1989 Westy Makeover: GoWesty 2.3L Engine plus plus plus

[VdubVanner]

Thanks VV!

Have a Happy New Year yourself. Clean? Easy: Take the fridge face-plate off and get a vacuum under there. Once you're warmed up, suck the rest of the mess up in the interior. Make it your New Year's Resolution for a spick-and-span 2021.

But to tell you the honest truth, I'd much rather have a dirty van that ran reliably than a clean one that was bouncing in and out of the shop with problems month after month.

I'm hoping for a change in luck this year. Regardless, every day is a great adventure.
_________________
"Fritz", a temperamental and unforgiving 1989 Westy that proudly bears his German flags and status as a member of the exclusive GoWesty Belly Flop Club.
1989 Westy Makeover: GoWesty 2.3L Engine plus plus plus https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

[VicVan]

Yeah, I had also took a peep between the bench and the cabinets, in that one-inch gap... Ugh. I'll have to get in there.

I think I'll just remove the fridge altogether, clean everything, change the fan and insulate the exhaust. And while I'm in there, I could -

As for Fritz, you're figuring out all the quirks fo your van. You're almost there!

2021, here we come!
_________________
'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[VdubVanner]

[VdubVanner]

All that talk about that skinny, garbage gathering crevice got me thinking: what could I store in that space besides those plastic bags? Well, something hit me. How 'bout the divider/cutting board for the new Engel Cooler?

When the cushioned backseat goes down, the divider is completely out of sight. No interference with the hinge either. Perfect!

I'm trying to free up some storage room behind the driver's seat -- we'll get to that in a minute -- and that cooler divider was something I wanted to shift out of there. Done!
_________________
"Fritz", a temperamental and unforgiving 1989 Westy that proudly bears his German flags and status as a member of the exclusive GoWesty Belly Flop Club.
1989 Westy Makeover: GoWesty 2.3L Engine plus plus plus https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

[markswagen]

for plastic beg storage, i ziptied a piece of 1.5'' white pipe to the lift arms for the poptop, scrunch up bags, and poke them in, they don't ever fall out, the smaller you scrunch them, the more you can fit in, i keep it full, if we use more than we can pull out with our fingers, i can poke them out with a fork, simple, and it keeps them out of the way.
i have it over the top of the slider, on the other side, i make a kitchen paper holder and zip tied it there, so it's over the top of the stove, for when needed, and yet out of the way , also.
i will snap a picture tomorrow.
_________________
markswagen {mobile mechanic} san diego area all early VW's cared for.

619 201 0310

[VdubVanner]

[VdubVanner]

It's the New Year. What's the well-worn saying: "In with the new, out with the old"?

So what did I do? I did the exact opposite. I decided to stick to my original plan of having the Chinese 4-hole DENSO/Defus fuel injectors removed...

...and having the "Best of 8" OEM single-hole injectors installed after cleaning and testing:

Why?

Well, I got kind of spooked after the coolant was over-pressuring and causing air to get into the system from the head nuts. When I originally had a look at the Chinese injectors, Concept-1 had this proviso that went with them: "We recommend changing the Fuel Pressure Regulator at the same time, if it is older." https://store.concept1.ca/Fuel-Injector-Each-Defus-025906031-DEFUS/ That was stuck in the back of my mind and I had to ask myself, would the same caution be used for OEM injectors that had been cleaned and tested? Not likely. I was looking for rock solid reliability over a minor improvement in performance or gas mileage and the OEMs were time tested for decades. Something I didn't need was unexpected fuel pressure issues arising down the track.

There was another reason for the switchout though. When hopping in my van to hit the road -- other than running the ho-hum, around-town errands and trips -- I look to do the following:

1) Explore new places or enjoy old ones
2) Learn new things
3) Meet new people
4) Make new friends
5) Gain a fresh/different perspective on the world
6) Appreciate home base and what I have i.e. count my blessings

Hot shower with endless clean water supply? Heaven. Mind boggling array of food to buy at local grocery stores? Ditto. Brilliant steady light at the flick of a switch? Beyond wonderful! Medical care slots in there, too. Blessings of home.

Now as some of you might recall those OEM injectors connect me to my new V-dub crazy friends of Dustin and Miranda who sold me the used set (that tested better than mine) and the VW swag. I like having those OEM injectors in because they give me pause to think of those folks, as well as Stefan who tested them for me, while I'm out on the road. Their spirit and work come along for the ride. I even think about Dustin and Miranda's "new" vehicles that they copped after recently selling their other vans:

'63 split window panel van. Cooool!

'74 VW Thing. That's Miranda's new wheels. Another sweet vehicle.

Now I ask you a simple question: what comes to mind with a brand new set of questionable Chinese injectors? Nuthin', that's what. Sure, they exploded into action with the turn of the ignition key but did they give me friendly thoughts while driving. Nope!

Ditto for the fine follow-up work that Jesse at Tony's did on that irritating gurgling air up front. I asked him to add the fuel injector work in on that job and out came a little surprise when I opened up the engine compartment...

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Those yellow zinc-plated bolts jumped out at me like a leopard and complemented the brass fitting on the GoWesty billet aluminum thermostat housing. Beauty! Did I ask him to do that freebie? Nope. Those golden bolts are supposed to remain rust free 600% longer in a salt spray test than clear zinc bolts. I call that extra corrosion resistance The Midas Touch. That's another endearing custom upgrade that I carry with me on my travels and think about each time I examine the engine.

These parts and special touches make up the spirit and soul of ol' Fritz. I like that.

Speaking of travelling, I had to gain confidence that the gurgling was finally gone so I ran the van around town from one end to the other over several days. Then I decided to repeat the "Points of the Compass" break-in routine, driving west, east, north and south under favourable dry road conditions.

So two days ago off I went to the mountains for the first time in more than two years. Yup, they still looked just as nice as I remembered them:

Now I took that photo as a bit of a joke since I was standing in a Class III Landfill Site while doing so. Ha! You just can't get away from that mind-blowing scenery even in a garbage dump. I ran out to Cochrane, south to Hwy #1 and then turned back on Hwy 1A at Canmore. I didn't feel brave enough to push my luck and go further. Along the way I checked my coolant level and engine sounds on top of enjoying the beautiful Rockies and bands of bighorn sheep encountered at the side of the road (hey, what do you expect, I was in the Municipal District of Bighorn after all).

Okay, drum roll, please. Now for the gas mileage with the elderly OEMs in (driving about 90 km/hr = 56 mi/hr):

* 24.895 MPG CDN = 20.73 MPG U.S. = 11.345 L/100 Km *

Not too shabby at all. In fact, those figures might even top the ones I gave a page or two back for the Chinese injectors.

Update: I went back and had a look for those previous gas mileage stats so let me pop that section from page 18 (Oct 18th post) in here for comparison:

"I was using Castrol synthetic 5W50 in the old 2.1L and it worked mighty fine. I'm confident the 10W30 will too.

I thought I'd mentioned my gas mileage early on with the original Makeover and finally found it on page 8 of this thread: I averaged about 20mpg CDN which is about 17mpg U.S. That was with the van unloaded over a mix of city and highway driving using the Liqui Moly 20W50 dino oil.

Looking at my latest break-in trips using the same oil, I really did do a little better so it wasn't my imagination. I reckon those new 4-hole injectors are doing their thing:

117km using 15.2L = 21.75mpg CDN = 18.11mpg U.S. = 12.99L/100km
138km using 18.58L = 21.26mpg CDN = 17.47 mpg U.S. = 13.46L/100km
181km using 23.6L = 21.67mpg CDN = 18.04mpg U.S. = 13.04 L/100km
194km using 24.89L = 22.01mpg CDN = 18.33mpg U.S. = 12.83L/100km
199km using 24.9L = 22.58mpg CDN = 18.8mpg U.S. = 12.51L/100km
335km using 42.0L =22.5mpg CDN = 18.76mpg U.S. = 12.54L/100km

That's a break-in average of 21.96mpg CDN or 18.29mpg U.S. Not too bad for a game of SLO 'N GO! And with 20W50 dino oil doing the lubing. With a slick synthetic in the future those numbers should go up. One thing I noticed while driving those miles/kilometres: the comfort, warmth and vibration absorption of the leather steering wheel cover that I'd recently stitched in there."

Hmmmm...looks like cleaning, testing and matching up the old injectors for a "best in class" set might pay dividends. I also have another injector of mine that was a close match and will be used as a spare in case one of the others craps out on me.

The total distance on the westward run a couple days ago to Canmore and back was 199.4 km and fuel used was 22.622 litres.

I will confess that the narrow, twisting 1A route kept me at 80 km/hr for a good while but the rest was run at the other speed. I wanted to take things SLO to begin with.

That was the West point of the compass.

Something I forgot to mention in the Engel cooler section was that I also used bubble insulation BEHIND the cooler to insulate it from the wheel well:

I doubt that will make a big difference but every bit counts.

Next point on the compass was East and I set off for one of my favourite locations in Canada:

There's just something about that place that resonates with me.
_________________
"Fritz", a temperamental and unforgiving 1989 Westy that proudly bears his German flags and status as a member of the exclusive GoWesty Belly Flop Club.
1989 Westy Makeover: GoWesty 2.3L Engine plus plus plus https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

[VdubVanner]

Now that I was starting to get some confidence in Fritz back again, I wanted to push out an extra 100 kilometres or so. Off we went eastward in search of open spaces, quiet back roads, history and dino-mite:

The roads I like to drive on involve having no one else on them -- or at least a minimum of traffic. The kind of route where driving down the centre line for a minute or three or five is not out of the question or unsafe. In fact, it can be downright safer if trying to look around at the surrounding landscape without risking running off a no-shoulders edgeway:

I mention this because in the same general region and at about the same time of year, my wife and I were once watching a winter herd of pronghorns -- but in much colder temperatures -- when I was taught a valuable lesson. This was in our old '73 van. We'd pulled off in an entry approach to a farmer's field along a shoulderless stretch of road and were gawking at the herd with our trusty binos. After I started the van up and drove off, the speedy animals decided to race next to us and between watching the speedometer to see how fast they were going -- 35 mph if I recall correctly -- and being mesmerized by the action, I managed to drive slightly off the edge and into a wind-hardened snowdrift. Back then there were no cell phones (I still haven't got one) so I had to hoof it to the nearest farm to ask for help. "Dang, it's a good thing you showed up now. We were on our way to town in about three minutes." Whewwww! The next place was miles away and the wind was blowing hard. Driving in the centre of a lonely road has its merits when rubber-necking and gawking around.

Eventually I got to where I was heading -- the eroded Red Deer river valley near Drumheller. Think of it as an inverted mountain range with all the goodies and scenery BELOW the adjacent plains not above them:

Before I knew it I was in the bottomlands and staring at a welcome sign:

Wayne is very cool. I say that with all modesty -- the place is special on a number of counts including having the Guiness World Record for most bridges in the shortest length of roadway. This all dates back to the coal mining days around these parts when a small railway ran tiny coal cars to and fro the mines. Driving on, the eroding badlands were all around me:

And so were the bridges in all shapes, sizes and shadows starting with number 1 and moving on from there:

Looking down from Bridge No. 9, I could see the serpentine twists and turns of the Rosebud River below which was the root cause of all eleven bridges:

But the best was yet to come ...

Paydirt! The tiny pocket of humanity named Wayne:

Apparently the population was 28 until someone new showed up on the scene and knocked the figure up a notch. Under the sign are a couple examples of the old coal cars from the mining era. My plan was to see all eleven bridges then double back but I stumbled after spotting my main quarry in the distance:

I got as far as Bridge No.10 and thought, nope, that's enough. I need to get some photos of the buildings while the sun is on them nicely:

A bronze plaque on the siding near the saloon door summed up the attitude and fun-loving nature of the establishment https://visitlastchancesaloon.com/about-us/ :

So did the camping rules sign...

... and the upturned boots:

At the left top corner of that window, note the reference to Harley Davidson Cycles. This place is a notorious draw for bikers. Due to COVID-19 the place was closed up tight so I went in search of some dino-mite: The World's Largest Dinosaur.

And there at the foot of the Tourism Office in Drumheller I found the oversized T.rex "Tyra" -- so titled following a naming contest last October during its 20th anniversary celebration and a $300,000 refurbishment including a massive paint job https://www.facebook.com/151715564389/photos/a.101...mp;theater + https://www.facebook.com/151715564389/photos/a.101...mp;theater :

An entryway in the tourism office leads to a stairway of 106 steps that takes visitors up to the toothy mouth and observation platform. Strange goings-on sometimes occur there: "Honey bunch, will you marry me? No I'm not kidding! Why do you think I dragged you up 106 steps into the mouth of the World's Largest Dinosaur!!" https://www.facebook.com/151715564389/photos/pcb.1...mp;theater .

https://www.worldslargestdinosaur.com/#Facts

More to come....
_________________
"Fritz", a temperamental and unforgiving 1989 Westy that proudly bears his German flags and status as a member of the exclusive GoWesty Belly Flop Club.
1989 Westy Makeover: GoWesty 2.3L Engine plus plus plus https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

[mikemtnbike]

Regarding the bolts in the housing...a couple of years ago, I bought a large-ish inventory of the best quality fasteners I could find in the various sizes and styles used on our vans. Every time I take a nut, bolt, screw, whatever off the van, if the old fastener has the slightest signs of wear or corrosion, I replace it. I'm lucky to have both a really good old-school FLAPS (they even have a real machine shop on site still) and a Grainger distribution warehouse within a mile of my house, so I'll go so far as to order the fastener I want to replace if it's not in my inventory.

This is a practice I really recommend. Especially if the fasteners you are replacing cause skinned knuckles, the use of the wrong tools, and/or the lingering smell of PB Blaster stuck to your work clothes, it is VERY satisfying to see the new ones gleaming there as evidence of your work well-done.
_________________
1991 Vanagon GL 2.1 AT Westfauxlia. "Frankie" Totaled https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=764510&highlight=carnage
1995 Eurovan Camper "Marzivan"
2020 GTI SE manual

[djkeev]

Vdub...... what a great post!

Beautiful scenery,
Positive attitude,
Uplifting,
Encouraging!

Typical Canadians! So happy and polite! 😂😂
No, not criticizing, a tad jealous maybe.......

Keep it coming, we down here in the States need some uplifting positive thinking right now!

Dave
_________________
Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos

Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[dobryan]

Glad you are back on the road again!
_________________
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

[VdubVanner]

Just getting packed up for my South run today, Dave (djkeev). I have lots more to add about Drumheller so stay tuned. And I hear you about civility and politeness -- I've been glued to CNN for the last couple weeks with my eyes popping out of my skull and my ears burning. Unbelievable! Don't folks in the USA realize how lucky they are to live where they do? They should be kissing the ground they walk on not creating a civil war.

As the mini-poster in my van says (the one the goatherders hand-coloured for me): "Make Love, Not War".

Corny? Maybe but look at the alternative. A young black guy I knew in southwestern Ontario decades ago pointed out the obvious: we're all pink inside regardless of external skin colour.
_________________
"Fritz", a temperamental and unforgiving 1989 Westy that proudly bears his German flags and status as a member of the exclusive GoWesty Belly Flop Club.
1989 Westy Makeover: GoWesty 2.3L Engine plus plus plus https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

[VdubVanner]

[VdubVanner]

Okay back to Tyra, the World's Largest Dinosaur...

Now upthread I mentioned that I travel to gain a fresh perspective on the world and I certainly got one in Drumheller [please click on photo to enlarge]:

How's that for some perspective? Ol' Fritzie could fit in the mouth of Tyra with room to spare. That is one freakin' big T.rex! Since its anniversary paint job was only months old, the dinosaur looked brand spanking new.

Even though it was a sunny Saturday, the place was virtually deserted and I could set that shot up at will. Try doing that on a bustling summer weekend. Not a chance!

While stopped here, I pulled out my meds and lunch and downed the required drugs and rabbit food. As I was doing so -- walking around the empty parking lot to stretch my legs at the same time -- a local Drumhellerite walked up and began a litany of all the locations in town of other dinosaur models, big and small, short and tall. It was a long list, believe me. They were planted everywhere and I could see more than half a dozen from the parking lot alone. The big attraction of the region, though, is the Royal Tyrrell Museum https://tyrrellmuseum.com/about . As usual these days, it was closed due to COVID-19 just like most normally crowded facilities worldwide. No biggie. I'd been in there a number of times since anytime a relative or out-of-town friend shows up -- especially from overseas -- that's one of the top attractions to drag them to in the country.

Finishing the final tidbits of lunch, I had another visitor drop by for a chat. Bushy-bearded and accompanied by his two dogs, Sean turned out to be exceptional company, especially since he used to own a Westy himself and regretted selling it (don't they all?). He'd recently set up a B&B nearby in an historic home circa 1912ish and gave it a catchy name that outdid "Tyra" by a mile: The Tyrannosaurus Rest https://www.instagram.com/thetyrannosaurusrest/ . His website is not quite up and going yet but should be in a few weeks. Apparently he was a native Drumhellerite and had returned to enjoy some quietude after a long career in Cowtown that involved extensive travel in Latin America and the Caribbean. Just imagine the stories he has tucked up his sleeve. How peaceful are his digs? He claimed that deer commonly wander into his yard to help him with his gardening and trimming.

My big regret? I didn't take a quick pic of Sean and his dogs -- one an extremely large (but friendly) brute and the other a little mutt -- before he sauntered off with his furry pals. Ah, well, maybe another day.

The tourism office was actually open so I wandered in and had a look around while safely garbed in my "Darth Weeder" mask. I was tipped off by the local dinosaur location expert that there was a doorway and stairway that led to Tyra's mouth but alas the staff shooed me away with the standard pandemic lockdown refrain:

Dang! I really wanted to get up to that toothy perch but that would also have to wait for another day. Nearby, the gift shop had a nice selection of local history books and one stood out as a certified staff pick: Coal in the Valley by Lawrence Chrismas https://www.facebook.com/151715564389/photos/a.101...mp;theater + https://www.facebook.com/151715564389/photos/a.101...mp;theater . As it happens, my wife and I met Lawrence while attending one of the monthly shows put on by the Rocky Mountain Folk Club here in Cowtown -- in fact, in my own neighbourhood since the Club had recently relocated to our community hall. Sharing a table with this modest man and chatting with him, I finally asked if he was a musician since he knew everyone in the place. Indeed he was and then confessed in his mild-mannered, soft-spoken way that he was also a songwriter, photographer and author -- besides being the country's leading expert on the history of coal mining in Canada. Crikey! I'd hit real paydirt again. What a guy! Full of stories, delivered with a twinkle in his eye, we loved listening to him spin his back-story tales. Thankfully, before I was diagnosed with cancer and had to quit going to crowded venues, I asked him if he'd kindly sell me a copy of his Coaldust grins: A Musical Portrait CD since it was difficult to find locally. Sure enough he did me that favour and autographed it besides.

Guess what I'm listening to right now?

A little more on this Canadian icon and treasure: https://drumhelleronline.com/local/coal-in-the-valley + https://www.drumhellermail.com/news/9704-photographer-lawrence-chrismas-to-release-book-on-may-day + https://cambriapublishing.com/ . Lawrence owns a little coal miner's shack in Cambria, not far from Wayne, that he uses as a summer retreat and artist's den. Actually, there's quite a few artsy types moving into the laidback valley. Great stuff!

Let's close this segment on the delights of Drumheller and area with this article about Wayne including a few on-site ghost stories: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/wayne-alberta-1.5303744 .

Good gawd, I love Alberta. Come to think of it I love EVERYWHERE in Canada that I've been. After crisscrossing it numerous times, I consider the whole place my backyard.

Gas mileage for the Drumheller trip driving at about 95 km/hr dipping to 85 km/hr in quiet sections:

* 24.11 mpg CDN = 20.01 mpg U.S. = 11.71 L/100 km *

Something I forgot to mention: I had Jesse do a compression test for use as a baseline and the cylinders came up 160 all 'round. Perfect start.

BTW I had Wayne and The Last Chance Saloon all to myself except for a couple of ladies in a pickup who drove through with a load of furniture in the back and didn't even bother getting out of that warm truck. In summer? A madhouse so I never go there. I like lonely places with nary a soul around. That's usually the best place to watch and photograph wildlife -- like gigantic dinosaurs.
_________________
"Fritz", a temperamental and unforgiving 1989 Westy that proudly bears his German flags and status as a member of the exclusive GoWesty Belly Flop Club.
1989 Westy Makeover: GoWesty 2.3L Engine plus plus plus https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

[VdubVanner]

[VdubVanner]

Go South, old man! And so I did -- and had quite the ride.

The game plan was to run down to Fort Macleod, a prime historical stop in the province https://fortmacleod.com/play-here/tourism/ . I had two ways to get there or a combo using secondary routes:

I was thinking of taking the long way down and then scoot back on the four-lane blacktop at the end of a long day of poking around. So off I drove down Scabby Dried Meat Trail yet again -- and crossing my fingers that I wouldn't pick up another rock chip in the windshield while running that gauntlet.

So far, so good. Looking over my shoulder I breathed a sigh of relief as I exited that nasty Trail and continued south. Everything in and around Calgary was bone dry and perfect for driving on my Yoko Y370s. Did I say perfect? Well it was until I veered left/east and went by the Blackie turnoff. Then things started changing ... wet, sloppy, snowy and not what I was expecting. Cross my heart I did look at the weather channel's road conditions before leaving and it was declared clear. The farther I drove, the worse it got. By the time I turned south on the two lane #24/#23, each approaching 18-wheeler hit me with a wall of spray so hard that it gave an unnerving "WHOMP!!" on the windshield. After the first couple of solid hits, I got the message loud and clear: put the wipers on at least five seconds before the spray hit or drive blindly. This two-laner was not the place to drive down the centre-line rubber-necking and gawking around. There's a word that describes that devil-may-care behaviour: Suicidal! I was so busy holding on for dear life that I couldn't look down to see if my knuckles were turning white yet.

Gosh, what fun! It was obvious that although Cowtown had received no snow overnight, this part of the province had. Roadside signs were covered with wet snow that had blasted onto them obscuring whatever they were trying to say or sell. Side roads were covered with an inch or more of the white stuff. Because a lot of transport and local farm traffic were coming off the unpaved gravel roads they were carrying mud along for the ride. Well, they were until they started flinging it my way.

Did I mention that I was having fun? Fortunately I had a bailout plan in mind -- and it would take me from this galaxy into another less stressful one. Here's what Fritz looked like when I arrived at Vulcan, Alberta -- Canada's Star Trek Capital:

What you can't see in that photo is the freezing cold wind whipping across the open plains and the town's snow plow still working to clear the local streets. Not far off the highway turnoff I spotted my invitation:

I parked safely across the street and wandered over not wanting to tempt the gods and get myself stuck:

The snow was still sliding off the main sign:

My bailout goal:

The Vulcan Tourism Trek Station was closed due to the pandemic so I peered through the glass for a look inside. Of course that was after I gave Spock the proper Vulcan salutation https://the-take.com/watch/what-is-the-origin-of-the-vulcan-hand-greeting-in-star-trek (my wife and daughter can't split their fingers like I can) :

Not exactly overpowering but it does get good reviews from trekkies: https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Attraction_Review-g6703...berta.html .

Something I almost missed was the town's unique streetlights that resemble the USS Enterprise (cool!):

Only in Vulcan, Alberta!

What then? How about tucking my tail between my legs and heading home? To the south there was nothing but a wall of gray snow clouds and I wasn't up for another pounding. Nope, I turned around and beat a hasty retreat north crossing at the side road to High River to hit the dry zone again:

Northward I returned -- right into the teeth of the sharp wind that was blowing. Where was Scotty when you really needed him?

Back in Cowtown, things were dry, sunny, windless and civilized. Nothing but blue skies abounded. Fritz and I looked like we'd been teleported from another planet. First thing I did was gas up (I do that to prevent condensation in the sitting tank) ...

....and the second was visit my favourite car wash.

Once safely home I dug out my meds and pack lunch and had a very late meal. Ahhhhh, the blessings of home!

Gas mileage for the day going 95 to 105 km/hr with the return run into the wind (270 km using 36.217L):

* 21.056 mpg CDN = 17.532 mpg U.S. = 13.413 L/100 km *

Bonus trivia question for trekkies only: What does the signboard at the entrance of the Trek Station with "NCC-1801-8" refer to?
_________________
"Fritz", a temperamental and unforgiving 1989 Westy that proudly bears his German flags and status as a member of the exclusive GoWesty Belly Flop Club.
1989 Westy Makeover: GoWesty 2.3L Engine plus plus plus https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

[VicVan]

I think it's the call sign for the Millen-- sorry the Enterprise.

Great road trip, and great pictures !

Wayne is only 1200 km, and through Banff at that... I want to go! Glad you're enjoying the van, and the road.

And to be clear, I am jealous of your fuel economy.
_________________
'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[mikemtnbike]

Those #'s are the VIN on the Enterprise-duh. Ask a hard one.

* correction I looked at it to quickly just saw the NCC part, the #' s are different. I'm going to guess, then, that the building has registered itself as a starship.
_________________
1991 Vanagon GL 2.1 AT Westfauxlia. "Frankie" Totaled https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=764510&highlight=carnage
1995 Eurovan Camper "Marzivan"
2020 GTI SE manual

[VdubVanner]

Okay, enough of interplanetary travel and split-finger hand greetings. It was Fort Macleod or Bust!

Yesterday I was tempted to stay home -- like millions of others around the planet -- and watch the U.S. Presidential Inauguration. And I did manage to see some of the early arrivals and opening remarks by Sen. Amy Klobucher. She reminds me of that kid in the class who always put their hand up to answer a teacher's question -- like every question about anything. I like her enthusiasm, intelligence and obvious patriotism.

But the road was calling and I had to answer it. First -- after my misadventure to Vulcan -- I double checked the weather and road conditions. Down south a person has to check not only the snow amounts but how hard the wind is blowing:

https://www.theweathernetwork.com/ca/videos/galler...st_popular (give it time to load)

That was taken a day before my second Fort Macleod attempt (I was busy having a nurse draw blood out of me again for my monthly once-over and missed that wicked wind).

Packing my meds, lunch, water and warm clothing etc I was ready to go -- with one final job to do: lick my fingertip and hold it to the air. Was I testing wind direction? Nope. I was getting ready to spruce up the back end with a smiley face:

Apparently I missed a spot when rinsing the mud off from the fun-filled Vulcan bailout and it needed something cheery. Done!

Onward down Scabby Dried Meat Trail and beyond, divided six-lane then four-lane blacktop was now my magic carpet. Note the snow but the dry road:

South of High River, home to my new pal Super Stefan of Performance Fuel Injection, the traffic dwindled to a relaxing amount and the mountain views emerged. Around Cayley, the snow-capped mountains ran like an unbroken chain for miles and miles:

Hey, that four-lane stuff wasn't so bad after all! Especially in the winter time when traffic is much lighter.

Next stop was Nanton, a great place to stretch your legs and look around. Besides the old buildings and art walk, the prime attractions were the old grain elevators -- a dying breed on the prairies -- and the Bomber Command Museum with its planes inside and out:

When I first looked at that photo, I almost jumped out of my skin. It looks like coolant fluid is pouring forth from under my van. Thankfully, it was just melting snow since I was checking coolant levels and the engine every stop and nothing looked suspicious.

That's an Avro Canada CF-100 "Canuck" that was stationed at CFB Suffield from 1968-1994. Impressive! Especially from underneath. Note the wind sock in the lower right-hand corner of the photo -- forced straight out from a healthy west wind. More on that museum including a virtual tour: https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=5t5YsZn7DQC . (Anyone notice the witch riding the broom on the Canuck?)

In the community park, I noticed this monument to the lads who gave their lives in the World Wars in battles against anti-democratic, propaganda-spewing dictators and authoritarian rule. Those young soldiers were true patriots and freedom fighters. Kind of hit me after watching President Biden step up to the plate for his time at bat after the shocking, violent insurrection of January 6th:

Driving south of Nanton got me into the windy country -- obvious to all because every few miles one of these was stuck by the side of the road:

Maybe drivers need to be reminded as they're getting blasted into the other lane? That day the wind was going easy on me and although definitely noticeable out of the west it was easily handled -- especially with my new T3 anti-sway bar upfront. That really made a difference especially with my 14-inch wheels.

North of Stavely I had some amusement: a small black sedan passed by and the passenger rubber-necked so far around that I thought he was going to hurt himself. His humongous grin and wave said it all: he liked the van -- or perhaps the smiley on the bumper. I gave him a smile and quick wave back.

Eventually I hit the outskirts of Fort Macleod after driving miles of open, virtually snow-free country:

Small town, big hearts. Cowtown could learn a thing or three from them: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-fir...-1.5879911 . I also noticed that most folks -- even the cowboy-hat-wearing, pick-up truck types -- were coming out of the local establishments wearing a pandemic mask. That's being downright neighbourly.

I was warming up to the place already and I hadn't even parked the van yet. Once I did, I went searching for the old fort. It wasn't hard to find:

Law and order is always a good thing, especially in places with unruly outlaws taking over the streets. Brought to mind recent events south of the border again.

Although the Fort and Museum were closed for the season, the outdoor signage provided the highlights for a return visit:

Sauntering across the street, I followed the Walkway to Main Street and was delighted with some old architecture and charm:

The Empress is an old art deco building that's been going strong for more than a century. Keep an eye and ear open for "Ed", the ghost who frequents the theatre.

In an unexpected link to my Vulcan trip, parts of the movie Interstellar were filmed around here as were bits of the latest Ghostbusters sequel. Hmmmm....I wonder if the crew tried chasing Ed off?

More quaint architecture...

And then a quick walk back to the van with a reminder of the red serge along the way:

I let those elders babysit the 32-year-old youngster Fritz while I was out and about.

As I was about to hop aboard for departure, a voice across the street yelled over: "How long you had it?". "27 years" I replied and quickly added, "I sunk a small fortune into restoring it since it was my only vehicle and couldn't imagine life without it." "I had two over the years and was thinking of getting another one but..." and his voice trailed off. Perhaps his age was holding him back? He was in his early to mid-seventies and maybe the thought of annoying break-downs was pause for thought. Anyway, he added: "Nice looking van!". Fort Macleod was growing on me by the minute.

Departing, I did notice this gift shop front for the nearby World Heritage Site but of course it and the out-of-town buffalo jump itself were closed:

No problem: I'd been there a number of times including decades ago when the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump was nothing more than a small plaque on a metal stake with an archaeological reference number on it. My wife and I freely wandered the old bison drive lanes up top back then and tried to imagine the pandemonium that ensued when the herd was driven over the cliff. The museum brings it to life again and is well worth a trip.

Great visit. All too soon it was time to head home.

Gas mileage for 357.8 km using 46.082 litres at roughly 100 km/hr down and a more relaxing 90 to 95 km/hr back due to a stronger wind:

* 21.929 mpg CDN = 18.259 mpg U.S. = 12.879 L/100km *

Note to VicVan: I'm really not trying to rub it in. Them's the figures!

BTW I did manage to see the Inauguration Celebrations hosted by Tom Hanks. Great ending to a new truth-filled dawn. What a difference a day makes.
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"Fritz", a temperamental and unforgiving 1989 Westy that proudly bears his German flags and status as a member of the exclusive GoWesty Belly Flop Club.
1989 Westy Makeover: GoWesty 2.3L Engine plus plus plus https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

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Today? An easy zip around town for groceries, another visit to the car wash and then a warm water towel clean-up in the engine compartment due to the mud-slinging Vulcan trip. Outside in the alley at minus 10:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Done! Not as good as the spit and polish of the renowned Kamz but it'll do. What's the old saying? "Cleanliness is next to godliness." I definitely need more of the latter.

Incidentally, while washing that grit and mud off I had the van's 32-year-old OEM stereo radio blasting away on my fave station -- Windspeaker www.cjwe.ca/player/ -- and guess what song came up almost immediately? Gordie Lightfoot's Alberta Bound. Sing along with me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV1rtBnCeiw . Yee-haw! Now that is one great tune and road song.
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"Fritz", a temperamental and unforgiving 1989 Westy that proudly bears his German flags and status as a member of the exclusive GoWesty Belly Flop Club.
1989 Westy Makeover: GoWesty 2.3L Engine plus plus plus https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0