Hi Volks,

Last week I went from Sacramento CA to Ashland Or.  Very cultural but what's
important is that I average over 20 MPG [US] and got 22.5 on one stretch,
with a following wind and tailgating a big truck.  Hot darn!

Then I went over to the coast and drove back through what is called 'the
lost coast.'  Stretch of California's coast between Leggett and Eureka,
basically.  Has no through roads.  Very steep, winding local road.  Neat
place.  Lots of people live there who don't want/need company.  Many of
them, reportedly, grow dope.

Van handled pretty well, although my air spring bags were half broken.  So I
put the operating one on the left side [heavy sagging side].  Many places I
had to go into first gear, either to get up or to come down with some brakes
left.  Smelled my brakes for the first time.  Not a good smell in any sense.

If anyone would like to make a trip up into there sometime I'd be willing to
try to whole thing, take a couple of days.  Winter might be much tougher.

Van seems OK.  Almost new Kirkland tires [thanks to someone on the list],
new brakes [thanks to my friend, Tom] lots of squeaks and moans but it made
it and got 18.6 mpg through the windy road section.

Mike