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Date:         Tue, 17 Aug 1999 18:39:27 -0400
Reply-To:     "Karl F. Bloss" <bloss@ENTER.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Karl F. Bloss" <bloss@ENTER.NET>
Subject:      Gary D farewell trip report (long)
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Kris and I just got back this afternoon from our trip to Maine to say our final farewells to friend and VW-nut Gary Domestico.

We started out from Allentown, PA Saturday evening with the plan to get a few miles behind us so that we could make the viewing on Sunday evening in Camden, ME.

We were still driving around midnight (we wanted to get through Hartford while there was little traffic) when 2 cars in front of us crunched into each other on the wet pavement, spun out, and slammed into the sidewall under a bridge. One car was still resting in the rightmost lane of 3. We stopped OK, ran out to see if anyone was injured, called 911, then spent the next 45 minutes warning cars to get out of the right lane lest they slam into the one disabled car. There were some close calls. A CT state trooper finally relieved us of our duty and told us to move along. Now pumped up with adrenaline, we decided to keep driving since we wouldn't have been able to sleep anyway.

Well, the original plan was seriously thrown into a tailspin as we approached the Mass Pike from I-84. A big rig truck decided he was in the wrong toll lane, and swung way over into another lane. I reflexively stepped on the brake, then clutch. Stopped in time, but hmmm... Bev wouldn't come out of 3rd gear. We had just read Bill Dummitt's story in Alaska, so it was all too clear... probably 3-4 slider hub. Rats!

Rather than shattering anything by forcing her out of gear, we chewed up clutch to get her going and drove in 3rd to a hotel just off I- 290. No rooms anywhere... 2AM by now. Suddenly the word "Shrewsbury" jumped off the map and screamed "Dale Ward." So we hobbled along and camped out on Dale's street (how we got up that steep hill in 3rd is still a mystery).

Dale spotted us while walking the dog the next morning and invited us in for coffee, showers, see the LiMBO Shrewsbury data center <wink>, etc. He suggested we take his white '90 base bus to Maine and that we park Bev at his father's farm and we could take his bus home. Wow! Thanks Dale...you're a lifesaver!!! I got to see Dale's '72 Super Beetle (just like the one I learned to drive on except the color), green bus, gray Vanagon, and Dale's father's collection of new and antique Mack trucks.

So we loaded our stuff in Dale's '90 and off we went. We made it to Camden with some time to spare, got to see Gary, and shed a few tears. The funeral was Monday morning and we cried a bit more, talked to fellow VW people Jim DiGennaro, Tony Mourkas, and Julie Olsen. We had lunch with some Vacationland VW Club members who were there for the same reason, stopped by Gary's computer shop in Rockland, then headed back.

The rest of the trip back was thankfully uneventful and we decided not to stretch it all the way home Monday, but stayed at Melissa Mourkas' place in western Mass.

So a new trip out to Dale's place will take place this coming weekend. Armed with my rebuilt 091/1 (oh yes, I knew this day was coming), clutch parts (I _know_ I chewed off some lining starting in 3rd), and various tools and jacks, we'll be leaving Friday night again (maybe we'll avoid Haaaahtfud this time) and hopefully get Jim D's help to R&R the tranny.

Moral of the story: Join LiMBO and come to campouts and events! You never know when you'll be infinitely grateful that you know VW people along your travel route. Thanks again, Dale, Jim, Tony, and Melissa.

Gary Domestico, the gentle giant; 1947-1999. So long Gary, we'll miss your warm, bearded smile! See you on the other side.

-Karl

Karl and Kristina Bloss, Trexlertown, PA '87 GL Weekender "Beverley" Mechanic list: http://www.enter.net/~bloss/vw/vwshops Busses by the Trail - Oct 15-17, 1999: http://www.enter.net/~bloss/vw/bbtt PA/NJ Vanagon owner's mailing list: http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/pavanagon


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