Date:         Sun, 4 Aug 1996 13:30:45 -0500 (CDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Gerald Skerbitz <gsker@lenti>
Subject:      Return Trip

We made it home.  

We had a wonderful time visiting the people along the way
including the VW listees in California.  (Hi everyone out there! <grin>.)

Unfortunately, traveling was not nearly as fun as visiting.  Our trip out was
plagued with the solonoid not kicking in (probably because of a bad ignition
switch but survived because I put in a switch in the engine compartment to
simulate the relay talked about so much on this list) fuel delivery problems
(which you've all heard about) and a lound and knocky front end (which didn't
do anything, but worried me the whole way there and back). 

The trip back was plagued with worry mostly for the vehicle and disaster with
the inmates.  My wife got the flu the second day out and got dehydrated
besides.  On a night trip to the restroom at a KOA, she fainted and fell and
cut up her face.  She got to ride to the hospital in an ambulance, and we
followed (after putting the top down and relocating the kids -- they never
woke up).  After 3Liters of fluids, she was able to talk again barely, so we
went to a motel.  After two nights in a motel we decided she might be able to
make it.  We skipped the visit to my sister's and the black hills and the
badlands and just drove home. 

The camping parts of the westy were wonderful the three times we camped, but I
feel we just didn't have enough time to break in the engine swap before
leaving, and so we paid for that.  We'll try doing some more camping around
here this summer, but we won't be traveling across the country with a deadline
in a questionable vehicle again. 

Alive and kickin in MN.
--
Gerry (4525 miles and 224 gallons later)
Gerald Skerbitz <gsker@med.umn.edu> U of MN Med School Admin 6-5379
Home St. Paul,Ramsey County,Minnesota, USA