Glad to hear Tom and his wife had a good trouble free trip.  Interesting report.

I was just on a Vanagon trip to Spruce Knob in WV, was covered with dust and dirt from 20 miles of gravel road, and was filling up at a gas station there when I spotted a red 87 Vanagon also covered with WV dirt.  It had been doing the Dolly Sods area.

He and his wife were from Norther Va, and I was from Rockville Md.  After talking a bit he asked if I knew of this couple in Takoma Park who had Vanagon get togethers.

Small world.  Turns out we had both been to your Holiday parties, although we had been at different times, and had not recognized each other.

Both vans were running fine in the mountains.  10% grades in some places slowed me to 45 MPH uphill with pedal to the floor, but no sign of overheating.

Ed in Rockville, Md