Out here where it's a matter of how many are on a block as opposed
to how many do you see in a day it's a very mixed bag I fear, some
actually sneer at my beatup van, but more then a few are friendly.

Tromper
82 Dieselfant II Beat but Neat

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Steve Russell
Sent: Friday, July 18, 2003 9:47 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: A red letter day for Westy sightings in Madison/Wisconsin

I live in Nelson, British Columbia and driving through the Kootenay
Mountains everyday, one is likely to see atleast that many Westies. It's
quite remarkable. Like you, I am often disappointed by those who do not
display the "V" salute after I wave enthusiastically like a grinning idiot.
Steve - '84 Westy (Moaning Myrtle)

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeffrey Earl" <jefferrata@YAHOO.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, July 18, 2003 9:03 AM
Subject: A red letter day for Westy sightings in Madison/Wisconsin

> Owning and driving a Westy, or even a Vanagon, can
> often be a lonely enterprise. Hence my pleasant
> surprise yesterday morning when, embarking upon my
> daily 25-mile commute to work in my ivory '83 diesel
> camper, I spotted a silver-gray 80-85 Westy waiting
> across the intersection from me. When I got the green
> arrow I turned in front of him and waved in a friendly
> fashion, but there was no response beyond a dazed and
> distant stare. Despite the sheer joy of driving the
> most ingenious vehicle ever made, this fellow seemed
> to have lost all zest for life. Or perhaps he simply
> needed his morning coffee.
>
> A few minutes later, outbound on East Washington Ave.
> near Hwy 30, I met a white 80-85 Westy and this guy
> more than made up for the last sluggard, waving
> enthusiastically and grinning like a fool. He may even
> have been wagging his tail in excitement, like an
> anxious Labrador retriever going on a car ride.
>
> A half-hour later, down the road a piece in Lake
> Mills, I met a brown 86-91 Vanagon. Knowing that many
> Vanagon drivers do not feel the cultish kinship often
> shared by we Westy owners, and seeing it was driven by
> a woman, many of whom seem to be sadly lacking in the
> maniacal obsessive-compulsive Vanagon behavior
> exhibited by those of us with a Y-chromosome, I
> decided to forego the obligatory wave. So imagine my
> astonished delight when the pretty gal smiled and
> sheepishly waved!
>
> Finally, at lunchtime, there was a biege Type 2 Westy
> parked in the lot of the Lake Mills McDonald's, just
> off I-94. The engine-access lid was propped open, so
> thinking they may need roadside assistance, I tootled
> over there but no one was around. I did see a very
> large Vice-Grips pliers holding something onto the
> engine, but in retrospect I suppose there is nothing
> particularly unusual about that.
>
> Outside of a VW show, I don't think I've ever seen so
> many Westies and Vanagons in one day, not even during
> cross-country roadtrips thru several national parks.
> Did other list members experience similar sightings,
> or was it just my lucky day? Was there some larger
> cosmic alignment yesterday? If any of these fellow
> travellers was you, let me know!
>
> Jeffrey Earl
> 1983 diesel Westfalia "Vanasazi"
>
>
>
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