Date: Tue, 27 May 1997 15:58:25 +0100
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Robin Davies <rodavies@facstaff.wisc.edu>
Subject: Re: Syncro - a learning story
Jay writes:
I just returned from a week in southern Utah and want to report on my
baby's performance. UNBELIEVABLE! The highlight was escaping Moab, a
pleasant but POPULAR biking/recreational hub. .....
Feeling completely Herculean, I climbed up Cottonwood Canyon to
Cathedral Butte.....
Jay (who's still amazed that a metal box w/ a motor and a bed in it
seems like a spiritual thing)
'87 Syncro westy now named "Ahnie"
NewLow wimpers:
Can't help but share my feeble attempt at four-wheelin from this past weekend:
Upon completion of a fabulous Memorial Day weekend camping at Wildcat
Mountain in western Wisconsin, we needed a place to unleash the kids and
have some lunch. Being in the vicinity of the Wisconsin River near Spring
Green, I was reminded of a sand bar that one could drive out on and park
right next to the water. We drove in throught the rutted backwater road in
Leslie the syncro Westie and I found the berm that one must clear to reach
the sand bar. The sand looked loose and deep but hey we got 4wd and mealy
tires, plenty of weight too! Never been stuck in the snow! We can handle
this! I ask my partner(I now know why they call them the "better half") if
we should go for it and before she can utter a sound, off I go! Clear the
berm and we're on the sand bar. Then the old brain starts remembering V@L
post about driving on sand. Things feel wrong under those Baja Wranglers
so, I decide to keep rolling and get us off this sand. Clever I am.... Hit
the berm w/ as much speed as possible and spffff! We stop dead half way up!
Long story shorter, we tried everything: digging, less air in tires,
boards, forward, backward, grunt and groan-nothing! We're screwed! The
chassis of the van is now resting on the sand w/ the tires hanging in great
pits!
Joe "boy scout" sees us and offers to pull us out w/ his Suburban.
"Think you can do it?" me asks. "We can do anything w/ this" he replies.
So, we attach his tow strap to a tow chain and he attempts to drag our baby
out of the sand. He's flooring his 454, 2000 horsepower Chevy and we do not
budge an inch. The "scout" also has a call phone so's we call the local
authorities away from their potato salad whom connects w/ the local towing
company. George says "Where are you?" "I'm on a sandbar" I reply "and I'll
bet you know exactly where I am." "Oh yeah! Been there many times! See ya
in five minutes." Is his response.
George pulls up. Ganks out fifty feet of cable from his wrecker.
Sets his footing and pulls Leslie out like a toboggan on the snow.
Lesson learned ($45), air back in tires, we plod our way home.
R. (w/ tail between legs)
BTW: We didn't allows this "adventure" to ruin our weekend. Maybe I'll
share those stories later.
87 Syncro Vanagon Westfalia
92 Syncro Passat(G60)
Both Titian Red!
http://www.biochem.wisc.edu/medialab
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