Summer evening drive in the Van

[IdahoDoug]

So, lately work has been stressful with a couple pivots our fledgeling company is trying, inlaw/family issues have been crushing us, our daughter left for college a month early to do a class in Germany, and there's just a lot going on at the moment.

But last night, I was way out in the sticks visiting a buddy and I took the Van. got there around 530 and it was a nice evening. When I came outside the stars were out, I could hear coyotes in the stillness of an Idaho summer night, and the van greeted me in all her yellow glory.

I rolled open the windows, opened my vent window, and eased off down the mountain road, the WBX burbling along happily and the tires crunching on gravel. I was just suddenly taken with the Van's driving dynamic, powerful lights and the memories of turning it from a non operating vehicle to a showpiece.

Warm winds wafted through the van, bringing summer scents of pine trees that gave way to the last of summer flowers as I left the mountain road for the expansive prairie. Crickets by the score chittered away in the dark, creating a constantly renewing tunnel of summer sounds. From a Vanagon being ambled along, you can also hear the swish of wind in the trees and night grasses.

An old Styx song came on the radio, and I took a deliberately deep breath to suck in the scents and realized I had become completely calm and even carefree as I motored along. I thought of nothing in particular and everything that mattered came into focus and I knew it would all come out right.

Listening to the acoustics of the rear engine humming along and feeling the unique way the van moves on its chassis, I just felt so happy to be alive. The air temp was absolutely perfect for a summer drive and I could feel the wind scouring out the interior, plucking at my shirt, and ruffling my hair.

The song finished, and I entered the small town we live in, street lights beginning and the new gas station a beacon of high end industrial lighting. At a stop light I could clearly hear a car full of teens saying amongst themselves "sweet van - I saw it around last summer" and it made me happy I live in a town small enough that a yellow van is memorable.

A few more minutes of crickets swishing by in my wake, up the hill past a couple sleeping fawns in the empty lot and I was home. I shut Mango off and sat in the driveway just happy at the privilege of driving what is becoming a piece of history, and the way it makes me feel. I left the windows down as there is no rain in the forecast and resolved to drive it the next day and the next and as much as I can before some unanticipated chapter in my life might change things.

As I write this, I was able to drive it again. And again after that. And we just walked in the door from a day spent at a friends with my 80 year old in laws. We motored home in the dark in a replay of last night. All the windows down (or slid open), the sound of crickets, the wind through the interior, my 17yo son riding backwards in the jump seat. The simple beauty of motoring along on a summer night. It's nice to be appreciating it from the front seat of my beloved Vanagon.
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[E1]

Fine writing, Doug.
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‘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

[sanchius]

[dobryan]

Nice! Ditto on the feelings.
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Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794

[dhaavers]

Lovely. I felt like I was right there with you! You've got a way with words, Doug.

I feel all the feels...

- Dave
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86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS>

[DanHoug]

there's a satisfaction that comes from using something made with your own hands... you brought Mango to life. we take these castoff shells of a vehicle and return them to service, very rewarding.

you also captured, for me, the essence of driving without AC. windows open, driving the Small Roads of the US and hearing all the sounds, feeling the breeze, smelling the air. the Vanagon is one of the few vehicles that has nice air flow dynamics with the windows open. but thems is fightin' words and each to our own.
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-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

[jimf909]

Moments like the one you captured have stayed with me for decades. I have a similar memory riding my motorcycle on the two-lanes of Illinois farm country with storm clouds in the distance. That happened in the mid-80s and I remember it like it was yesterday.

Thanks for bringing these memories to mind.
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- Jim

[Steve Arndt]

Could have x posted this piece in the Zen and Art thread. Nice.


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Steve
Steve's 87 Syncro project

[WonderinMan]

Yes there are a lot of bittersweet breakdowns and fixes that make us the van owners we areI feel like these are the moments we live for with our vans- that feeling of being right where you're supposed to be and everything being beautiful.

Thank you for such a great write up Doug!
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|Imogen - '82 Westfalia|

Sooooo (air)cooooool(ed)!

Priors:
|'97 Getta - SCCA-raced|
|'62 Splitty Bus|
|'68 Beetle|

[dabaron]

Vanagon, a love story.

i could smell those pines and feel that summer air. it brought back memories of being a kid and seeing a guy cruising in his 60's era VW bus. i wonder if he knew he was making memories for others by just existing, by driving his bus, like you are with Mango.

everything is connected. thank you for the perspective and moment of calm.