Date:         Sun, 9 Feb 1997 15:36:21 -0500
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         gthaxter@msdcorp.com (Gary E Thaxter)
Subject:      Re: Local VW siteings!  (and VW KARMA)

>seeing "A Vanagon today!"  I see SO Many Vanagons, let alone VW's a day!
>
>  I'm NOT putting anyone down, just letting people know that there is a HUGE
>population of VW's, and Vanagons here in Northern California.  It's not
>uncommon for


Wow, someone else counts em?!?  Alright, I am normal. . .

When I was 16, I was saving to put my first van on the road (type II
transporter (panel)).  I was working at a fruit stand at the corner of the
trans Canada highway (highway 17) and highway 6 (in northern ontario).
Every time a VW went by, I'ld make a mark with a knife on the side of the
front table.  Over about 2 and a half months I counted over 210 VW vans!
Pretty good considering I am the only person within a 30 minute drive that
drives a VW van.  In the winter, there are hardly any passerbys, but summer
is rockin with vanagon traffic.  I remember seeing my first Syncro. .
.glorious it was. . . it had European plates, and was a high top camper
(not pop top)  It must have been a 16" cause man was it ever riding high,
clearance to spare!

One time a young German fellow (about 6 foot 8) drove in to the parking lot
of the restaurant where the fruit stand was set up.  He was driving a
splittie camper.  The thing was in bad shape to start with.  He said he
moved to California from Germany and bought the van.  He was ripped off and
paid too much, but somehow, he made it this far (over 2800 miles) but he
had blown his clutch.  Parts around here are non existant and I felt sorry
for the poor bugger.  He was doing the circle tour (up west coast, across
canada, down east coast, and home)  and he was only 2 thirds across Canada.
I went home and found an old bug motor that I had that had the same clutch
that he needed.  I brought the whole thing to him and gave him the parts he
needed, and recommended a garage that was pretty honest.

I never got his name, or even what city he was living in in California, but
I asked the garage if they got it fixed for him.  They said he was on his
way the next day.  If any one on the list knows him, tell him I said HI. .
..

He was really grateful for the parts, and I think it was GOOD VW KARMA
(remember that thread?) for me because I got my van on the road, and took
it on a trip to the tip of the Baja and back (8000 miles) without a
problem.

Anyway, back to the topic, I count vans every time I take a trip, keep a
note pad and everything.  People think I'm nuts.  I even rewind movies if I
think I see one.  My shrink says it is nothing to worry about yet (ha).  We
should start a game on the list to see who can see more vans in a day
(honesty required).

See ya and have a good day,

Gary Thaxter  (When my gramma was alive, she used to call me Gary VanThaxter :~)
74 transporter (panel)
85 transporter (kombi?)
looking at an 86 syncro and now a 91 cargo van