Welcome to our world. Glad you enjoyed your visit Stephen. Jake
----- Original Message -----
From: "Stephen Grisanti" <bike2vcu@YAHOO.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, October 17, 2005 8:28 PM
Subject: Vanspotting in Van City (as they call it) and on Vancouver Island

> Well, I found out where all the Westies live.
>
> Minutes after leaving the Vancouver B.C. airport in a
> rental car my head began swiveling and did not stop
> all week.  White Westy with a bra downtown on the way
> to the Horseshoe Bay ferry was the first.  Beautiful
> blue Syncro hardtop with bull bars on the ferry, and
> simply dozens and dozens of others all over the place.
>  I quit counting but never stopped looking.
> Interestingly, among this staggering number of
> Vanagons I never saw the telltale oil pan of a Subaru
> conversion.  And I only saw one for sale; a green '82
> diesel Westy (needs trans, and *only* $4200, if you
> can believe it--call 204-952-2030) near the Victoria
> inner harbor.
>
> Some highlights: silver Syncro Westy on Fort St. in
> Victoria; slammed cream microbus panel with safari
> windows in Parkesville; several bay high-tops and one
> Vanagon high-top; a yard in Chemainus featuring
> several bays and another microbus panel; a yard with
> several Vanagons near the observatory in Saanich.
>
> Also, it being Canada there were VW variations we
> never see in the States: Eurovan Doka work truck
> parked near my hotel; a white Vanagon Doka with green
> tarp heading for the Tsawassen ferry; a German-tagged
> EV conversion by Robex, smaller and less garish than a
> Rialta (saw those, too) and featuring TDI and 5-speed
> manual.
>
> Another curious observation is the sheer number of
> '70s full-size American vans (mostly Dodge and Chevy,
> a few Ford) with high-top conversions of the Coachman
> type (self-contained, Class B, I think they're
> called).  Most were in fair-to-good condition, and a
> few rusted beyond belief.  Continuing in the non-VW
> vein, there were lots of the early Toyota vans
> including a high-top Get Away Van conversion.  And I
> spotted a couple of '89-90 Dodge Caravan Turbos.
>
> Also interestingly, and as I noticed during a Colorado
> trip a few years back, it seems like every other house
> has a camper/trailer/RV of some sort in the drive.  I
> guess if you live in a beautiful place like that, you
> feel compelled to buy a camper of some sort so you can
> get out and enjoy it more.  I certainly would.
>
> Stephen
>
>
>
>
>
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