You dog. :-)
Courtney

scuba gear and all,
Nanaimo, BC

----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Hanson" <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, December 07, 2007 4:25 PM
Subject: Hello from the California desert.(trip report)

>  A few weeks ago I left the Grey-t Northwest for
> warmer and sunnier climes in the 84 semi-westie with
> the inline four rabbit motor.  We buzzed down US 395
> through the outback country east of the mountain ranges
> in perfect weather.  I averaged 23mpg and with a big
> load (4800 lbs GVW on a highway scale) of tools and
> cycling gear, I found myself finessing the larger
> passes.
>  No problems with anything.  I spent one night in
> Bridgeport, Ca. in a market parking lot with some
> semis, at almost 8000' of elevation, then the next day
> ride my bike up another mountain between Death Valley
> and the Owens Valley to over 10,000', dressed in just
> my bike shorts.
>  Rolled into my destination east of San Deigo, just
> east of the mountains and the fire-ravaged areas near
> Ramona..We just went through the fire zone on the way
> into the city and it's some serious devastation, but
> the locals are pretty upbeat with all, and there's
> signs everywhere on burned and unburned buildings
> saying "thanks" to all the emergency crews and
> firefighters.
>  So my Vanagon is doing double duty for a month or two
> as a rolling tool box/work truck and my part-time
> house, as well as our weekend escape vehicle.
>  As I type here in the parking lot of the Borrego
> Springs SD County library, using their Wi-Fi signal, I
> am sitting in my shorts and flip-flops rather than
> sitting under water like I hear most of the northwest
> is doing right now...Gotta love the Vanagon's capacity
> to enable one to change locations without much
> trouble....
>  ciao,
>  Don Hanson
>