as one who drove a '68 bus for about a half-million miles and, a
  couple decades later and to the present, an '82 westy, i've always
  looked on the experience as kinda like sailing. even as you've got to
  tack your boat occasionally, you will be crawling up a hill sometimes in
  your vdub, floorboarded in third and maybe even in second, and pulling
  over occasionally to let the lamborghinis & rolls-smackhard V8s get
  past, with a wave and a nod (if you're really cool). its jes the nature
  of the beast, and not for everyone. chrs, art