Wow...I never thought I would provoke so much = discussion by my comments about the condition of I-40 through Albuquerque through = Memphis! It has been interesting reading however.

I started my journey west of Sacramento and headed = down I-5 to Needles. I-5 was a bit boring and I wish I had chosen 99 but maybe next = time. Needles to Albuquerque was very nice driving with some very beautiful scenery and fairly nice road. You have = already heard about my travel through to Memphis.

From Memphis to Woodstock Virginia, the road along = I-40 and then I-81 was almost perfect. Since I had very little clutch left, it = was nice to relax and enjoy the scenery especially as I entered Virginia. I could = hear John Denver singing in my head as I headed up the Shenandoah Valley. It = was so beautiful and one reason I have decided to move here in addition to some = very good smallmouth fishing, etc.

I am not sure about all the scientific data, etc. = about the trucking industry and roads but I did think that there was something = wrong here. At one downgrade, I was passed by over 130 big rigs and only = counted 3 passenger vehicles. I was continually passed by at least 3 dozen of the = same trucks all the way from southern California through Virginia. =

I know I must have made a few of them mad because I = averaged between 50-55 mph the entire distance and the same trucks kept passing = me over and over. I especially enjoyed passing many of them up some steep grades = in 4th gear! I actually only needed to downshift into 3rd twice the whole trip, = not bad for 48 HP! In fact, I have re-evaluated my plans for a turbo diesel and = will probably save up for a normally aspirated 1.9 diesel and avoid any = heat or maintenance related challenges. I enjoy driving slowly in the Vanagon = and enjoying the scenery and will save my fast trips for my Jetta = TDI.

BTW, my fuel economy the whole trip was about 29 mpg = with 32 on a couple tanks. I learned the hard way that the diesel preferred to = cruise at 55-60 instead of 60-65 as my oil consumption was 6 quarts the entire = journey much of which ended up on the back of the van. When I dropped down to = 55-60, oil consumption was very little. I was pulled over by a state trooper in = Arkansas that was very nice and wanted to inform me that he thought my engine was = ready to blow. The exhaust was smoking a little on long uphill grades and I = had oil all over the back of the van from the oil filler tube cap becoming loose = also on the bad roads. It helped to add a couple coats of oil also. I informed = the trooper that the engine was indeed a diesel and the oil cap had become = loose from these rough roads. He was said he didn't know it was a diesel and = wished me well on my journey to VA.

Thanks to everyone who gave me advice for my bleeder = wrench also. The clutch has been working okay this week and I am going to bleed = it just in case again. I know I need a little more pedal because reverse grinds = just a little. Otherwise I will be changing the oil and putting a couple good = coats of wax on the Vanagon to get ready for the upcoming Winter hear in = Virginia. It has never seen temperatures below 30 degrees and I feel bad about = that.