Date: Thu, 8 Jun 1995 16:25:40 -0400
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: "David Easterwood" <deasterw@st6000.sct.edu>
Subject: Buses on the Blue Ridge (long, late)
Okay east coasters, I don't want to hear you bitching and moaning
about nothing happening over here. We're out here doing things
and would LOVE for you to join in the fun.
The following is an account of what happened at Buses on the Blue
Ridge last weekend. It was held at Mt. Pisgah campground on the
Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. Really nice campground,
highly recommended (although no showers).
Friday June 2
The day started out earliest for Ray Hale & his family, who left
Gainesville, Florida in the wee early hours of the morning. He
arrived in Marietta, Georgia around 10:30am. I wasn't able to
get off work until about 2:00pm and ran home to meet him and
throw a few things in the tool compartment of my single cab.
We then went back to Southern Tech to meet Tim Humphries and
another guy (Ian?) for the caravan up to Ashville, NC. Tim
finally arrived at 3:30pm and we waited until almost 4:00 for
the other guy to show up before we gave up and hit the road.
The drive up through north Georgia was beautiful and we got a
few honks and waves. The mini-caravan looked good with my 59
single cab, Tim's 63 double cab, and Ray's 66 standard. It began
raining lightly when we got to North Carolina, but things were
okay until we got to the Blue Ridge Parkway. We only had 32 miles
left to get to the campsite, but it seemed like it took 1-1/2 hours.
It was twilight and a dense fog had settled in on the Blue Ridge
Mountains. We could barely see 10 feet in front of us. Luckily
there was a car in front of me so I could navigate by their tail
lights. Otherwise it would have taken even longer.
Upon arrival at the campsite we were ambushed by the greeting
committee by the bonfire. We went to park and set up camp for the
night. I decided rather than setting up my leaky tent in the rain
that I would spend the night in the cab of my truck (sorry about that
horn blast in the middle of the night when I 'rolled over').
Saturday June 3
After breakfast everyone walked around to meet each other and shoot
the *shinola* about their buses. What a great group of people!
Then after lunch we cruised back up the parkway to hike down to a
waterfall and swimming hole. After the younger guys had all jumped
in, I let them talk me into jumping in also (I'm not THAT old). I
even did a back flip off one of the rocks.
Later that night we all gathered around the campfire and awards were
given out. A 56 Westfalia took honors for Oldest Bus and Favorite Bus.
The guys from Tampa, Florida took Longest Distance (Ray missed that one
by less than 100 miles). The last award was for Most in Need of
Restoration and Neil Pickett won that for his 58 Deluxe (BTW Neil was
the one responsible for setting up the campout).
Sunday June 4
After breakfast we all met at one of the scenic overlooks for a lineup
photograph. There were about 25 split window buses and a handful of bay
windows. We then went on a short caravan and thoroughly backed up
traffic on the parkway.
We then went back to the campsite to pack up. Ray left to go farther
north to see some friends and we headed back south. We stopped near
Lake Toxaway to go to a place nicknamed 'bustass falls'. We had a blast
there. The waterfall was about a 40 foot drop at 45 degrees. You had to
wade out into the river holding onto a rope, lay down and let go. What
a rush as the swift current drug you over and down the falls. The very
last rock you hit before hitting the pool below gives it the appropriate
nickname.
Don't forget the show the 25th.
Dave
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* 59 Dbl Dr Walk-Thru Panel Dave Easterwood *
* 59 Single Cab Pickup deasterw@st6000.sct.edu *
* 60 Westfalia *
* 62 & 66 Hardtop Deluxe Buses 61 Deluxe Beetle *
* 73 & 77 Westfalias 69 Rust Bug *
* 74 Thing 64 Type 34 Karmann Ghia *
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