Hello! Log in or Register   |  Help  |  Donate  |  Buy Shirts See all banner ads | Advertise on TheSamba.com  
TheSamba.com
 
Re: Upcoming trip.. COMPLETED!
Page: Previous  1, 2
Forum Index -> Vanagon Share: Facebook Twitter
Reply to topic
Print View
Quick sort: Show newest posts on top | Show oldest posts on top View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
dhaavers
Samba Member


Joined: March 19, 2010
Posts: 7733
Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
dhaavers is offline 

PostPosted: Sun May 13, 2018 6:05 pm    Post subject: Re: Upcoming trip.. Reply with quote

Sweet! Cool

What's your timeline? We'll be heading to Utah ~11 June, but I'd be glad to set
you up with a pint from our local taproom if at all possible...keep in touch! Wink

- Dave

PS: E1...amphitheater anywhere near Neys Prov. Park...???
Just curious/sounded familiar from our honeymoon trip ~1987... Cool

_________________
86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"

<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS>
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Marshj
Samba Member


Joined: May 26, 2017
Posts: 268
Location: New Jersey
Marshj is offline 

PostPosted: Sun May 13, 2018 6:24 pm    Post subject: Re: Upcoming trip.. Reply with quote

Jess and I did the North Shore and kings high way 2016. Make sure to spend time wandering off on all the dirt side roads and getting lost. Plan for strange people, weird living situations and overall giant mosquitos. But an amazing time. The sights are wild.

If you're coming into NY Niagra is of course classic, but the Thousands islands shouldn't be missed if you appreciate boating culture and history. Unreal. The northeast kingdom of VT is great but can be a bit out of your way. Its a place that is 6 hours from us and I think about it weekly... dreaming of my next trip back.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
danfromsyr
Samba Member


Joined: March 01, 2004
Posts: 15129
Location: Syracuse, NY
danfromsyr is offline 

PostPosted: Sun May 13, 2018 7:09 pm    Post subject: Re: Upcoming trip.. Reply with quote

I'm here in the Syracuse the middle of upstate, NY
and travel alot in VT, NH, MA
last year we took the north route thro Ontario to Sault st marie on our western trip.

I'll PM you my contact info and will post some ideas..

there's some really neat things in Ontario's cottage country.
_________________
Abscate wrote:
These are the reasons we have words like “wanker”
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Abscate Premium Member
Samba Member


Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22568
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
Abscate is offline 

PostPosted: Sun May 13, 2018 7:16 pm    Post subject: Re: Upcoming trip.. Reply with quote

Marshj wrote:
Jess and I did the North Shore and kings high way 2016. Make sure to spend time wandering off on all the dirt side roads and getting lost. Plan for strange people, weird living situations and overall giant mosquitos. But an amazing time. The sights are wild.

If you're coming into NY Niagra is of course classic, but the Thousands islands shouldn't be missed if you appreciate boating culture and history. Unreal. The northeast kingdom of VT is great but can be a bit out of your way. Its a place that is 6 hours from us and I think about it weekly... dreaming of my next trip back.


Just stay out of NF NY. Check out the urban squalorwebsite to see why.
_________________
.ssS!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
E1
Samba Member


Joined: January 21, 2013
Posts: 6379
Location: Westfalia, Earth
E1 is offline 

PostPosted: Sun May 13, 2018 7:58 pm    Post subject: Re: Upcoming trip.. Reply with quote

dhaavers wrote:
PS: E1...amphitheater anywhere near Neys Prov. Park...???
Just curious/sounded familiar from our honeymoon trip ~1987... Cool
I have much more-important memories from our honeymoon, Darling.
Laughing Laughing Laughing

In process of confirming exactly where that is... Hope I didn't speak too soon!
_________________
‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."

— Colin Chapman
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
dhaavers
Samba Member


Joined: March 19, 2010
Posts: 7733
Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
dhaavers is offline 

PostPosted: Sun May 13, 2018 8:20 pm    Post subject: Re: Upcoming trip.. Reply with quote

^^^ Hmmm...I don't remember being on your honeymoon...

<shrug>

Wink

- Dave
_________________
86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"

<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS>
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
E1
Samba Member


Joined: January 21, 2013
Posts: 6379
Location: Westfalia, Earth
E1 is offline 

PostPosted: Sun May 13, 2018 9:10 pm    Post subject: Re: Upcoming trip.. Reply with quote

That's exactly where I think it is, Dave. Appreciate the back-up here, I half-forgot I have none of my CDN maps in the bus!

I'll look more tomorrow and PM Dan... (this was a trip without Dhaavers, to clarify Laughing )... I recall a little but obvious coast-access two-track road. We searched along the highway while heading westbound for miles looking for just that sort of access. It would be much easier to see heading east.

I remember it not too far east of the northern point of Superior, I think you're dead on Dave, west of Marathon and not more than 20 miles -- as a guess, this was 2001. I know I could find it again even by this description, one's gotta be looking for it is all.

It was obvious when starting down the road, maybe a mile down while paralleling the Lake, to a big, half-circle Ampitheater with tracks on the water side. The railroad makes a bend around a small, soft-angle bay to make the area a crescent-like, two-thirds moon shape, a half-circle hill slopes above camp that reflects music with raucous abandon (in case you're into that).

I recall Robert Plant echoing off the hillside, "Dazed and Confused" likely (it's a song, Kids!).

Does this sound like your honeymoon site, Dave???
_________________
‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."

— Colin Chapman
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Abscate Premium Member
Samba Member


Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22568
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
Abscate is offline 

PostPosted: Mon May 14, 2018 1:31 am    Post subject: Re: Upcoming trip.. Reply with quote

Oscar Wilde on Niagara Falls

“ The brides second biggest disappointment”

The Falls is great but that’s it for the town. The usual littany of Casino, checks cashed, liquor stores, and 24 hour bail bonds stimulate the urban awareness sensors.
_________________
.ssS!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
campism
Samba Member


Joined: September 07, 2007
Posts: 4485
Location: Richmond VA
campism is offline 

PostPosted: Mon May 14, 2018 4:54 am    Post subject: Re: Upcoming trip.. Reply with quote

While the city of Niagara Falls, New York might be a poster child for squalor, the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario is considerably more festive and cheery, and still a tourist trap but in a nice-ish way.

By way of explaining this disparity, one of the comments we heard during our visit is that while Niagara Falls is the back door of the U.S. it's the front door of Canada.
_________________
'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
danfromsyr
Samba Member


Joined: March 01, 2004
Posts: 15129
Location: Syracuse, NY
danfromsyr is offline 

PostPosted: Mon May 14, 2018 9:22 am    Post subject: Re: Upcoming trip.. Reply with quote

alright enough on NF NY.. sure the falls are nice but there are PLENTY of great places in NY, VT, MA

be sure your electronics are going to connect once you cross the border if you are relying on them. phones/tablets need a Canadian SIM. I don't know alot but enough to caution and be sure yourself.

if you like roadside eats.. between Saut St Marie and Sudbury is agreat little greasey food/ice cream stop
Luckys https://goo.gl/maps/SehPFHD52gJ2

if you are interested in wild mechanical adaptations there's the
Big Chute Marine railway.. just stop for a half hour or so and watch it cross the road and go down the chute carrying boats/paddlers.
https://goo.gl/maps/z2t8eC4q3DE2

also there's a cool lift lock to watch
https://goo.gl/maps/57YcNKFPHXx
_________________
Abscate wrote:
These are the reasons we have words like “wanker”
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Gallery Classifieds Feedback
DanHoug
Samba Member


Joined: December 05, 2016
Posts: 4717
Location: Bemidji, MN
DanHoug is offline 

PostPosted: Mon May 14, 2018 9:43 am    Post subject: Re: Upcoming trip.. Reply with quote

i've added Canada to our Verizon plan for $5/day. it supposedly gives access to your normal plan limits without additional charge. we'll see!

being the sole technical person where i work, i'm a radio station engineer, my phone hasn't been off much in the last 14 years. it'll be off for this trip but i'll check in maybe twice a day to see what's on fire. with VPN access, i can get into most of our systems for diagnosis.
_________________
-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
DanHoug
Samba Member


Joined: December 05, 2016
Posts: 4717
Location: Bemidji, MN
DanHoug is offline 

PostPosted: Mon May 14, 2018 6:26 pm    Post subject: Re: Upcoming trip.. Reply with quote

was feeling some tire imbalance on the RA18s so i had them rotated and balanced, even tho they only have about 2,500 miles on them. being "that guy" i just have to watch the tire tech kid do this and look at the balance numbers. each tire was out by around an ounce to ounce and a quarter, which was sorta atypical for recent tires. but when he took off the drivers rear wheel and was balancing it, i saw the inside of the rim was wet. i asked him "Is that grease?" and he wipes his fingers on it and shrugs. i go over the axle and see a drip of brake fluid hanging down. dangit. new wheel cylinder, albiet Chinese. lesson learned. new German one coming and if it doesn't have the internal spring, i'll re-use the old pistons as i have new name brand seal kits.

but, for me the take away is be "that guy" and try to watch things when you can. the kid absolutely wouldn't have noticed the leaking cylinder. just glad to have found it before the trip.
_________________
-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Brownj Premium Member
Samba Member


Joined: November 05, 2017
Posts: 33
Location: Southern Maine
Brownj is offline 

PostPosted: Tue May 15, 2018 9:09 am    Post subject: Re: Upcoming trip.. Reply with quote

If your plans end up Canada to Mass or vice versa, I would try to work VT Route 100 into my plans. It runs north / south in Vermont and is lovely for virtually the entire length. Of course its best on a motorcycle!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
DanHoug
Samba Member


Joined: December 05, 2016
Posts: 4717
Location: Bemidji, MN
DanHoug is offline 

PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2018 3:09 pm    Post subject: Re: Upcoming trip.. COMPLETED! Reply with quote

well, 3600 miles later, we are back home. Mission Accomplished on 2 fronts, the accordian (a Beltuna Sara 3+2 for those curious) procured and a very successful trip with the van. here's some stats and random observations on driving from MN to Massachucetts thru Ontario...

- van ran flawlessly. absoutely zero issues, not one hiccup, glitch, falter, or WTF moment. this, quite frankly, shocked me. i was loaded down with spares, none of which were used. good thing i had them along, eh?

- miles: 3600, oil consumption: from full mark to 1/2 between marks so maybe a pint, MPG: 20-21 heading east, 19-20 heading west due to prevailing winds, avg speed 56-63 mph.

- met 3 Westys, all waved. 2 Eurovan Westys, one waved, one not. saw one burned out vehicle in ditch in Ontario... ayup. a Vanagon. change 'dem fuel lines folks.

- van occupied the slow lane going upgrades but was adequate with an occassional shift down to 3rd. amazes me an engine can spend so much time essentially floored without complaint. didn't seem to affect MPG that much.

- Ontario is a beautiful place with far better drivers than in MN. saw not ONE person text while driving, they know how to use passing lanes, and their Provincial parks are extremely nice with sites right on the water, hot showers, and well kept. MN could learn a few things.

- thank you all for the offers of driveways and lodging. we didn't take anyone up on this and camped the entire time except for 2 days in MA at a reasonable motel.

- being a country boy, the traffic of even rural MA and VT just seemed excessive. don't know how y'all stand it. we took the back roads, which were beautiful, but still very busy. did a short stint on 90 and 91... uff taa. not a place for a Westy.

- had 3 successful border crossings and then got ransacked at International Falls, MN coming back into the States on the home leg. 3 agents rummaging thru the van and came up with 2 very mouldy avocados i'd forgotten about. confiscated. onward.

and an obligatory picture..... Aquasabon Falls, ONT

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

_________________
-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
dhaavers
Samba Member


Joined: March 19, 2010
Posts: 7733
Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
dhaavers is offline 

PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2018 3:25 pm    Post subject: Re: Upcoming trip.. COMPLETED! Reply with quote

Sounds like a great trip! Cool

I <thought> I warned you about customs at I Falls...my grandfather worked
customs there the last 30 years of his career & had a few stories from it,
although I'm sure it's a whole different scene these days... Rolling Eyes Wink

Stop by next time in the neighborhood!

- Dave
_________________
86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"

<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS>
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
DanHoug
Samba Member


Joined: December 05, 2016
Posts: 4717
Location: Bemidji, MN
DanHoug is offline 

PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2018 3:35 pm    Post subject: Re: Upcoming trip.. COMPLETED! Reply with quote

yeah, i've been thru I Falls a few times and it has been hit or miss. i thought my pressed white dress shirt would save me as it has gotten me thru so many crossings successfully. not this time. had nothing to hide and we were close to home so we just bore it out. the drive on Hwy 11 is so worth it. i thought maybe it was my 1974 watch with the Tritium dial that set off the radiation detectors but that wasn't mentioned. had a friend that was picked up on a radiation scan as she worked in a radiology dept at a hospital. it's that sensitive.

definitely let's get together, Dave. we're practically neighbors.

-dan
_________________
-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Forum Index -> Vanagon All times are Mountain Standard Time/Pacific Daylight Savings Time
Page: Previous  1, 2
Page 2 of 2

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

About | Help! | Advertise | Donate | Premium Membership | Privacy/Terms of Use | Contact Us | Site Map
Copyright © 1996-2023, Everett Barnes. All Rights Reserved.
Not affiliated with or sponsored by Volkswagen of America | Forum powered by phpBB
Links to eBay or other vendor sites may be affiliate links where the site receives compensation.