Dave's Camping Trip Pics

[vwwestyman]

I decided I'd start a thread just to show random pics from quick camping trips and such.

This weekend I took my friend and his newly-adopted son camping in the Bus. We did a whole lot of hiking, a little moonlight canoeing, and of course had great camping food. I think my poor doggie got bit by a snake (we do have a few rattlesnakes here and there, and some copperheads) today while hiking but he seems like he'll be ok after a while. I had to carry him a couple times. Which is ridiculous, because he's a great dane!

Despite this, everyone had a good time-I think Jackson would still agree.

Took this pic this afternoon while relaxing after the hike. (We didn't realize it was a potential snake bite at the time, I thought he had just twisted his ankle or stepped on a sharp rock or something.) It was a picturesque view of the river that flows into the lake.

This one was late in the spring. Dave O'Brien from the Vanagon forums contacted me via the Van Alert app or an old AIRS list or something. Anyway, he was driving through the ares, so I put together a small gathering of buses at the local state park. The Van was kind of behind my Bus.

_________________
Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

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

[Stuartzickefoose]

Very cool! Bummer on the pup man, praying he recovers!

More pics!
_________________
Stuart Zickefoose

2011 Jetta Sportwagen TDi 6 speed manual

206-841-7324
[email protected]

[vwwestyman]

I guess I'll have to go on more camping and other trips to get more pics!

I just started this thread because I usually take a pic but didn't really have any other great place to share the pics.

Do have a couple planned in October, so hopefully we'll get some more pics then for sure!
_________________
Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

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

[vwwestyman]

As promised, I just got back from the first of the couple trips for October.

My friend Zach (who I went camping with in the first post of this thread) and I went to Colorado for Road Trip for Foster and Adoptive Dads (roadtripdads.com) out in Colorado. It was a sort of retreat for foster/adoptive dads, with minimal scheduled events, and lots of free time to do all sorts of activities without having to worry about the somewhat difficult kids we're taking care of for a few days, while getting to know other guys who are in similar situations.

We decided to make it an actual road trip by taking the Bus, and leaving a day early to camp in the Bus. Some of the men there thought I was kidding when I posted a pic of the bus in the associated Facebook group saying we were taking it, and to stop if they saw us on the side of the road.

Here are a few Bus related pics from the trip.

It was cold and rainy and snowy the entire drive out.

On the way up to where we eventually camped, we stopped and took a pic of the bus in one of the many cool cuts in the rocks that were made to construct the old stagecoach road.

Campsite set up Tuesday afternoon.

And Wednesday morning, with a little more snow fall.

After my coffee "worked," I needed to try out my yellow bucket.

Here's the forest service road we camped off of.

Met Samba user Taylor (not sure his screen name) from North Carolina as he attended as well.

The Bus did great on the way out and back, no issues at all. And despite not having any of the high-altitude stuff, my Espar heater performed just fine at 10,000ish feet, though I did notice it seemed to take just a little longer to finally get fired up. I think if I run it on high for a while now that I'm back down the hill, it'll be just fine.
_________________
Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

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

[Manfred58sc]

Nice trip, thanks for sharing!
_________________
Fat chick owner/operator

[Stuartzickefoose]

Awesome trip Dave! Thanks for sharing!
_________________
Stuart Zickefoose

2011 Jetta Sportwagen TDi 6 speed manual

206-841-7324
[email protected]

[richparker]

Nice Dave, winter camping!!!
_________________
__________
’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[curtp07]

How’s the dog? Great Danes are the best.
_________________
Subaru

[vwwestyman]

[dobryan]

[Justin]

Cool pics, dude. Looks like you've had some fun times.
_________________
"I am convinced that [nothing] in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
-Romans 8:38-39

[vwwestyman]

This weekend was Bustoberfest at Indian Cave State Park in Nebraska. Because it was the first VW campout I ever attended with my Bus way back in 2002, and because of the cool people I've gotten to know since, it has always been my favorite!

Once again, I was able to leave on Thursday to enjoy a little more time in the park, and towed my Thing as a runabout for the park so I could leave the bus set up. The Thing also makes a great trailer!

Loaded up and ready.

Campsite set up.

One of the events at Bustoberfest each year is the big raffle. Everyone donates a prize (VW-related knick-knack, a camping item, spare parts, gag gifts, etc) and everyone wins at least one prize. A couple years ago several people won this toilet seat, because it kept getting donated back. It ended up going to my house, so I whipped a little something up the day before as a joke.

Joke was on me, because when my friend arrived with his 9 year old son, the boy used it! (Thankfully just for a whiz, and he was able to "flush" it.) Ha ha

Jackson loves camping, too, though he got worn out.

On Saturday, the Buskatiers host trick or treating by the buses for kids in the park to come and have a little fun. Jackson played along.

We did a little exploring in of the park in the Thing, including going down a slightly-flooded road. Because why not?

As always, it was a great time!
_________________
Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

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

[Abscate]

What have you done to that poor dog ???


_________________
.ssS!

[vwwestyman]

[Hikelite]

the elusive north american zebra. Black with white stripes

Looks like fun times.
_________________
~Kevin

My 1968 Campmobile

[Tram]