Bus Therapy

[Xevin]

How many people just jump in the bus to relax and free the mind?

My bus is not a daily driver. Although I do drive 1000s of miles a year in it. (Never more then the agreed upon insurance miles ) I use my bus for camping and running around in my free time. But a lot of times I run it just for "Bus therapy." Doesn't matter if it's a shit day or a great day.
There's just something about driving an air cooled bus that frees my mind. It's an escape. The senses come alive. You got that 40 year old ACVW smell, the various sounds, funky shift pattern, oil to check, mileage to track, occasional wave from others, and etc. Some might find that stressful. But to me it distracts my mind from the day to day routine of life. Sure, I'm happy in rush hour traffic driving my automatic Subaru that I don't car gets a ding. But it's such a release to jump in the bus and wander without purpose.

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Keep on Busin'

[notchboy]

Are you having a moment?
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[Globespotter]

Totally agree, and I'm sure most of us here would.

This is the most frustrating time for me up in the Great White North, waiting for Spring when I can drive my Bus again.

For now, I just go in the garage and look at it, sit in it and start it up once in a while....
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1977 Westfalia - October 2015 - Current
1971 Super Beetle - May 2012 - Current
1979 Westfalia - 1986-1991
1971 Super Beetle - 1977-1980

1971 SB Survivor Story: https://globespotter.com/
Road Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=511800&highlight=
My 77 Westy Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647114&highlight=

http://vw-mplate.com/mcode.php?lang=EN&id=30990
https://vw-type2-id.xyz/mplate/72067382

[ewdb92]

Salt came to our VA roads early this year so I've missed out on the normal Dec/Jan trips. I've been itching to get behind the wheel again and this week is supposed to hit the 60's and be sunny

Yes, any time spent in a bus (or under) helps put everything in perspective.
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Erik
71 Camper
http://zerotosixtyeventually.wordpress.com/

[Marleybus]

Agreed, Up here in Central Ontario Canada. most people wait for spring , I wait until that day I put my insurance back on Pokey.
I wait for those long drives with the wife on a Sunday afternoon down the back roads and listen to a bygone era of music. Mostly 70's stuff. There is nowhere on earth I would rather be. I often feel like the rest of the world is missing out on something I found and get to enjoy everytime I get in that front seat.

Yes it is very difficult to describe but very easy to enjoy.

My boy Luke also has the bug. This is him on Pokey at the base of the Woodstock hill in Bethel NY

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1972 VW Westy (Hit by dumptruck)
1963 VW Beetle (RIP)
1974 VW Beetle (RIP)
1981 Vanagon Westfalia (Sold)
1969 VW Beetle Convertible (Wifes)
1977 VW Westy 2.0L FI Chrome Yellow
1978 VW Westy 2.0L FI (Under Restoration)
1973 VW Westy 1.7L Tourist Delivery Orange
Check out my thread!!http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=556709

[cmonSTART]

This is actually the first Winter I've taken my Bus off the road. I'm doing so much bodywork underneath I can't stand the thought of driving it in the salt. I've had it out once or twice (today included) when the roads are clear and dry, but Bus time is limited to me working on it mostly.

Good decision I think though, salt eats cars and like someone's quote here says, rust never sleeps.
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'78 Bus 2.0FI
de K1IGS

[babysnakes]

You mean Bus pilot therapy. I'll tell the wife a few days before and then I'll just take off for the day. Not so much recently as my bus needs some therapy in the form of ball joints and steering box adjustment. Got to install the new to me turn signal switch also.

[mark d]

great photos. i get what your saying as i suppose most here would
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1972ish westfalia

"what good are tractors without violins ?" jose figueres

[notchboy]

[Spike0180]

[71whitewesty]

My busses have been fast asleep for over two months now. We have so much snow here this year that I've been driving the F-250 berm basher instead.
I think I'll go out this evening and pay them both a visit.
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71 Westy 1600 DP, all stock Bus 1
1970's Snow Trac 1600 SP (sold 12/2016)
1968 Tucker sno cat, sold 2021
1969 Tucker Sno cat 542
2017 VW Alltrac
71 tin top stock 1600 DP (project but runs)
Twin 71 White Westy, Bus 2, that I pulled from a 15 year slumber in a dry eastern WA field in 2015.
1966 Sundial Camper "Boomer"

[jtauxe]

Yeah, I like driving them for a break. I have situation where I really drive very little -- everything for me, including work, is within walking distance, and I can go a couple of weeks or more without having to get in a car. While I love that, I sometimes get a hankering to just go out for a drive. So, I' take one of the Type 2s and hit the loop that goes around the county, past a National Monument, and into some nice relaxing countryside with fun roads. Very therapeutic, indeed!
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John
"Travelling in a fried-out Kombi, on a hippie trail, head full of zombie..." - Colin Hay and Ron Strykert
http://vw.tauxe.net
1969 Transporter, 1971 Westfalia, 1976, 1977, 1976, 1977, 1971, 1973, 1977 Westfalias,
1979 Champagne Sunroof, 1974 Westfalia Automatic, 1979 Transporter, 1972 Sportsmobile, 1973 Transporter Wild Westerner, 1974 Westfalia parts bus, 1975 Mexican single cab *FOR SALE*, 1978 Irish 4-door double cab RHD

[airschooled]

[vwwestyman]

I've been a foster parent for a few years now. I sometimes refer to the Westy as the "Fortress of Solitude."

I had a kid for a while that was particularly overwhelming at times and loved to try to reel me in on arguments. He really knew how to push my buttons!

So frequently I'd just tell him I was done arguing with him and go out and sit on the "couch" in the back of the Bus.

It has also been a great place to get away if I need to make a phone call and need some privacy, and I can still monitor what is going on in the house as needed.

I do on occasion also just go for a drive in one of the buses as a way to decompress from home or work stress, and I usually view a chance to work on something on one of the old VWs as a stress reliever. At least when it is a planned improvement type project, vs a sudden repair!
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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[zoobum]

I'm really glad I got to read this because it lets me see the other side of enjoying the bus and to seize every moment of the bus as therapeutic.
I mostly get stressed driving anywhere with this crazy traffic (anytime of the day) & shitty neighbors that just gaulk and have said negative things on some occasions when I'm literally reparking.

But, thinking back at times, I get this feeling when I jump in, close the door and sit for a moment, it's like I've closed off the world. It is truly a great feeling and I sometimes go down memory lane and look back at all the road/camp trips and laugh, and think can't wait to do it again. Then I put the key in the ignition and feel the rushed aticapation before I start and vroom it's started, pop in first and off again remembering the rush just as the last time.

It Is truly great and now going to have more therapy sessions with the bus.

**disclaimer** yes this is a super early post, I'm a little sick and can't sleep!
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-Zach
1979 CA Riviera 2.0L FI

[HelmutofBuffalo]

Even when snowbound here in Buffalo there are opportunities to use my Bus for therapy

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1979 Type I Convertible

[KentABQ]

Since my bus isn't running yet, my bus therapy occurs while seated on the couch.

I find reading the numerous and varied threads in The Samba to be entertaining, enlightening and relaxing. With close to 1500 pages of threads just in the Bay forum alone, there is enough information to keep me busy for many more months. Occasionally, I'll just pick a random number between 1 and 1494 and read the posts that pop up on that page of threads.

This past week, I wanted to remove the firewall between the fuel tank and engine. While it sounds easy enough, I removed all the screws and it was still stuck. After reading the instructions in Bentley and Haynes, still no luck. But an old posting showed four additional screws accessed from underneath that have to be removed. Voilà! Okay, mine was missing two of those screws, but it allowed me to remove the firewall and see my tank for the first time.

Had it not been for The Samba, I may have damaged the firewall trying to pry it out, thinking it was wedged in there. And that's just one of numerous situations I've been able to resolve by doing a Samba search. If there had been The Samba (and a little invention called the Internet) when I had my '71 Campmobile, I may still have it today!

As an aside... I cancelled DishTV this past May, which has been great at allowing me to focus the time available on getting the bus running. And NOT seeing all the campaign commercials was a HUGE bonus!
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-Kent-
1976 Riviera, 1.8l FI chrome yellow VAN - "Chloe"

"I must say, how can you be in a bad mood driving this vehicle full of vibrant color.
Cars of today are so bland in comparison. It's like driving a celebration!" ---WildIdea

Bus ownership via emoticons:
---williamM

[Xevin]

[chabanais]

I can drive mine year round, if I want.

I do enjoy driving but can only really relax when I'm outside of the city where it is less crowded... when I'm on my way to camp or have lunch at a secluded spot away from most people.
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"I spud therefore I yam."

[vwible]

Solo drives to the Jersey Shore is my therapy...

Back roads
River inlets to ocean
Lighthouses
Boardwalks
Back bay views
Fresh water lakes
Pine Barrens
with plenty of stops in between.

Lots of places within my 100 mile AAA towing limit!!!
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1970 Tin Top Walk Through Bus