Date:         Mon, 21 Apr 1997 13:59:36 -0700 (MST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         vanbondo@primenet.com (jim ellis)
Subject:      Phx Bug-O-Rama Report

You would think that the Mrs. and I would get our act down to a system. It
always works out to detailing up to the midnight hour or later. I was at the
"finished" stage and only had to park the bus and go get some much needed
sleep. The throttle pedal felt like spilled oatmeal. =( At the last moment I
had to drop the front belly pan and search up another spring for the
throttle pedal assembly. It would have been easy to have heard me saying, "I
*KNOW* I have one somewhere in this mess!" Finally found one and finally hit
the hay at 1AM Sunday. We were back up at 4:45AM so that we could be ready
to caravan to the show with my buddy Scott. Scott and I had decided to split
a swap space.
In the past there has been a huge line to get into the show/swap areas prior
to the general public. I guess times have changed. As a courtesy, Rick
Mortensen, the promoter, allowed Paula and I to get right in with the '67RFH
camper so that we could set up the tent etc. before I had to run over the
swap area.
Scott had most of the swap items off of the truck by the time I got to the
swap space. Sales were brisk from 7-10:30AM and died a hot death as the
clouds burned off. The weather in Phoenix is already in the 90's. The swap
area emptied proportionately <sp> as the heat increased. It was a *total*
ghost town by 2PM.
My observation of the show was that it was better organized and was slightly
better attended than the recent past and had a fair showing in the swap,
show, and drag areas. The reduction of entry/admission fees and the refocus
on VW's only were appreciated by most. My personal opinion is that Rick and
Ann Mortensen with the help of the local VVWCA club, Wolfsburg Registry,
pulled out a nice show. The row of the commercial vendors was down. I can't
comment on the drag crowd <size and who's who, RLR, etc.>, as it's not my
thing. There was a notable absence of some of the California and New Mexico
bus/bug regulars possibly due to the Vallejo and other shows. VTO and Box on
Wheels from Cali and the Route 66 Splits from NM are regular supporters of
the AZ VW scene. Thanks folks! - We missed you.
We were happy to collect another 1st in the '67 and older camper category.
One of these shows someone else with a camper will show up and then we can
really feel like we won the prize for a reason. ;-) <hahaha>
I had to blaze home to meet up with friends as I had committed to go see
Maynard Ferguson at a local High School auditorium. If you are into jazz
please check the calander and go see this low dough show when it comes to
your area! Armand Zidijan, the cymbal mogol, was front and center! Between
the drags and the jazz my ears are toast on Monday. =)
-ellis\