Sadly only 15-20% of the 2 lane hwys around here  have the slow lanes,
thats why I'm going AAZ!

Velma 82 na diesel westy
On Jun 7, 2013 10:32 AM, "Donna Skarloken" <dskarloken@gmail.com> wrote:

> Like Dennis I grew up with air-cooled VWs.  I learned to drive stick on an
> old bug of my brother's, then took my driving test in a 78 diesel Rabbit.
>  I guess I am just used to not going all that fast.  My 87 2wd keeps up
> with traffic nicely except on hills.  Then I move to the right and just try
> to stay out of the way.  Much of my driving practice was in the very steep
> Sierra Nevada mountains of California.  When I had a 82 tintop Diesel
> vanagon we would go to Reno from the Bay Area on a regular basis.  Talk
> about slow pulling the grades!  I would stay in the truck lanes and move
> out of the way back into the car slow lane when a truck came up behind me.
>  The truck drivers would usually wave; unbelievable that I was slower than
> some of the fully loaded guys!
>
> Our 87 Syncro seems slower than my 2wd (now my son's daily driver).  That
> is likely in part because my husband put the BFG 15" off road tires on it.
>  But our work schedules are so crazy now I don't go to the Sierras or
> anywhere else where I have to pull much of a grade so I just don't worry
> about it.  I'll admit that I am not too comfortable sometimes in the slow
> lane when people come up behind me fast as happens frequently in the very
> urbanized area where I live.  People drive fast and have limited patience
> around here (SF Bay Area).
>
> Donna, 87 syncro
>
>
> > I
> > On Jun 7, 2013 8:56 AM, "Dennis Haynes" <d23haynes57@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Many of us work not only full time but often very demanding jobs. Then
> some
> >> of us even have family and side line obligations. While I enjoy
> traveling,
> >> especially the driving and sightseeing part there are times I/we simply
> >> have
> >> to get there. Just last week I went to Busses By Natural Bridge. This
> was a
> >> 470 mile trip each way. I has a challenge getting the Friday off. Once
> past
> >> NY traffic I needed to "make tracks' to get down there and enjoy the
> >> weekend. Generally I stay right and middle lanes and keep up with
> traffic.
> >> Most of the trip was done at 65-75 mph. With my need for frequent stops
> and
> >> a shopping diversion it was still almost 10 hours. There were a few
> hills
> >> that slowed my down to 60 or so and I still felt that I was in someone's
> >> way.  I find this stressful.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> I grew up with Busses and Bugs. I learned to drive and took my road
> test in
> >> a 67 splittie. I had a few bays. When we got our first Vanagon, an 84
> with
> >> the 1.9L, it was like oh my gosh, I can go as fast as I need in
> comfort! I
> >> can even stop and steer (not aim) it.  I never looked back. Back in
> those
> >> days we had the 55 mph speed limit and the early Vanagons especially the
> >> Diesels were designed around that limit. For some those vehicles are
> fine
> >> but the lack of power is probably the main reason these never really
> sold.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> For many reasons I really like the Vanagon. For a van type vehicle
> there is
> >> nothing that offers some level of modern performance that is so
> >> serviceable.
> >> Yes, serviceable. What other van type vehicle can have the complete
> drive
> >> line removed in your front yard without a hoist or exotic equipment?
> Know
> >> how to use a multi meter and a pressure gauge and you can fix anything
> that
> >> happens. How about that almost bullet proof suspension? Just look at the
> >> number of people that get into these things having no repair experience
> >> later becoming fully self-sufficient. Sure they have some quirks and
> some
> >> parts are expensive but overall how many other vehicles 25 years and
> older
> >> with hundreds of thousands of miles get pushed into service for cross
> >> country trips and living space?
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> However after all that is said if they couldn't travel at normal speeds
> I
> >> probably wouldn't own them.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Dennis
> >>
>