Thursday, July 31, 2014

For What It’s Worth                                                              - 156 Days and counting

The VW Bus

Linus is a 1978 Deluxe Westfalia, which means it is the top of the line Campmobile model for that year.  It has the countertop/backsplash that covers and goes over the two-burner stove and stainless steel sink area, making it usable as a counter and also is a functional backsplash for stove usage.  It has a 4.5 gallon holding tank for water and sink usage as well as a small fridge that we use for additional storage since it is so small.  It might hold a six-pack, but it would be quite a tight fit.

Linus sleeps 4 adults with two double beds when the pop-top is raised as well as a small hammock that installs across the front seats area for a child or maybe two small ones.  Linus has multiple storage spaces wherever they could stick them as well as some closet space to hang some garments with a long mirror to check out your outfit.  He also has a dining table that pivots and if you spin the copilot seat around 180 degrees facing aft, you can sit across from your other companion during meals.  The pop-top has large flaps on each side and one large one in the front that can be zipped open to allow a breeze to cross flow with screens in place to keep all the bugs out.  

Linus originally had factory-equipped air conditioning, which is pretty funny.  When I got Linus in September 2005, the air conditioning never worked, so when I had to have the wiper motor changed, they had to take out the dashboard totally.  The mechanic asked me if I wanted the huge and heavy lower part of the dashboard reinstalled, and I told him no, let’s lose some of the excess weight if at all possible.  So we kept that part out and made Linus just a little bit lighter in weight, which every little bit helps when you are working with such an underpowered propulsion system.  I doubt the AC system actually worked very well even from the factory new. It was a calculated risk and a sacrifice of a luxury that could of came in handy someday.

Simple Joys of Life & Words of Wisdom   

“The trick is to enjoy life.  Don’t wish away your days, waiting for better ones ahead.”

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Snoopy asks that you please… “Bark Less and Wag More!”

Until next time… Be Good!

-           cb

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

For What It’s Worth                                      - 157 Days and counting

The VW Bus

If you weren’t aware, there is a internal culture within the VW community.  The owners of the Split-window first generation buses (1949-1967) are considered Classic VWs, and can be a bit snobbish when it comes to other VW generation bus owners.  They consider themselves elitists and all the other bus owners as inferior and as well, their subordinates.  The bay window bus (such as Linus) owners seem like they are the most friendly because they are unpretentious and can be easily approached.  We use our buses and they are not hangar queens.  Bay window drivers utilize their buses as much as possible, using them as campers, for supply runs to Home Depot, and many are used just as daily drivers.  Split-window drivers are selective when they take their Gen 1 vehicles out on the road.  Maybe for a car show or club event they will take them out of the garage and out on the road.  They usually need a special event to take them out on the road.  Gen 2 (Bay-window) drivers don’t need any special event, just a nice sunny day will be enough reason.

A friend tells me he wants to buy a bus, but he wants to wait and find a Generation 1 split-window.  I told him these can be quite expensive and he should look for a good bay-window and then trade up later.  He insists he wants to wait for a 21 or a 23-window bus, which is a ridiculous idea.  When just a rusty shell of a 21 or 23-window can bring about $30,000, waiting to buy one can cost upwards to $100,000 or more for a cherry one.  Buy one you will use and then learn about them.  You have got to have realistic goals to be able to attain them. Baby steps before you can run. J

Simple Joys of Life & Words of Wisdom   

“Who you were, who you are, and who you will be are three different people.”

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Snoopy asks that you please… “Bark Less and Wag More!”

Until next time… Be Good!

-           cb

Monday, July 28, 2014

For What It’s Worth                                                              - 159 Days and counting

The VW Bus

Many people are of the opinion that I should get a larger type of RV for our back roads trip.  I guess they just don’t get the whole minimalist attraction of being out in the great outdoors with just the bare necessities.  “The bare necessities, the simple bare necessities… forget about your worries and your strife…”  Oops, sorry… I broke out in song from The Jungle Book.  Sure, the space is quite limited in the bus, but that just restricts the amount of crap one has to carry.  Most of that stuff people carry is really not needed. 

Since my stowage space is quite limited in the bus, I am thinking about investing in some flat packing cubes to aid in my organization efforts for our long travel trip.   I was thinking about using the largest one for dry & canned food goods, the medium one for clothing items, and the smallest one for toiletries and misc cleaning stuff.  The storage cabinets are already quite full, so I’ll need to go through them to see what can be removed and what we shall retain.   Organizational efforts up-front always pays-off in the long run, especially when your storage space is restricted.  I guess I’ll have to read some of the reviews and determine what size I’ll need to order.  More online shopping… that’s all I need! J

Simple Joys of Life & Words of Wisdom   

“I think the environment should be put in the category of our National Security.  Defense of our resources is just as important as defense abroad. Otherwise what is there to defend?”

                                                                        - Robert Redford

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Snoopy asks that you please… “Bark Less and Wag More!”

Until next time… Be Good!

-           cb

Thursday, July 24, 2014

For What It’s Worth                                                              - 163 Days and counting

The VW Bus

VW Buses

I know I have written before about VW Busses, and I am doing so again.  People who own these vehicles are quite passionate about them and I include myself as one of these strange individuals.  We are unique characters and sorts.  VW buses are relatively older vehicles, with Generation 1 buses first on the road in 1949.  Some are immaculately restored and some are what we call rat buses, in original condition that have seen better days cosmetically. 

There are also different variations of buses that were made each year with totally different seating configurations, window configurations and different usages planned for.  Some were made for utilitarian uses and some were made for alternatives for tent camping. 

Linus and his Popularity and the Pleasurable Driving Experience

The experience one gets from driving or riding in a VW Bus is totally different that almost any other vehicle you will encounter.  Whether it is people waving and smiling, flashing you a peace sign or the classical surfer “shaka brah” sign, people seem to always want to interact with the epic and worldwide recognizable VW “Hippie” Bus!  Due to the large volume of VW buses manufactured and are out there all over the world, inevitably someone in a gas station, supermarket parking lot, or even just stopped in traffic or at a stop sign or traffic light, will want to come up to you and tell you some story they have about their experience with a VW Bus.  If you are not the friendly type, this may not be a pleasant encounter.  But if you are open to meeting new people, the VW Bus will open doors to conversations with people you have never met before that moment and they will probably remember you for their entire life.  That is just the way it works, you make friends and acquaintances wherever you travel in these iconic vehicles.  Pull into a campground in one and I will bet someone will speak with you and tell you some story or complement you on your choice of means of transportation.  Get used to people, complete strangers, waving at you with smiles on their faces. 

Downfalls of Driving a VW Bus

VW Bus Pilots are people who enjoy driving very slow, unreliable vehicles who have the potential to cripple for life any passengers in the front seats in any front-end collision.  Your body is so close to any front-end collision that you never want to really think about it for very long.  That is why we drive slowly and very, very defensively.  Think about it for a moment… wouldn’t you do the same?  I mean, I like using my legs to do things such as walk around, standing, riding a bicycle, hiking in the great outdoors, playing golf, and even driving a vehicle.  We drive slow and defensively, get used to it and get over it.

About the only time people will not like your vehicle is when you are ahead of them in a line of traffic, and it is generally traveling up a hill, around a curvy road, or basically whenever your bus is in front of their vehicle.  Leaving the factory over 35 years ago with only 67 HP might be the cause of this lack of performance, but I could be wrong, but then again, what the hell do I know?  J

Simple Joys of Life & Words of Wisdom   

“May every word that is ever spoken by our mouths or typed by our fingers be words that lift up, and never words that tear down.”

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Snoopy asks that you please… “Wag More and Bark Less!”

Until next time… Be Good!

-           cb