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joetiger · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2015 11:52 am Post subject:

Thanks so much for sharing your trip, Dave. This has been amazing.
_________________
Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32

"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

Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present

www.josephtrussell.com

dobryan · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2015 12:36 pm Post subject:

Jake de Villiers · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2015 1:05 pm Post subject:

dobryan · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 1:47 pm Post subject:

August 10
Day 65:
Dead Horse Point and Canyonlands NP, UT

Today I drove out of Arches and grabbed a new campsite at a BLM site on the Colorado river (first come, first served) and then drove up to the beautiful Colorado river overlooks of Dead Horse Point SP and Canyonlands NP....

The campsite along the Colorado river was one of the best this trip, except for being on the water at Haines, AK.
smile emoticon

Leaving Arches NP

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

Entering Dead Horse Point SP

Dead Horse Point overlooks. They fly hang gliders off these cliffs too. Very Happy

Entering Canyonlands NP

Canyonlands overlooks

Campsite on the Colorado river 3 miles from Moab, UT.

River views from the campsite

Nice place to drink a beer and read a book. Very Happy

Steak for dinner....

End of the day

_________________
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

dobryan · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 2:06 pm Post subject:

August 11
Day 66:

Colorado River float trip

I decided to finish off my Utah stay with a leisurely day long trip down the Colorado river on the 'Fisher Towers' section. Nothing extreme on the rapids, just a nice easy float down the river with a great BBQ at a winery/ranch on the river for lunch. It was cloudy and a little cool believe it or not.

Ended the day with wings and beer at the Moab Brewery.... again.... Very Happy

_________________
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

dobryan · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 4:16 pm Post subject:

August 12
Day 67
Drive to Denver, CO

I left the Moab area the morning of the 12 and drove to the Denver area. I took route 128 out of Moab. It follows the Colorado river canyon for several miles and is rated in the top 5 drives in the USA. Very Happy

I spent the night visiting with a rocket buddy, Kevin, at his house in the mountains SW of Denver. Very Happy

I found that the Subie 2.5 (although down on power compared to sea level) pulled the I70 passes with no issue. I made it up to the Vail pass with almost no use of third gear, 65 mph more or less all the way. The climb to the Eisenhower tunnel required third gear for the last few miles on the steepest section but still was going strong at 55mph at 4300 rpm with power to spare if I wanted to go faster.

Route 128 along the Colorado

Then there was nothing

The 'town' of Cisco along route 128. This town looked no better in the 1970's when I drove past there.... really....

One of the few Bays I saw on this trip...

Entering Colorado

Really.... they call the place 'that'... Wink

I70 thru the Colorado river canyon on the west side of the Rockies, beautiful....

Crested the Vail pass

West side of the Rockies

Kevin's view... Very Happy

_________________
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

dobryan · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 4:38 pm Post subject:

August 13 - 16
Days 68 - 71:
Denver, CO to home

In Denver I visited with Donna's Aunt Barbara and Uncle John, and then spent the night at my brother Jeremy's and visited with his family. The next 2 and 1/2 days was spent on I70 getting home... Very Happy

(I would have liked to hook up with the samba clan in Denver but there was no time left. Sad

)

John and Barbara

Jeremy and family

Toto we 'are' in Kansas

Got this at a gas station market, seemed appropriate somehow...

Dinner at a rib shack outside Kansas City, MO. Yummmmm.....

Sunrise on I70

Almost home, green and humid....

Home again, home again, jiggity, jjg...

The trip

_________________
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

914 mike · Samba Member Joined: May 03, 2005 Posts: 431

I will crack a beer and drink to that.

EPIC!
_________________
Mike
84 Westy
2.2 Suby
In a world full of ponies it's a thoroughbred horse....
Can ≠ Should

dobryan · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 5:18 pm Post subject:

Some trip stats:

*11,200 miles from June 6 to August 16, 2015
*19.1 mpg overall average
*Max gas price $4.32/gallon (Liard Hot Springs, BC, Canada)
*Bus weight 5500 lbs (front axle 2760, rear 2740) (Brendan and I)

I'll start unpacking tomorrow and post what I stored where, what worked and what didn't, and what I would do again and what I would change the next time. And there WILL be a next time.... Very Happy

_________________
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

snowsyncro · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 5:47 pm Post subject:

Epic trip, and epic trip report.

Thanks Dave.

RonC

wontfalia · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 6:38 pm Post subject:

Way to go Dave!! You guys are too cool. Thanks for taking the time to show us how to do it. And welcome home.

Wontfalia
_________________
Don't break the law when you're breaking the law

AKWesty · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 10:20 pm Post subject:

Great trip Dave... Fantastic photos.... Thanks for taking us along!
_________________
84' Westy 2wd
EJ22 - 4spd - Peloquin TBD
GW +1.5 Springs
215/70-16's

www.CatchTheKraken.com

"Never go to Alaska as a young man because you'll never be satisfied with any other place as long as you live." -John Muir

AKWesty · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 10:29 pm Post subject:

j_dirge · Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 7:20 am Post subject:

Was great fun following your epic trip.

Hopefully, we can make it out your way next time..

Can not believe that gas prices were higher somewhere other than San Francisco!

Tell Gunnie and Brendon that Aaron says "hi!"
_________________
-89 GL Westy, SVX.. finally.

-57 pan f/g buggy with a 67 pancake Type 3 "S"
"Jimi Hendrix owned one. Richard Nixon did not"
-Grand Tour, Season 1, episodes 4 and 5

dobryan · Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 7:31 am Post subject:

Thanks guys. Very Happy

I'd like to mention that a very special part of this trip was being hosted by members of the samba. It was so special to be able to pull up to a fellow enthusiasts house and be welcomed into their family. We spent about 14 nights of this trip with fine folks. The best memories of the trip are those experiences.... Very Happy

Thank you to:
wecm31
wecm31's brother
BlueNorthWesty
Yukon Syncro
AKWesty
m brown
j_dirge

Brendan fondly remembers staying with you all, even through the emotional haze he was in....
_________________
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

dobryan · Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 1:42 pm Post subject:

Time to unpack.

I'm going to document what I took, and whether I'd do it different the next time.

*In the front luggage area I used a cargo bag for a rear hitch platform. They are the perfect size for this area and are very rugged.

I used the supplied tie downs to anchor it to the front cleats only. I used bungee cords to finish securing it. The opening was placed for access from the rear so I could easily get into it from the pop-top window area or by climbing onto the front wheel arch area. I only had to undo the short bungees at the rear cleats, the front tie downs and middle crossways bungee were always left in place...

This bag held camp seating and cooking stuff.

*I used some stiff sleeping pads for the bottom area of the bag. This held the bags shape well and also prevented things from snagging on the bag as they were removed/inserted.

This is what I had in there.

*The grill is a combination stove and grill and is awesome. Highly recommend it. I used it to cook meat and fish outside the bus and could also make a side dish at the same time.

http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-PerfectFlow-InstaStart-Grill-Stove/dp/B00EHKPH52

*2 Camp chairs. Used sparingly but glad I had them.

*Hot dog fire griller, not used but nice to bring along. No space/weight penalty.

*Bag of Fatwood for fire starting, used often...

*Griddle for large breakfast making, not used, would not bring again.

*Grill to use over a campfire, not used but nice to have and no real space/weight penalty.

All this fit into the bag with little projection over the lip of the luggage rack. This also made the front a lot quieter since it blocked the wind turbulence up there.... Very Happy

_________________
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

dobryan · Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 2:16 pm Post subject:

I also had a large cargo bag on the middle of the pop-top. I have used this bag for years to carry stuff on our annual Spring migration to Key West.

I secure the bag between the Thule bars using a 3x4 foot bungee web and a criss-cross of two sturdy bungee cords.

I also use the same stiff sleeping pads (so stiff are these that I could never stand them as sleeping pads, but they work great for this) as a base to hold the bags shape and provide a surface to load things onto.

And this is what I have in there. (The intent was to have large, bulky, but reasonably light (with one exception) stuff in there. This way I could avoid cluttering the inside of the bus.)

*Not shown, extra clothes, seasonal...

*2x4 foot plastic table, in case there was no camp table. This was never used. It was heavy and I'd not bring it again. If I needed a table I may bring the roll up aluminum one I have, but I doubt it.

*Bike helmets, great place for them.

*2 sleeping bags, yes, perfect place.

*Stool to help access the bag, necessary for this bag but not if I went with a Thule cargo box, see below...

*Clothes drying rack, never used, would not bring again. OTOH I found that the bikes on the rear rack made for an excellent clothes drying rack. Laughing

*Extra travel backpack, a residue of flying my son into Calgary to join me. Good place to store this.

*Small tackle box and collapsible rods/reels in plastic bag. Never used but was nice to have if needed.

*2 hiking poles, never used. Not sure I'd bring again.

*Rescue tracks, thankfully never used, and would bring again for peace of mind... Very Happy

* Extra ground tarp, nice to use for repairs/maintenance of the bus.

*Pop up Coleman tent. YES, this thing was excellent as a camp storage locker. Used all the time. It really does install in 30 seconds, and takes about one minute to take down (once you learn the secret decoder ring steps). Very Happy

http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-2000014781-Parent-Pop-Up-Tent/dp/B00V85DRXI

Now for a comment on the storage bag idea. It was basically a failure for this type of trip. Next time I will install a hard sided Thule box like this.

http://www.thule.com/en-us/us/products/carriers-an...-_-1688652

I've used this cargo bag for years going to Key West. But that trip has a different profile. We drive down 1300 miles in 2 days and then disgorge everything for a week long camp on the water. We then pack it all up and drive home. The bag is fine for that. It holds a lot, is flexible, and is easy to use this way. It fails as an everyday access storage area though. It is too hard to get the stuff in the back of the bag, only the stuff near the opening is accessible. For this reason I'll get something that I can open to get full access to everything. Live and learn....
_________________
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

campism · Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 3:18 pm Post subject:

Good product and packing reviews. Always good to know what works and what doesn't. Welcome home.
_________________
'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic

dobryan · Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 5:23 pm Post subject:

dobryan · Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:32 pm Post subject:

On the back hatch I used a Gary Lee rack that attached to the hatch itself, but no holes. This rack was PERFECT for my needs. I could get the spare, 5 gallons of gas, and two bikes on it. I avoided using a hitch rack for the bikes which was a big deal for me. I'd do this exactly this way again... Very Happy

The bikes are inexpensive older bikes from craigslist. They are locked onto the rack using cable locks, the front wheels are bungeed to the frames and locked on as well. Locks are to keep the casual thief from getting them. No big loss if I had to replace them.

I was able to place the bike racks this close together since the bikes were of different frame sizes and would nest together. If they were the same frames maybe I could have mounted one rack upside down and made it work....

The spare also uses a cable lock to make it harder to walk away....

I added some reflective tape to the rack and it really shows up well in headlights. The stock Vanagon rear running lights suck and the bikes were likely to be an obstruction at some angles.

I also added the GoWesty third brake light up top.

I never needed to use the extra gas. It was there in case I screwed up and missed a fill station, but in the more remote areas I never went below half a tank before I filled up. Very Happy

_________________
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


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