Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2013 23:33:59 -0600
Reply-To: OlRivrRat <OlRivrRat@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: OlRivrRat <OlRivrRat@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: Mexico trip report
In-Reply-To: <BLU173-W27EB8CB419AC8A2737B4DCCEC30@phx.gbl>
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Liz & John
Sounds like you had nice trip ~ Thanks for the great report ~ Hope
you get the bugs worked out on your EJ25. How about giving a more
thorough description of the 70mphCutout it is doing ~ Kinda sounds
like it could be VSS related.
ORR ~ DeanB
On 14 Apr , 2013, at 12:52 AM, John King wrote:
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> My wife, Liz, and I have owned our '87 Vanagon for a little over 3
> years now. I've been reading the emails from this group for most of
> that time. Apart from my gathering much useful technical
> information, we have enjoyed reading the trip reports. So, after
> returning from a 6 week road trip down the west coast of mainland
> Mexico, Liz (the writer in our family) wrote up the following report:
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> 4 years ago we were on a fly in vacation to Sayulita, a little beach
> town just north of Puerto Vallarta, and had a chance encounter the
> led us to this posting...
>
> We met a couple from Oregon who had driven down with their pop-top
> tent trailer and instantly knew "we want to do that!" Came home,
> bought a pop-top tent trailer... tried to love it but failed to
> bond. Sold the trailer and caught the Vanagon virus... and loved it
> ever since. After much time spent sorting out our lives and our
> Vanagon, this last Feb. 20 we headed out in our 1987 Syncro with
> Westy top transplant, named Ferd (after the kid's book Ferdinand the
> Bull)...accompanied by our 2 old and decaying (read stinky) lady
> black lab dogs. We had originally planned to accompany Mark Drillock
> and his group Vanagon trip down Baja then continuing on to the ferry
> over to mainland MX, but dogs became a complication, so we decided
> to strike out on our own. Next year Mark! We will find a place here
> for the dogs... Anyway... Tacoma WA to Sayulita...about 2600 miles
> one way. We were meeting friends in Sayulita on the 15th of March
> which gave us about 3 weeks to make the 6 day journey. Regarding
> Vanagon trips: I have read the phrase "just enough drama to make the
> trip interesting..." and it was only a matter of miles...like
> 20...before we had our first drama. The water temp as reported by
> the Scangauge (Ferd has a 2.5 Subie with OBD 2 connector) was
> reading way high...220 and creeping higher. WHAT? We were not even a
> half hour from home! It hovered around 225 at highest and would then
> back off a bit...we held our breath and drove on trying to get to
> warmer/dryer weather before changing the thermostat. For 2 days this
> went on...temp creeping up but never quite blowing Ferd up...and in
> time, just cured itself. Yeah! Hopefully just a sticky thermostat
> and not some blockage that moved elsewhere to trouble us later.
>
> We went down on 101 along the Oregon coast, camping the first night
> in the rain. First night out, who cares! We were on vacation and all
> was good. Along the coast one morning Ferd was making a new
> sound...the question "What is that sound?" became a constant refrain
> from each of us over the trip. This time it seemed to be coming from
> the top. We pulled over, checked it out and sheepishly snapped the
> top down. SOMEONE had not quite gotten the latch engaged and the top
> was just thinking about being blown upward as we motored down the
> road. Tragedy averted. Continued down the coast camping, dang...it
> was cold! Thinking about warm nights in Mexico, we had not brought
> warm enough bedding, and after spending one night in the redwoods
> sleeping in full hat, gloves, woolies and down parka under our sorry
> comforter....we realized we had to make an adjustment. Plugging in
> became a thought...we had brought a little electric space
> heater....where to plug in? Looking at KOA/RV parks became a new
> adventure and while I NEVER thought myself an RV or KOA kinda
> girl...more the pit toilet type...we went for it..... spent a great
> night in a KOA in the Healdsburg, CA area...hot tub under a full
> moon. Plotting our route became each morning's exercise... well, we
> had to camp where no Ferd camper has camped before. Like the KOA in
> Vegas on the strip....just behind Circus Circus. Not bad really,
> nice spot of dead grass right next to Ferd for the girl dogs to pee
> on, and we walked down the strip (once is enough) and saw the
> Beatles LOVE show. Surreal camping! One of the dogs peed on her bed
> just to agree with us I think...GET US OUT OF HERE! A long stretch
> of highway between Vegas and Phoenix had huge tumble weeds on either
> side....like the size of a fridgerator...and they would periodically
> blow across the road behind us, or way out in front. One particular
> weed had his way with us...rolling along to pass before Ferd's front
> INCHES from us as I cruised about 65 mph...kinda liquefied my
> innards to see something that big roll into my path. We go to the
> border after spending 8 nights on the road, camping all but one
> night when we stayed with friends in Phoenix. We tended to do 5ish
> hour drive days...no hurry. Enjoyed driving through Kings Canyon and
> Sequoia national parks, lovely camp spot along Lake Havasu...it was
> all good. We had purchased Mexican car insurance that took effect
> March 1st, so the night of Feb. 28th we settled in at our first
> hotel of the trip in Nogales, AZ, ready to cross the border the next
> am. We had 15 days to get to Sayulita, normally about a 3 day drive,
> so taking our time was the order of business....Hit the crossing at
> 6:20 am in the 29 degree cold air! It took us about 45 minutes and
> there were no lines at all. Paid, stamped, stickered and we were on
> our way in the creeping dawn, ready to tackle the Mexican roads. It
> was a bit hairy at first...trying to read the Church's Mexican
> Camping guidebook route....trying to read the Mexican road
> signs....trying to figure out where the lanes were...watching our
> speed ever so closely so not to be stopped, horror of horrors. As
> the day got brighter and we hit Hermosillo....it got a bit tense in
> the city driving with added sounds and chaos...but we kept cool and
> made it through without a miss, stopping at a big LEYS grocery to
> load up on food and beverages. First night camping at Islandia
> Trailer Park in Bahia de Kino. Nice place within easy walking
> distance to the fishing village of Viejo (old) Kino. Quiet spot,
> pulled up right to the beach...spent 2 nights. Sighs and
> smiles....we were camping in Mexico! Next stop was Guaymas/San
> Carlos at the Totonaka RV Park. A big place with some giant
> motorhomes. They gave us a nice spot with shade for the old dogs who
> were not quite ready for the instant hot weather we had transported
> them to. The park also gives you one of those coupons for a free
> margarita at the restaurant next door...and one (complimentary size)
> drink was just not enough, but the second (non-complimentary size)
> one was as big as my head and well...let's just say it was a long
> night and an even longer next day....but Tequila is still a good
> friend. We just respect each other. Headed to Huatabampito
> next...crossing over inland roads Ferd's outdoor air temp registered
> 101 degrees at one point...and we do not have working air
> conditioning and so the wind tunnel also known as Ferd zoomed along,
> all windows open, dog tongues panting, us either silent or shouting,
> truly shouting, at each other just to be heard. It was tiring and
> regrets about NOT spending money to fix that air conditioning were
> strong. About this time the last of the grease on the newish,
> urethane bushings must have melted away. Could they squeak any
> louder? Folks on the street actually turned and looked to see what
> all the racket was, and this is in Mexico! It was kinda
> embarrassing. John had tools along to disassemble and regrease them,
> but didn't really want to tackle it on the road since it was not in
> danger of breaking, just really annoying. Instead, he bought a can
> of WD-40 and discovered that each application stopped the squeaking
> for about 3 - 5 minutes of driving. Huatabampito...beautifully
> barren. No town, just some Mexican vacation homes and a big, empty
> beach. The economy, gas prices and fear of Mexican narcos has
> seemingly slashed the gringo RV camping in Mexico. Of the 36 spots
> at El Mirador....there was only one other vehicle. We pulled right
> up to the beach's edge and spent 3 quiet, lovely nights. Ate at the
> restaurant there one night, but otherwise camp cooked. There is
> nothing like cooking bacon barefoot in the sand, breathing salt air,
> and staring out over the ocean.
> On to Alamos, a wonderful colonial town founded in the 1680's. It is
> up in the mountains a bit and a nice change from the beach. I loved
> the town and its vibe...could see spending serious time here. We
> found a guy named Kelly roasting coffee at the Colonial Hotel. His
> methods were pure science and his product was magically perfect. I
> bought a kilo and am still brewing my cup with those grounds as of
> this morning. Two nights spent at Rancho Acosta...fairly quiet
> except for the kid group one evening, who must have been celebrating
> a birthday or something...they were fun to watch. We ate street
> tacos on the square and hiked up to the town overlook. I had one
> heart attack...happened to look up during my shower and quickly
> counted FIVE SPIDERS the size of the palm of my hand...did a OMG
> breath, started even, calming breathing and just did not look up
> again. I hate spiders.
>
> Next stop Celestino Gasca at the Celestino RV Resort. Resort is such
> a funny word...conjures up such tropical, sunny, happy, beachy
> scenes. This place was again, almost empty. Long empty beach, not an
> umbrella in sight..and windy to blow you right outa your car. We
> camped here one night and while the camp site was ok...the wind was
> fierce, so we kept heading south to the San Blas area... And stayed
> at Paraiso Miramar....a spot with the loveliest, big, old tree just
> on the edge of a large lawn atop the bank above the beach.
> Again...empty of campers. Where are all the people? We knew Easter
> was coming...and we had been hearing rumors...yes, places were empty
> of travelers from out of the country... yet every place we had been
> seemed to be preparing for some big influx of folk...painting was
> being done...roofing re-thatched. Yup...Semana Santa, the week
> prior to Easter was at the month's end and apparently it was when
> every Mexican person took the week off and schools were out and they
> all went to the beach. Hmmmm...never occurred to us we would be at
> the beach during the country's biggest beach party of the year. Oh
> boy.
> We got to Sayulita 2 days early on the 13th and settled into the
> Sayulita Trailer Park and Bungelows...camping spot #6 to wait for
> our friends Puerto Vallarta airport arrival on the 15th. We were in
> the very trailer park the folks we met 4 years earlier had been in
> when we met them and they set this dream in motion. Yee ha! We were
> so proud! and the dogs had lived...I had bet money on Frieda (who
> turns 15 in May) not living through the trip...but there she was. It
> was HOT in Sayulita...and our little camping spot did not catch much
> breeze...and while we had great fun with our friends, I missed the
> road and the adventure of the unknown. And honestly, I was feeling a
> bit cramped. I love Ferd for a road trip...but to spend more than
> about 3 nights in one place...I need a bit more room. One of the
> smart things we planned for was the dogs sleeping space. Early in
> the trip they slept (and scratched and burped and farted) In the van
> with us. It was tight...but we managed. In the warmer climates we
> set up a cheap backpacking tent outside of the van. It was their
> kennel..and it gave us a daytime place to put them for their
> frequent naps and night time place for them to sleep...best 50 bucks
> spent. They are too old and frail to push their way out of even a
> cheap tent. Nearing the end of our two weeks in Sayulita...our group
> was getting restless. A virus had hit and most of us took turns
> being sick. The beach and town were filling up as the holiday
> weekend neared...and so we all just left early. Friends flew out and
> we took off on the 27th and headed north at break neck speeds...made
> it to the border in 3 days and while we thought we were nuts to show
> up at the border on Friday evening of Easter weekend...there was ONE
> car in front of us and we were through in minutes and back at that
> Nogales AZ hotel where I took one fantastic shower. From there we
> made tracks home...hoteling it the entire way (2 more nights). Ferd
> did his usual drama...we have an engine cut out problem that had
> occurred from time to time at home and a couple of times earlier on
> the trip down...but now seemed to be the chosen drama of the day. On
> our last day's drive the engine momentarily cut out 15 times...and
> cruising at 70mph...it is a bit disconcerting. Both of us kept
> yelling at Ferd that we had to make it home and then he could just
> let go. We were wondering if both Ferd and the dogs would just
> expire once we hit our driveway. But they all lived. And lived
> well....what an adventure! What fun it was. And the truth is, if we
> had traveled in some moterhomemothership type of vehicle...it would
> have just been a plain trip. No drama. But in this treasured van,
> this van with more personality that a lot of people I know....the
> trip took on a quality that is untouchable. I loved it. I am a
> road trip warrior girl....as long as my handy and ever positive
> (that noise..? it is nothing to worry about) husband is along for
> the ride. We will be doing Glacier and the Canyonlands area this
> Sept....and looking for dog care before we leave!
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