Denver Blizzard: Kharmic Rebound and Cold Feet

[msinabottle]

Hope you don't get the Mother of all Hangovers this year, Joe--and you can make 'Virgin Versions' of that for your children, whom I had the privilege of meeting at a VWOTG.

Winston is content in our garage, little dreaming of the goodies that await him on his next trip to Ft. Collins. Thank goodness it's not been THAT much snow.

Yet.




Best!
_________________
'Winston,' '84 1.9 WBX Westy
Vanagon Poet Laureate: "I have suffered in
many ways, but never, never, never in silence."

[joetiger]

It's snowy and quite cold in Denver. I've been asked to make up a batch of that "Vanagon Rum" for the neighbors this evening. The tradition continues...

Thanks again Rob!
_________________
Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'91 Wolfsburg Carat "Barchetta"
'02 Baja-ish Beetle "Bubbles"

"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond

Justice for Megan: https://linktr.ee/justiceformegantrussell

[msinabottle]

Winston's in the garage, faithful and cheerful, and he did a good job of guarding our holiday ham!

If I can ever scrape up the money to get him de-dented and painted (which will require new seals, outlet boxes, and probably scads of other stuff) we will <sniff!> be parted for however long that takes. I have an estimate for $6K from a local bodyshop and Greg LaBate from Rocky Mountain Westy saying 'You could sink $10K into that body!"

So I keep saving my pennies...

Best!
_________________
'Winston,' '84 1.9 WBX Westy
Vanagon Poet Laureate: "I have suffered in
many ways, but never, never, never in silence."

[DAIZEE]

and again most recently it seems. String?
_________________
'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold)

[fredn]

daizee he was separated from his vanagon in 2006.
_________________
1982 Air Cooled Vanagon Carat Weekender Interior

[DAIZEE]

I'm sorry for you and Winston's prolonged separation. We haven't had a blizzard in Toronto since the late 70's. We don't seem to get the snow in the city anymore but lots West and North of us. Sounds like Winston is back home where he should be for the year end.

Yes Vanagonitis makes ?'weird' people, maybe not weird, just special.


And YES you should have known better!! Bad Boy!
_________________
'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold)

[msinabottle]

Merry Christmas to you and your fun and wonderful family, dear fellow. And to every kindly person with or without the joy, frustration, terror and satisfaction of owning a Vanagon.

I made that Hot Buttered Rum at two parties this year--it's always a pleasant surprise for those brave enough to try it! Don't drink TOO much--you recall what happened that first year.

Tomorrow, among other things, ham for Christmas Dinner. The ham is currently reposing in Winston's luggage rack, high off the floor in our unheated garage. If we get a warm day next week, I think I'll put some gas in him

Very best!
_________________
'Winston,' '84 1.9 WBX Westy
Vanagon Poet Laureate: "I have suffered in
many ways, but never, never, never in silence."

[joetiger]

Just wanted to resurrect an old thread in honor of MSinabottle's Hot Buttered Rum recipe.

I'll be making an annual batch for some thirsty family, friends, and neighbors tomorrow, Rob, and we will offer you our annual toast.

An indispensable part of the tradition is when my wife says, "tell them where you got the recipe."

When I respond that it came from a fellow Vanagon enthusiast, everybody shakes their heads and laughs.

I know there are other automotive groups out there, but is there really one as unique and diverse as this one? Quite possibly there is; however, whatever car they celebrate cannot possibly be cooler than a Vanagon.


Please forgive my joyous mood; Santa arrived early...I just got a text that a 58 lb. box just arrived at home on my doorstep; it's from Van Cafe. I can't wait to leave work in 45 minutes and hurry home to all of those parts.

Merry Christmas and Holiday Cheers, folks. I hope you all have a great one!
_________________
Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'91 Wolfsburg Carat "Barchetta"
'02 Baja-ish Beetle "Bubbles"

"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond

Justice for Megan: https://linktr.ee/justiceformegantrussell

[joetiger]

I woke up Saturday morning and looked in the mirror fully expecting to see a dagger firmly planted there between my eyes. Nothing like a lot of sugar, spice, rum, sugar, spice, rum, and rum to make the morning painful. Three hours of shovelling snow to create parking spots for our party took care of that, though. I think I was sweating Allspice, mainly.

On Saturday afternoon/evening, we ended up making batch after batch after batch, until we ran out of butter...Everybody loved it and it kept the guests nice and warm.

Thanks again!
_________________
Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'91 Wolfsburg Carat "Barchetta"
'02 Baja-ish Beetle "Bubbles"

"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond

Justice for Megan: https://linktr.ee/justiceformegantrussell

[msinabottle]

151 Proof Rum?



DO NOT CONSUME NEAR OPEN FLAME!

I accidentally once put that in some Eggnog and we all had a hard time figuring out why we got looped. That's because we WERE looped before we realized it.

I think I'll put up the tire chains question as a seperate thread, we're not getting enough responses here.

Ho, ho, ho!

Best!
_________________
'Winston,' '84 1.9 WBX Westy
Vanagon Poet Laureate: "I have suffered in
many ways, but never, never, never in silence."

[psych-illogical]

[CCVanagon]

[msinabottle]

They were a bit vague but they referenced J & B Cable Chains as being good for most applications, although strictly conventional chains are supposed to be better for ice, which is what we've got now as the snow is being packed down and thawing/re-freezing each day. Lot of melt, but we're still slogging through a winter wonderland.

Winston's manual says, on p. 71, that:

[msinabottle]

Very glad you liked the recipe, Joe, just don't give any to your Van. You recall what happened to Herbie the Love Bug when the villain slipped him some Irish Coffee.

I'm going to call 'The Auto Answer Man' tomorrow morning--airs on AM 1600 from 10 to 12 MT--and see what they have to say about chains. Of course, every set in Denver is undoubtedly already sold.

Cold tonight, but we're still melting out.

Best!
_________________
'Winston,' '84 1.9 WBX Westy
Vanagon Poet Laureate: "I have suffered in
many ways, but never, never, never in silence."

[r39o]

Joe,

You make me smile......

-Walt
_________________
"Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!

1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....

Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently)

[joetiger]

We made an advance batch tonight, and I have to tell you, it's outstanding. Great recipe, and I can't thank you enough.

I went on the great grocery and booze run this afternoon in the Vanagon after the whole neighborhood told me I wouldn't get out of the snowed-in spot I was in, but I got out and picked up a buddy. Hit the liquor store and the spice aisle at the grocery, and I can't be more pleased.

As a risk of being redundant, the Subaru motor provided the necessary power to get me out of deep snow...
_________________
Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'91 Wolfsburg Carat "Barchetta"
'02 Baja-ish Beetle "Bubbles"

"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond

Justice for Megan: https://linktr.ee/justiceformegantrussell

[Captain Pike]

Bought my tire cables in Denver 12 years ago and just last year finally snaped them. Lived off west 34th and Speer on the corner, tiny little carrage house. Nice place to park busses in the front yard.
Chain up for fun
_________________
LEARN TO SELF RESCUE
59 Panel bus, 1966 Single cab. 73' 181. 73 Westy. 91' H6 Vanagon 3.3L.
....Bad Sneakers....

[msinabottle]

Get back to me when you've made that recipe, it's very, very good. I've been using the eggnog to buffer the aspirin I've been taking to keep my body from entirely becoming a throbbing knot of pain.

Blazer didn't call today, I think they correctly concluded that the roads were still a little too fascinating for unnecessary ventures. That means I won't see Winston again until Tuesday, but, I'll cope. Anybody got a brand of chains to recommend for stock 14" rims on big tires?

Shoveled out from the driveway to the packed-down corridor in the middle of the road, no sign of a plow--but the streets I've seen that have been plowed are in about the same condition. Packed white snow that was hard to walk on, much less drive on. It's sunny today, though, and we're already getting a lot of melt.

I miss Winston. This is the longest we've ever been apart...



Best!
_________________
'Winston,' '84 1.9 WBX Westy
Vanagon Poet Laureate: "I have suffered in
many ways, but never, never, never in silence."

[joetiger]

[msinabottle]

I ache, therefore I am, but I came through pretty well. Got at least as much snow as we had when I cleared the walks and driveway yesterday, but the blower was up to it, and the neighbors two doors down were blasting the walks and driveway of the sweet old couple next door, which spared me some work. Neighbor on the other side had done OUR front walk, packing down the snow so that our better blower had to work much harder to clear it. I shoved him sideways out of a drift by way of a through-the-teeth 'thanks.'

Found and used Dad's old snow packs today, should have done that yesterday. Helped dig out gearhead neighbor for wildly unsuccessful effort to free his Sierra pick-up so that he could get to work. Much of Denver digs wildly, and our hockey team has been snowed out. THAT should give you Canadians a chortle or two! It was only the VERY early stages of frostbite, no skin damage, I just was restoring the circulation, and, no, I wasn't using snow.

Let us pray for a plow tomorrow, otherwise I won't get Winston home until after Christmas, Ho, Ho, Woe. One of the things that made me feel much, much better yesterday I now share with you all as something of a Christmas Present. I have yet to make it in Winston, but it SHALL be made there:

Rob’s Modified Hot Buttered Rum

2 c. white sugar
1 t. nutmeg
½ t. ground cloves
1 t. ground cardamom
½ t. allspice
¼ t. dried lemon peel
1 t. cinnamon

Combine all the above very thoroughly in a sealable container. To prepare four small servings, combine

6 T. mix
1 T. molasses
3 c. water
½ t. vanilla
1 T. butter

Mix and heat the above, then ladle out with rum to taste, a full jigger is good per mug. Pusser’s Royal Navy Rum has a very authentic flavor. No bitter aftertaste, no particular need to refrigerate the mix.

Best!
_________________
'Winston,' '84 1.9 WBX Westy
Vanagon Poet Laureate: "I have suffered in
many ways, but never, never, never in silence."