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Date:         Sun, 9 Sep 2012 10:33:57 -0700
Reply-To:     Stephen Grisanti <bike2vcu@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stephen Grisanti <bike2vcu@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Trip report: SE Ohio (longish)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

We left last Saturday and drove from Richmond straight across I-64 to our jumping off point in Huntington WV, the last 100 miles in a torrent so bad the wipers could barely clear the windshield.  Crossed into Ohio there and began looking for someplace with a camping spot.  First park we arrived at was at Lake Vesuvius SP in the Wayne NF and we got the last available space for that night, a nice introduction to the area.

Drove from there to the Hocking Hills area we’d heard about and found that state park crammed, with maybe five spaces vacant of 192.  One of Brother Squirrel’s signature “cheek by jowl” campgrounds.  We’d planned to be there two nights, allowing us to explore the area on Monday, and when we returned late that afternoon discovered that the holiday campers had gone home, leaving only about five spaces occupied this time.  Much better.  Lots of caves in that area, and indian mounds, too.  Young family next to us the first night was tent camping out of a Honda Odyssey and the dad was curious about our Westy so I gave him the tour and a list of resources.  We might have made a convert and I tried to be realistic with him about what to expect.

We headed east from there, antiquing and eating ice cream along the way.  Parked the dog at a kennel for a day so we could explore Zanesville’s pottery museums in the heat and humidity without having to worry about her being in the camper all day.  Her reward was a stopover at the aptly named Barkcamp SP, the nicest one of the bunch we stayed at.  Crazed dog meets sandy beach and loves it.

Another pottery museum in E. Liverpool OH, the birthplace of the pottery industry in the U.S., and an obligatory stop at the Fiesta factory outlet across the river in Newell WV.  From there we headed homeward and mis-timed our park planning, arriving at a couple where there are no camping facilities so we moteled it the last night.

Woke up to heavy rain yesterday and drove home playing tag with that storm, arriving home just ahead of it so that we had to unload the van just as the storm was unloading on us.  

The van ran well (faucet stopped working again midweek) and the A/C was on for most of the 1,500 miles, and we were glad to have it.  Averaged 18.25 MPG for the trip and saw gas prices from 3.50 in western VA to 4.00+ everywhere else, but mostly in the 3.90 range.  We took the precaution of buying a battery/12V fan by O2 Cool at Dick’s before we left and were happy to have it.  Sleeping most nights would have been difficult without it.  Lots of third- and second-and even a couple of first-gear climbs had me pondering the wisdom was wanting to yank a perfectly running WBX for something else.

Saw three Eurovans being driven and no other VW vans on the road, but several parked and in disuse, including one that must be a contender for the title of World’s Mossiest Bay Westy.  We spotted one Vanagon and several bays in a yard in Blackfork OH and another Vanagon behind an ex-Shell station at the south end of Newark OH.  The second one is a white hardtop with dark tint and alloys and might be worth checking out.  It’s buried at the back of the lot.  Several thumbs up from young drivers and hangers-out along the way, so I guess Westies are still recognized and appreciated.  We enjoyed the week in ours.

Stephen


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