dislocated my shoulder
loading the canoe. Ouch!! Much pain and 4 hours in the Lake Havasu ER and
it's back in the socket. I recommend AZ WACKO for shuttles and trips on
Topack Gorge. Maybe next BBB we'll organize a trip for others interested.
So needless to say, it was time the girlfriend learned to drive the van.
It was over 700 miles home. She has driven manuals but feared driving the
521 bus because she knows how I feel about it. Karmically, I had been
teaching her how the entire trip. Telling her about the little detail
things of driving the bus. "like pushing down to get reverse" and "never
jamming things into gear". From Lake Havasu to Las Vegas we saw 40 plus
mph headwinds, side-winds, tailwinds, other side-winds. The van rocked and
rolled and swayed. A tough drive for anyone, let alone a novice. We even
double tied the canoe on at one point. Crazy winds and Highway 95 closed
going south. She did very well and we made it home safe. I had been
telling her often that it was only a matter of time until she would drive
it. She's now a certified vanagon pilot!!!
They say things come in threes. So without delay, on the last morning in
Las Vegas while loading, (No 2) I noticed oil on the steering column.
Hmmm. Uh oh, brake/clutch fluid. Another leak. Another day. So all
fluids being monitored, we continued onward. Good thing its AirCooled or
I'd probably have blown a radiator!!!
And now, (3rd), the starter didn't spin this morning in the driveway on the
first try. It spun and fired right up on the second try though.
Camping wise: We spent two days at the official Lake Havasu Park
campground, $20/night but w/ showers and fire pit and Lake access for
canoe. We had planned to canoe Topack Gorge on Monday but north winds
would have blown us up river. From Lake Havasu we journeyed southward as
far south as Blythe, CA. Had to go see where my better half came from. We
located and visited "Nellie Saloon/ the Desert Bar". Off grid, solar
powered and only open Saturday and Sunday, noon to sundown with live music.
Very cool place created on a patented mining claim.in the middle of
nowhere. see thedesertbar.com. Overall an excellent trip.
Total trip: 11 days, just over 1500 miles, top speed 65, 19 MPG max. 14
MPG min.
Cheers all..
Ken Wyatt
82 WESTY
SLC, UT
PS: Walter is a 1963 Walter Truck Company CF, airport crash rescue vehicle
that has been transformed into large scale VW Splittie art car for
Burningman. (see walterthebus.com)
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