Hello all,
  Death Valley is a nice place to visit but I wouldn't
want to live there. There was quite a turnout for the
latest vanagon@lenti bash in the California desert.

  I arrived at Panamint Springs Resort around 3:pm and
found one vanagon in the campground - this is the place.
More and more transporteers trickled in as sunset fell
and the moon rose.  There were cold drafts at the resort's
bar and grill.
  Our thirsts temporarily quenched, we set about gathering
the 'wagens in a circle and starting the customary bonfire.
We chose a campsite at the far end so as not to disturb
the 5th wheel travel trailer set.  Despite our best effort
one unhappy camper, without pants, did complain.
  In the morning, we split up for the day's adventures.
One group biked to an oasis with a waterfall and duck.
I wanted to get into Death Valley so over the Towne Pass
and into Stovepipe Wells.  There's huge dune fields and
erosion on the mountains.  It's below sea level along the
bottom of this valley and it seems barren and dead.  If you
are still and quiet, you notice life surrounds you.
  Further north was Scotty's Castle and the Ubehebe Crater.
On the way there were a few split window busses, a beetle
and two Things in tow behind motorhomes.  VWs abound here.
  The fuel at Stovepipe Wells was about $1.50/gallon, so
I decided to fill up on the way back to Panamint Spr.  Out
of the blue Bradley and David show up and are ready for
an off-road adventure.  We cruised up a dirt road to Mosaic
Canyon for a looksee.  We spotted a blue Vanagon westy, its
drivers were from Heidelburg.  It was a rental out of L.A.
with a Jetta motor installed.  On the way back to Panamint
David led us to a reverse osmosis water system.  Quite a
little jaunt and then were back on a road again.
  Al's real (no beans) chili was excellent.  As I found out
there was a chili cook-off competition the week prior.  Mark
this one on your calendars for next year. (I think Al's got
a winner.)  The customary magnesium melt-down followed.  To
my knowledge noone without pants complained.
  On the trip home Brad, Martha, David and I formed a convoy
through the TronaZone.  As you approach Searles Lake there
are a few borax and chemical processing plants.  It stinks
a little like sulfur in these parts.  We took a little side
trip to Ridgecrest, then said our goodbyes.  Some went north,
some went south.
  David and I stopped at a new Ecology auto wrecking yard.
There was a very devastated orange '74 westy. I suppose that
it had been rolled.  I pulled a few bits to fix my broken 
side mirror and drove like a saint the rest of the way home.
  I got about 19 miles/gallon throughout the trip which was
mostly highway cruising.  Some of the hills in the valleys
took me into 3rd gear but mostly freeway flying.

Jack  '73 Westfalia (orange)
Costa Mesa, CA