TheSamba.com :: View topic - Hell In A Bucket! WildIdea's 1977 Sage Green Westy

Thu Jun 23, 2022 8:06 am

creative native wrote: WildIdea, I have not been previously aware of your thread and it has been great to read through it all. What a journey you have been on. A good storyteller will make the listener feel as if they've experienced the story and I feel that way.

The Devil's Tower photos are great and that is a powerful photo of your Bus and Devil's Tower. I have Lakota friends who told me the origin of Devil's Tower.

Tippy going limp when she is called indoors is hilarious! The animal people are not so different from us two legged ones.

It is good Medicine to see people using their Buses for their intended purposes and enjoying it. I will be looking forward to future updates.

Nice to meet you Creative Native! Thanks for checking in!!

This bus has given our lives a richness and vibrancy in so many ways. Excites the senses and connects one with the elements on a different level. Since we competed the needed services, she has performed almost flawlessly since. At this point, I've built a trust in the machine and really know it inside and out now. Were really enjoying the whole situation and able to relax a bit more as we travel with her.

Thu Jun 23, 2022 8:11 am

Jetfxr69 wrote: love reading about your ‘trips”. we are gonna have an east coast mini mixed tour this summer. TTB, Mule, Jerry Jam, Bonamassa, and a 3 day blues festival. All in all about 15 nights of tunes over the course of a month or so. Seamus is ready to rock and I just added something new.

wife asked if I could at least put a normal looking shower head on. I said no.

you thought your campground shower was bad. we got that beat! dirty hippies no more.

wife also wants that beautiful tapestry of yours. we went looking for ours from back in the Daytona years but cant find it. i think daughter #1 scoffed it and took it college. She took most of my old dye shirts too. damn kids!

If your interested in mail ordering me one, PM me. Cheers

Dude, thats awesome. Easy to scoff at until you need the some water dripping on ya. We were resigned to just get gross for a few days and stoked we didn't have to. Ive done a wipe down with hot water and a wash rag and thats better than nothing, but the summer heat and sunscreen put a film on us that had to go.

Good luck and safe passage on your travels bother!!

Thu Jun 23, 2022 8:14 am

MorkC68 wrote: Great seeing you back out using your westy, happy days!

As Creative-Native said its enjoyable reading about the adventures made in our old buses & long may it continue.

We have just had a 3-week long road trip in our westy, we headed some 400 miles from home to Scotland and toured around. It was great fun & we cant wait for more :)

Thanks MorkC68

I dig reading your travels as well!! You've been with me here since day one which makes you basically our across the pond sprit guide! Here is to many more safe travels brother!!

Thu Jun 23, 2022 8:17 am

SLVRSRFR wrote: Love it - sounds like a great trip - I need to finish putting mine back together and get out on the road!

Thanks SLVERSRFR! I don't know who said it first, but there is a quote around here that goes "Hell with the front porch! Fix your bus man!!"

Thu Jun 23, 2022 8:33 am

Type2_Personality wrote: Great writing ~ nothing like a Dead Show. I can related to a potential theft problem these days, never worried about in the earlier days (80 - 95) but times have changed.

If you really want to see a Dead Show and don't have the time to get there you can livestream the current tour of Dead & Co. shows on Nugs ~ it's not the same as being there but it is pretty cool and you don't even have to leave your couch!

Glad all your travels have been safe and maybe we'll meet along the road one day.

*Don't know if you have ever been to or heard of the Oregon Country Fair, it's your basic Head/Hippie Fair, arts, crafts, food, music, etc. (even the Dead have played there). It's an annual event and will be starting back up after being closed the last 2 years, the weekend after July 4th for a fri,sat,sun event. The fair grounds are like the enchanted forrest and great people all around.

Thanks Type2_Personality

I guess theft is always a concern, you'd prob have to tow this baby to get it gone and the lots are pretty tight. I guess my main concern is people messing with it like scratching it or shoulder checking the review mirror stuff like that. There always people leaning on it when we return to it. Or break into it. Maybe I'm the only one who knows the kitchen block door comes right off, worth some coin and tough to replace. My mind can run away with worry if I let it and I just have to let it go and not puppet me around mentally. Not why I have it. It it were to get stolen or burn total loss I guess I would just find another one. Life would go on.

I've heard of the Fair!! I once said to Cathy we could do a 3 month loop selling dyes at festivals and fairs and probable come home even or with some cash. She said not to tease her. Our kids arn't out of the house quite yet and we still have loads of responsibilities, but the that won't hold forever. We have Crater Lake on our short list and roaming around that section so maybe someday well see this fair!!

I hope our paths do cross someday friend!!

Sat Jun 25, 2022 9:51 pm

Jetfxr69 wrote:

wife asked if I could at least put a normal looking shower head on. I said no.

WildIdea: looks like you had a great time! Awesome trip!

This pic reminded me of my camp shower setup, after trying a few options.

I throw one of those same water containers in the roof rack, but for a showerhead, I bought a kitchen sink hose sprayer. Cut the end of the hose off and heated it a bit. Then I was able to stretch it over the outlet of the water container.

Easy, one-handed operation and the water jug is high enough to give enough pressure for a good rinse. Perhaps Jetfxr69's wife would like that setup? :D

Sun Jun 26, 2022 9:15 am

Portable shower systems like this are what I started using 50 years ago and they work great, discovered them in a marine supply store. They use sunlight for heating the water and they can get scalding hot. Just need to figure what your best options is to hang the water bag on when camping.

Sun Jun 26, 2022 10:56 am

Dang DUDE! Its been this long ago.... :shock: :shock: :lol:

They wont forget these trips for sure, shitty showers and all. 8)

Sun Jun 26, 2022 1:50 pm

WildIdea wrote: MorkC68 wrote: Great seeing you back out using your westy, happy days!

As Creative-Native said its enjoyable reading about the adventures made in our old buses & long may it continue.

We have just had a 3-week long road trip in our westy, we headed some 400 miles from home to Scotland and toured around. It was great fun & we cant wait for more :)

Thanks MorkC68

I dig reading your travels as well!! You've been with me here since day one which makes you basically our across the pond sprit guide! Here is to many more safe travels brother!!

I agree, here's to many, many more safe travels and happy adventures! I like that, spirit guide, spirit brothers..

Happy days eh :)

Sun Jun 26, 2022 6:05 pm

Type2_Personality wrote: Portable shower systems like this are what I started using 50 years ago and they work great, discovered them in a marine supply store. They use sunlight for heating the water and they can get scalding hot. Just need to figure what your best options is to hang the water bag on when camping.

I've got some version of one of those, but the pinch valve it has is fiddly and doesn't easily open/close with a single hand. That's why I like the push button on the sprayer.

Fri Jul 01, 2022 12:43 pm

I keep thinking of posting this in your thread because I think you might appreciate the sentiment.... at least more than most

Here is nearly the only thing I retained from my bus during the restoration.

It fits so well with my bus and most everything else about me and my lifestyle that I had to keep it.

The guy I bought my bus from lived in Indy and had purchased it about a month before the last Dead Tour's stop in Chicago - for the express purpose of driving the bus to the show and camping out. Which he did. He kept the bus and let it rust away for another year or two before I snatched it.

so here is a glimpse of the before decal (its metal too - not vinyl)

Tue Sep 20, 2022 6:30 am

andrewtf wrote: I keep thinking of posting this in your thread because I think you might appreciate the sentiment.... at least more than most

Here is nearly the only thing I retained from my bus during the restoration.

It fits so well with my bus and most everything else about me and my lifestyle that I had to keep it.

The guy I bought my bus from lived in Indy and had purchased it about a month before the last Dead Tour's stop in Chicago - for the express purpose of driving the bus to the show and camping out. Which he did. He kept the bus and let it rust away for another year or two before I snatched it.

andrewtf, thanks for posting your bus! I would love it if this thread turns into a bus heritage “why I saved my Dead sticker thread” thanks for adding yours to this feed!

Thanks notch, vwwestyman, and Mork for hanging with me here. Been out and around camping in this bus. Some cool fall adventures are happening to report on as time permits. :bay_green: :bay_green: :bay_green:

Tue Sep 20, 2022 1:55 pm

Thanks buddy, and I'll be here for the next adventures you share!

Our bus is about to be stored over winter, get a few little jobs sorted out here and there & ready for 2023.

Our next adventure is without the bus, we're of to Edinburgh in November to see a great band play, local lads just getting some momentum here.

Tue Sep 20, 2022 2:36 pm

WildIdea wrote: andrewtf wrote: I keep thinking of posting this in your thread because I think you might appreciate the sentiment.... at least more than most

Here is nearly the only thing I retained from my bus during the restoration.

It fits so well with my bus and most everything else about me and my lifestyle that I had to keep it.

The guy I bought my bus from lived in Indy and had purchased it about a month before the last Dead Tour's stop in Chicago - for the express purpose of driving the bus to the show and camping out. Which he did. He kept the bus and let it rust away for another year or two before I snatched it.

andrewtf, thanks for posting your bus! I would love it if this thread turns into a bus heritage “why I saved my Dead sticker thread” thanks for adding yours to this feed!

Thanks notch, vwwestyman, and Mork for hanging with me here. Been out and around camping in this bus. Some cool fall adventures are happening to report on as time permits. :bay_green: :bay_green: :bay_green:

VW Bus is a great place to display cool stickers

Wed Sep 21, 2022 9:42 am

Awesome thread and beautiful Bus! I had a lot of stickers on my 73 Panel including a few Grateful Dead but only have 2 that were already on my 76 Westy. 1 is on the drivers side back window but is bleached and unreadable and I have this one on the headliner.

Thu Sep 22, 2022 8:19 am

Engrossing thread, I've read it all over the past 24 hours.
What a great find, we dream of buses in that condition in the UK!
You've done it proud, too many people would be too insecure to use it.

Fri Sep 23, 2022 8:37 pm

Type2_Personality wrote: WildIdea wrote: andrewtf wrote: I keep thinking of posting this in your thread because I think you might appreciate the sentiment.... at least more than most

Here is nearly the only thing I retained from my bus during the restoration.

It fits so well with my bus and most everything else about me and my lifestyle that I had to keep it.

The guy I bought my bus from lived in Indy and had purchased it about a month before the last Dead Tour's stop in Chicago - for the express purpose of driving the bus to the show and camping out. Which he did. He kept the bus and let it rust away for another year or two before I snatched it.

andrewtf, thanks for posting your bus! I would love it if this thread turns into a bus heritage “why I saved my Dead sticker thread” thanks for adding yours to this feed!

Thanks notch, vwwestyman, and Mork for hanging with me here. Been out and around camping in this bus. Some cool fall adventures are happening to report on as time permits. :bay_green: :bay_green: :bay_green:

VW Bus is a great place to display cool stickers

Very Nice! Some cool ones on a great looking bus! Thanks for sharing!!

Fri Sep 23, 2022 8:39 pm

Shonandb wrote: Awesome thread and beautiful Bus! I had a lot of stickers on my 73 Panel including a few Grateful Dead but only have 2 that were already on my 76 Westy. 1 is on the drivers side back window but is bleached and unreadable and I have this one on the headliner.

Love it! :D

Fri Sep 23, 2022 9:06 pm

Zed999 wrote: Engrossing thread, I've read it all over the past 24 hours.
What a great find, we dream of buses in that condition in the UK!
You've done it proud, too many people would be too insecure to use it.

Thank you Zed999! It's been a blast and a big deal for our family. I plan to keep enjoying and looking after it's upkeep as long as possible. I've made peace with adding some honest wear as I give it a second life. I've definitely reversed a decent amount from its first. I run with a grateful heart and delighted that I'm able to own and enjoy such a neat bus at this time of my life!!

Sat Sep 24, 2022 8:46 am

Cat and I had blocked out our schedules to have a breakaway for our 21st wedding anniversary in Sept. We tossed a bunch of ideas around but settled on camping and exploring in the bus alone together for 3-4 days. Our kids are now capable of staying home alone to look after the house and the dogs, yay! They love that too and it’s good for all of us.

We wanted to get to a part of the Missouri River we never go to and decided to take a shot in the dark and see for ourselves what it was like. It doesn’t take us long to pick a place to go and we really just wanted to get away from our chaos and get someplace quiet. It’s getting harder but pretty easy to do in SD.

Crisp fall air is the best and our weather forecast was looking great. I was hoping it would be dry as we would be taking a lot of gravel roads, on the other hand I needed to go slow as they kick up a lot of dust and I don’t want that inside my bus either, especially the engine compartment. This side of our state has been in drought and just coming out of all those extreme hot stretches and it shows on the stunted crops and golden grasses. About 50 miles east from Rapid and jammin we just feel the BS start slipping away…..the last gas we would be having in a while was on this old pump at T34 station, where you could still pump then pay inside. I was a little leery if the pump was old the underground tank has to be old and full of debri, then without a choice I figure the locals and ranchers don’t want bad gas either and just filled up. Nice people and bantered with a group of bikers who jeered “Does that things top pop up?” I replied “Fing A it does!’” Thay all laughed and said it was bad ass.

We decided the river was too far away to get to with the daylight we had left and chose our first nights destination a tiny little church on the prairie. I’d never see it and Cathy hadn’t been there in 20 years maybe longer. Deep Creek Church frontier church founded in 1908, literally in the middle of nowhere that was a bit hard to find. Three miles this way, two miles right, where are we on the map again, gps says we’re here, is that north? You know the drill. Then there it was, a little steeple off in the distance.

What I found really neat was that Cathy’s grandmothers side has a lot of relatives buried in the cemetery set adjacent to the church. Her grandmothers grandparents are buried at this site, Thor and Gjertine were her families first immigrants from Norway in the 1800’s. This spun my head a bit standing there thinking about their journey and what grew out of that. We were in old school ranch country crossing through Cheyenne Lakota Nation and the melding of cultures. Feeling like an alien observer on where we have arrived we set up our camp on the flat parking in front of the church for the night.

Cathy’s a bomb cook and had some bitchin food prepped. Food and drink seem to taste richer out in the elements and a sloppy taco dripping into the gravel was refreshing. I left her a while to go off and metal detect the areas fields until sunset. Super quiet. Only two cars passed up the whole time we were there. The coyotes started waking up and singing as a thunder storm rolled in off the distance. We stayed dry as two cells passed us on each side putting on a show of lightning.

It was a great 1st day running together with the bus. This bus is in top shape and we trust her entirely with our safety and life support at this point. We sat up lateish visiting over tea and listening to music and finally crawled in bed. We were hoping to see the stars, but they were covered up from the storms.