On Mar 20, 2013, at 8:09 PM, Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA> wrote:

Often the romance is tempered by mechanical issues 

Being the retired bloke that I am, I spend 3 weeks to a month on the road
about every other month, sometimes more often. I get lots of interaction
with folks, stopping to ask questions, reveal their own VW van ownership
stories, and on and on. Sometimes it's hardly a hello, sometimes a 30 minute
exchange, but always cordial, fun and interesting.

To follow Alistair's ref: coming home from Moab to Salt Lake last Saturday,
I noticed a slightly RR noisy CV. It finally came completely loose while driving past the
Canyonlands Airport (15 miles N of Moab on 191). Right at the moment I decided
to turn around, go back to the airport to use their extensive tarmac to lay on under
my van for the fix, I remembered that I had put the front wheel to my mt. bike on
the luggage rack, unbridled. I pulled over, got out to look to see if it was still up
there, and it wasn't. "Oh shit, what a morning this is turning out to be."

Driving back to the airport, traveling less than 100', I spotted the wheel laying
on the centerline. Stopped and grabbed it, went to the airport. Took me 1 1/2 hrs.
to pull the axle, clean things up and put it back on, replacing 4 of the outer CV
bolts with the 20 from McGuckins in Boulder, CO that I carry w, me.

Seems that no matter how often I use a needle nose CV grease gun or tighten
CV bolts, there is always that unexpected-because-I-do-such-frequent-maintenance
surprises. That occurred at about mile 2300 on this particular trip, and the only "event"
in the last year that I recall. I sure carry a lot of tools and supplies! ;-)

Bob