"Samba Campout" ?

[stumpy]

Has anyone ever suggested a North American get together? Now don't start throwing wrenches!!! (Hear me out) I'am not talking about next week or next month, a year or year and 1/2. Time to get them rides in shape!! A central part of the USA, maybe Kansas City. Great Steaks!! A location that is good for everyone including our friends to the North! "A".
Wouldn't it be cool to see 1000 buses from all over?? I would think that the people who keep our rides running would help sponcor the event. Now that I put that out there, let the pro and con begin. Stumpie

[danfromsyr]

could do a East, west, central sort of event.

or like the Type-III invasion crowd does alternate east to west to east coast every 2 years.
far enough out to put on peoples mental radara and virtual calendars.
_________________

[Perales]

At the risk of discovering that 10centlife is a mere mortal, I am not sure it is a good idea. We need our heroes to be bigger than life.

Well OK, it would be fun...
_________________
-- 1987 Westfalia automatic (Captain Vino)

[tencentlife]

Well, this Prophet of Dirt thinks it's a damn good idea. Especially the alternating regional concept. And as long as there's the prospect of making people drive a long way anyway, I think the locations should be chosen for their scenic beauty and hiking/fishing/whatever possibilities for when you tire of all the gearhead talk and haggling over used parts(and diversions for the wahinis and little keikis, too).

I nominate Northern New Mexico for the first meet!
_________________
Shop for unique Vanagon accessories at the Vanistan shop:
https://intrepidoverland.com/vanistan/

Please don't PM here, I will not reply.

Experience is kryptonite to doctrine.

[deprivation]

This is a great idea. I vote for just about anywhere in Nwe Mexico and absolutely nowhere in Texas.

Let's start small. The first gathering could be simply determined by a site poll where a consensus is reached on time and place, I assume a state or national park. I'm just throwing this out there, but I think the idea of a Samba/Vanagon meetup is fantastic.
_________________
1986 Westy 2WD auto a.k.a. "The Old Girl"
www.kittenfart.com

[kevinbassplayer]

A few of us put together a Samba meet up last year in Santa Cruz CA, we had 5 vans and it was a lot of fun. While we did have some gear head talk, I was surprised at how much "normal" conversation we had. I think this is because although we are all united by our love of the van, there is a certain personality type that owns these, which gives us all common ground beyond the van. I also met a few Samba folks when I was traveling through Canada last summer, again everyone I've met on here has been awesome, so I welcome a big get together. The planning is the hardest part as we found out with our get together last year. I look forward to meeting more of you!

[Dogpilot]

While National Parks are great, there is the problem with reservations and larger groups. Personally I lean to Northern Nude Mexico. The 'Flats' just across the river from Taos is a cool place with little restriction on camping. This also offers the gallery and eating experience that many of our significant others enjoy. It is a great spot for mountain biking, low stress style, is enjoyable.
_________________
Geology with a Syncro rocks!
86 Syncro Westy AKA "The Bughunter"
98 Disco I
08 Range Rover SC
08 VW Rabbit S
1951 O-1G

[mightyart]

[Yellow Rabbit]

I vote for the Black Hills. It's fairly central east to west and also north to south if you include our friends to the north.

[tencentlife]

[mtac]

I think that this is a great idea.
Being up in the snow and cold all winter my vote would be
- somewhere warm with sun
- not during the peak tourist season
- with other things to do, family friendly
Pesonally I go to Tucson every spring - great place!
(will be there in 3 weeks)
I am a baseball fan but there is much to do in the area
- Pima Air Museum
- Sonora Desert Museum
- Hiking, Sabino Canyon, Catalina NF
- Biosphere2 and Kitt Peak Observatory are both in the area
- Mexico and the gulf is just across the border
- great food, friendly people
I have "camped" at the county fairgrounds, not the most senic place in its self, but it could accomadate many many VW's and has facilities.
Just some thoughts and ideas. It would be great to get this off the ground.
_________________
1987 Syncro Westy
"Bad roads bring GOOD people... Good roads bring all kinds of people!"

[bucko]

I'm game.

Please don't shoot me.
_________________
Current VW drives: 1984 Westfalia

Past VW drives: 1967 Beetle, 1973 Beetle, 1977 Bus, 1971 Military Type 181

[winkshog]

I would be in. if it was a little more to the north. I have to be in Fl in the end of June. how about Mississippi spend a our bought to help the area.
_________________
85 Westy
85 7 pass w/AC 2.2_Subaru
Facebook for Operation Injured Soldiers For those how gave when they servered
Loghome for sale For those that want to get away from it all....

[J Charlton]

I think that its a great idea. I think that it would probably be best if we started off in a low key low organizational manner. Let's be frank - we all own westies because we like the independence and don't particularly like organization - so .. a suggestion.

How about starting off with simply posting our destinations and times with descriptions and links so people could check the destination out and, if it fits their time frames, could make their own reservations and join up.
Eg as mtac has done above :[I think that this is a great idea.
Being up in the snow and cold all winter my vote would be
- somewhere warm with sun
- not during the peak tourist season
- with other things to do, family friendly
Pesonally I go to Tucson every spring - great place!
(will be there in 3 weeks)
I am a baseball fan but there is much to do in the area
- Pima Air Museum
- Sonora Desert Museum
- Hiking, Sabino Canyon, Catalina NF
- Biosphere2 and Kitt Peak Observatory are both in the area
- Mexico and the gulf is just across the border
- great food, friendly people
I have "camped" at the county fairgrounds, not the most senic place in its self, but it could accomadate many many VW's and has facilities.quote]

If we had a thread on Samba for every week, or weekend, people could check out where others were going to be and could decide to join them, or not.
If we get to have a bigger event organized down the line, then someplace warm in the winter would be great and then perhaps summer locations in the North. (I could put people on some great fishing lakes)
_________________
NAHT hightop availability May 18 2023 -
Bend Oregon - for Oregon, California- (7 tot , 3 available), Kennewick Wa (6 tot, 1 available), Small Car Performance Fife Wa. (7 tot 4 avail ), Fairbanks Alaska (1 tot 0 avail)
Future availability TBD : Springfield Mass. Staunton Va, Florida, Colorado, Grand Junction Co., SLC probably late 2024

[Raynor Shine]

Now that's a cool idea. I would go anywhere time permitting of course. I like the New Mexico idea. Great camping there.

[CF]

this would be a great, a VANFEST in the US of A
but it has to be longer than a 3 or 4 day weekend.

it's a shame we might have to bring the kids and pets.


what' the date ???

if we are not careful it will be huge.

[klucz]

Thats a great idea. 1 more vote for New Mexico. I also nominate Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois and Ottawa NF in Michigan's upper peninsula for future locations.

[otiswesty]

1 vote for the Taos location June 27-29
_________________
1978 Sage Green P22 Westfalia
1989 T3 Syncro Single cab

Just a regular guy

[RichBenn]

Hmmm, Taos sounds pretty nice that time of year! I used to drive by it all the time going from Southern Cal to Colorado during my college years, but only stopped once (during the winter - to ski). But that was a "long" time ago....

Guess I'm adding another vote for New Mexico!
_________________
Rich

[ahollon]

I love the idea. Lets plan the first meeting in Alaska. Put your rigs to the real road test.
_________________
84 Westy