I was breathlessly anticipating the chance to recount tales of our family
sojourn from Missouri to Utah by way of Chicago when I came across Russ
Gilbert's post,( The travails of a VW vanagon towing a motor home).  My hat
is off Russ! yours makes ours sound like a walk in the park!  for the
record we put 35k miles on our '91 GL in ten days, the return rout was via
US70 over Loveland pass, never lugging below 50mph, I just dropped the
automatic down into secound and kept the rpms up around 4000. Driving at
night helped keep her cool, but this Vanagon never overheats even in 105
degree Utah Desert heat AC on, 75/80mph. all day long. I mean the needle
rarely budges from it's comfort zone at the lower edge of the warning light
and never goes above the center of the light. In addition to the
Continental Divide, out trip included several runs over Bald Mountain Pass
in the high Uinta's in Northeastern Utah, @1200ft.elevation. Our payload
was light by Gilbert standards, just three people, our luggage and camping
gear oh, and some paintings, but I'm still proud of "Reliable Red"  I'm
just glad I'm not the guy Russ spotted towing that humoungus trailer, I
expect he will be paying for his folly sooner or later. Vanagon spotting
during our trip was disapointingly sparce however we did see quite a few
Eurobagos and one really classy, (almost brand new) looking white Westy
with electric blue window shades heading East on 70 outside
Glenwood Springs. ........A List member maybe??