12th Annual Family Bus trip

[71whitewesty]

That's right, we did it again. 12 years in a row for a two week family Bus trip.
Usually we don't plan the trips but we do have a general direction of where we want to go. This year we didn't even know which way to start driving. We first thought about going towards the Grand Canyon, check out Sedona and places in between. But that just happened to be the week of the record heat wave across the west coast, more or less averaging around 110* the whole route we would take. So we're not going that way. The border is closed, so we're not going that way either. We've done the west coast countless times so that leaves us heading sorta eastward.
I had an idea of where we might spend the first night at some remote hot springs in central OR., otherwise we were making it up each day. Kinda thought about Yellowstone and Glacier Nat parks even though we've been there too, it's been several years and kids were pretty young. But on the second day my wife suggests we go to Aspen. She lived there for a few years at one point so..why not? Aspen here we come.

Kids are 12 and 15 now and I know we are nearing the end of the family Bus trips. But as long as they'll get in, we'll go. I heard several time throughout this trip that is was the best one yet, so I have hope for next year too.
I'll let the pictures do most of the talking but I'll say we went to AMAZING places everyday. The Bus is still an AMAZING vehicle to tour the country with your family. Here come the pictures. (give me a minute to load them...)
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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"

[Anchovy]

Very cool. Looking forward to the photos.

[71whitewesty]

First stop, some remote hot springs I've never heard of in Oregon.

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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"

[71whitewesty]

Second night was at some remote campground in Idaho with about 4 spots and we were the only ones there. Also a quick stop and swim at Shoshone Falls.

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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"

[71whitewesty]

We went on to Park City and no better place to check the points after a long uphill pass than Woodward Bike park. Ok, so the bike park part still needs some work but we still had fun riding there for a few hours.

After the bike park it was kind of late and we ended up camping on the side of the road right here. We slept just fine.

We also camped along this river somewhere in Utah I think. They had showers there and it was the only real shower we had on the whole trip.

Camp Aspen.

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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"

[71whitewesty]

This is going to take a day or two to get everything up so check back in. Got about 9 more days to post.
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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"

[71whitewesty]

Aspen was fun but it did rain a bit while we were there which made it great for biking conditions at the Snowmass bike park. We really had fun on their smooth flowy jump line trails.

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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"

[71whitewesty]

Headed out of Aspen after a couple days and thought we'd work our way toward Yellowstone. Along the way I pulled over to take a leak at this unmarked spot and found some cool caves, petroglyphs and rocks to climb. No one there but us.

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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"

[71whitewesty]

We stopped for a quick swim, lunch and a place to dry out the tent after the rain in Aspen.

Then as the day was coming to an end we found this neat spot, no one around and even had the BEST toilet of the whole trip.

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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"

[richparker]

Snowmass bike park is a good time! I raced the Mountain States Cup there in 07’. They routed the XC course through the park, which was good for me. Not so good for the other riders. I raced BMX for 7 years, me likes the jumps.

Thanks for sharing. We are headed out on the 30th for 9 days, woot!
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’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[Clatter]

You guys' bus trips are the best ever.

An open itinerary guarantees unique adventures.
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Bus Motor Build

What’s That Noise?!?

[crownline]

I love the picture of your daughter in the front child's cot. Looks like she doesn't want to give it up
Love these travel posts of yours.
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1972 Bus 1700 cc Single Carb. But not a progressive.
Barelymuvin
Wish I still had the ones I got rid of.

"It"s got some dings and dents and neither of us is going to SEMA."(Update, I went to SEMA in 2019 but the Bus stayed home)
[url=http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-8446.png]Click to view image[/URL]

[Manfred58sc]

Sweet!!!
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Fat chick owner/operator

[71whitewesty]

[Xevin]

I’m not going to read this thread until the directors video cut comes out in the Fall. I hate movie trailers looks like a nice teaser until then
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Keep on Busin'

[71whitewesty]

We were shooting for spending the night somewhere around the Flaming Gorge area. We made it to the campground there at dusk and was treated to a sweet sunset.
I also rolled into the campground with my generator light on. The brushes looked a bit worn after about 55k miles on them so I replaced them. The light didn't go off so I pinged both Colin and Robbie. Colin suggested cleaning the armature (right word?) anyway, I cleaned it and it has worked just fine since.

_________________
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"

[71whitewesty]

Feeling real good that the generator was working again, we headed out to who knows where. Well this spot ended up being one of my favorite all-time camping spots. An incredible flower filled valley surrounded by big granite peaks that put on an incredible sunset light show as each peak lit up at different times. Unreal. Oh and there was a hot spring at the bottom of a waterfall a short walk from our camp spot. It was incredible. I'm not going to name this one, you'll enjoy finding it on your own.

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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"

[71whitewesty]

[Abscate]

Don’t sweat the “ last trip thing”. You’ve already made the memories that will survive this timeline long after you and I are dust and ashes.

All my girls still talk about our Cape trips, and getting an email from one of the kids flying to Europe , taking a picture of our Island, is a great reminder of this

Next year , a new driver maybe?
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.ssS!

[Shonandb]

Looks like a great trip! My youngest is 15 and we can usually talk our 21 year old to join too but my oldest rarely joins. 5 + a dog in the Bus is tight!

The out of the way routes are always the best. Heading off to Salt Spring Island here in BC for a week with the bikes and canoe then off to Revelstoke at the end of the month.

Took a drive up to Whistler this past weekend and made sure we checked out a few old secluded spots to see if they were still accessible, and most of them were.

Aspen brings back a few memories from my time in Colorado. Stopped through on the way to Black Rock Canyon after the ski season in Vail. Went to check out Mounument Valley that trip too. Beautiful country down there! Great pics.
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76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
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