Date: Wed, 17 Jun 1998 16:42:30 -0700
Reply-To: Malcolm Holser <mholser@ADOBE.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Malcolm Holser <mholser@ADOBE.COM>
Subject: Re: Need help. Stuck in Yosemite
Well, I went up to the campground, spent a few minutes and replaced all
three belts. The A/C belt *might* have been OK, but the alternator belt
was gone, and the PS belt had eaten some belt shards and was twisted and
damaged.
The folks were really nice. Irish couple from Waterford, with two wee
bairns -- maybe 1 and 2 years old.
Yosemite is a wonderful place, but as many of you have probably heard, this
is not the week to visit. There are four roads into the park -- today three
of them are out of commission (including the one they were on, and the one
I am on). I had a nice scenic drive through places like Coulterville (where
the High School managed a senior class of *1*) and Greeley Hill (whose High
School student(s) all attend Coulterville High).
I took the three kids and dog in the doublecab, and we made a day of it,
going to see Hetch Hetchy since we were in the area. I told the Irish folks
they should go, too -- only a few miles and the get to see another of the
high waterfalls. They are still going to try to get into Yosemite Valley,
I think, but they are in for a long drive -- the mountains are unforgiving
for detours.
If you get a chance to visit Yosemite in the next few weeks, go for it. The
snowpack is one of the highest on record and it is very warm out -- the snow
is melting fast, the waterfalls are the best ever and the wildflowers are
the best ever. Even Hetch Hetchy looked good, although the water level (it
is a "second Yosemite -- but filled with a reservoir) is still low. It is
that the dam will overflow in about two weeks -- it has risen 100 feet in the
last few weeks and has avbout 50 feet left. The water is being released as
fast as they can, but the two big waterfalls are pumping way more in. They
are very impressive this year. The trip was worth it -- did my good deed and
got a very nice drive out of it to boot. I took the dog along. She gets more
attention than the shiny Syncro Doublecab -- and she *needs* a bath (today
was supposed to be bath day -- a *major* chore on a full-coated Komondor).
The wildflowers were great, weather is perfect, and the folks are on their
way with only a short delay. I hope the belts last.
Sorin: The waterpump *looked* OK, but you might want to have it replaced
anyway -- there was some small amount of play in the shaft. Hopefully it
will last the remainder of the trip. I replaced three belts -- even though
only two needed it. I'll send you the bill (it was about $30). I'll think of
some favor to hit you up for -- like a bargain price on one of your theater
seats...
Malcolm
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