IAC Traverses New Mexico to California

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Amskeptic
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IAC Traverses New Mexico to California

Post by Amskeptic » Tue Jun 05, 2018 10:25 am

Years ago, I wrote this. I remember that amazing steak like it was yesterday.
August 14, 2015
After a thoroughly enjoyable visit with wcfvw69, loaded up like a lion after a nice meal of ox, I camped here.

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So when wcfvw69 tossed an invitation my way this year, do you suppose I detoured from Los Alamos to Phoenix to load up again, "like a python who managed to swallow a calf" as I put it in a PM? You bet. We also got to test my distributor on his nifty distributor tester, and I got to drive his 1776cc Type 1 bus. Then I swallowed the calf. It was a very philosophical gorge. Politics, religion, meaning of life, distributor advance, child-rearing, emissions standards and CHTs, beer, I enjoyed our visit and slithered off to digest in the desert:

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I was so loaded down with prey that I had to pop the top. No way I could fold up in my usual piteous homeless curl on the back seat. It was pretty good up there, a nice cross-flow through the open screens. I missed the dawn shot by only a minute:

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Took a moment to consider the essential vehicle lurking under the Westfalia accoutrement. It is a VW bus, saddled with silly curtains and sinks and a big fiberglass lid:

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But this VW Bus has taken well to its lot. These Westfalia-equipped VWs drive just like any other VW bus, and I hardly suffer the initial pangs of pity I used to feel as I hit dirt paths and rocky ascents. They just do it:

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After my morning ablutions, I attacked the stupid cheap foam armrests that curl away from the door panels:

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Dremelled the plastic nuts to recess them a tad, and dremelled the arm rests themselves:

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What a glorious new secure fitment was mine to enjoy . . . not:

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Phuckett, let's go to San Diego:

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Take the center path here, if you want to visit me after the apocalypse (coming soon to a nation near you).
Bring your own water/beer and a goat or a chicken:

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It got hot pretty quick, and the CHTs went right on up to 445*at 60 mph. This will not do. Pulled off and retarded the timing 4* to a max of 24* BTDC. That helped enormously. Suddenly, I was no more than 423* at full throttle indefinitely, with a drop down to the low 400*s as soon as any hill climb occurred:

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Stopped by in Yuma AZ at the Offroad Buggy Supply shop where I bought the wide differential side seals for Chloe's original transaxle in October 2011. Bought four more. They still know me there, somehow. Maybe because I still launch into diatribes about the EMPI crap festooned on the walls . . . :blackeye:
California happens a mile west of Yuma.

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Realized with remorse, that my entire 2018 Itinerary Southwest Desert Experience is just yesterday and today:

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Here's a quick shot along the aquaduct alongside the Imperial Dunes.

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Met a pile of five young kids in a rental Nissan SUV here. They were stuck just off to the left. I offered the floor mat and desert detritus method of extrication. Dumb driver! Kept smashing the accelerator and spraying us and digging the Nissan further down. When the undercarriage contacted the sand, I gave up helping them.
Seriously folks, Finesse Still Has A Place.
Watched him "smart phone it in" to a tow outfit. Oh well, kid, my engine's in the rear. Delicately drove off on the exact same sandy path as they were stuck in . . . "Remember to hydrate, kids! See ya." (I love my old Volkswagen):

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Imagine the distress upon viewing this Chevron price list with my newly richened mixture , I am barely getting 13-14 mpg AND we have road signs promising "high winds today":

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God didn't like my cavalier attitude. The headwinds were trying to blow me back to Arizona. One gust was so damn fierce that it blew my left wiper blade off the arm. Broke the little cheap plastic springy retainer snap clean off. I had to stop and paper clip it to the arm, in the pepperysandy wind on the hot day with the $4.59/gallon gas:

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Approached the weird and wonderful landscape that portends the grueling 4,000 foot climb east of San Diego:

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It was slow going with the wind. But it was so beautiful that I did not mind:

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There is the Imperial Valley (?) from whence I came coming into view as the road winds up to the Tecate Summit:

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Good bye desert. I hardly got to say hi. I was freezing by the time I got into San Diego's big interchange with I-8 and I-805, freezing! Jumped into Southern California Drive Like You Mean It mode, and we strafed the available 6 lanes. Camped/collapsed into unconsciousness somewhere near my morning's appointment at xyzzy's. Thank-you, NaranjaWesty, for your aplomb. Look at that, the Pacific Ocean:

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BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

Boxcar
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Re: IAC Traverses New Mexico to California

Post by Boxcar » Thu Jun 07, 2018 3:33 am

Dremeling in the desert...

We have an inverter?
1975 003 Auto Westy L90D

repair!!!!aug2015
Jan/16 Bumped mixture a few notches richer. finally developing HP.


1.8L/LJet/Pertron DVDA+PertronixCompufire 42/36Ham Heads/AA 93mm pistons/barrels.Porsc.Swiv.Adjusters/CromoSteel pushrds/ Web 9550Cam/55cc chmbr.,035 squish,8.6:1CR/German Supply VWCanadaReman Rods/Schadek 26mmPump/vdo dualOP8/10#low sender/Quart Deep Sump
Backdate Htr bxs,reflanged 914 4into1. Two and three eighths inch collector,magniflow*muffler

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Amskeptic
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Re: IAC Traverses New Mexico to California

Post by Amskeptic » Thu Jun 07, 2018 5:54 pm

Boxcar wrote:
Thu Jun 07, 2018 3:33 am
Dremeling in the desert...

We have an inverter?

So what did you think of the pretty pictures? What did you think of the $4.59/gal gas? How did you like the Pacific Ocean visible past the intersection? Do you recommend I never shoot another picture through Blu-Bockers?
Colin
(yes, I have an inverter)
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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sped372
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Location: Waunakee, WI
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Re: IAC Traverses New Mexico to California

Post by sped372 » Fri Jun 08, 2018 4:50 am

Still surprised you don't sleep up top more often. The upstairs is just one of those distinctly "VW camper" conveniences/experiences that you can't reproduce.
1971 Karmann Ghia - 1600 DP
1984 Westfalia - 1.9 WBX

Boxcar
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Re: IAC Traverses New Mexico to California

Post by Boxcar » Sat Jun 09, 2018 8:22 am

Amskeptic wrote:
Thu Jun 07, 2018 5:54 pm
Boxcar wrote:
Thu Jun 07, 2018 3:33 am
Dremeling in the desert...

We have an inverter?

So what did you think of the pretty pictures? What did you think of the $4.59/gal gas? How did you like the Pacific Ocean visible past the intersection? Do you recommend I never shoot another picture through Blu-Bockers?
Colin
(yes, I have an inverter)
DATA puhlese. Please splain more about your inverter. It has attributes you can crow about?yes?
Brand/Model and the like? Kind Sir? Yeah?Hello?
Your pictures are always pleasing,deathdefying,vexing in just the perfect vexharmonic. Yes,vexharmonic...ironic and well itinerant.
I have disturbed many a tranquil moment a wondering how you rigged your pitchertaker and laptop..Yes I have the camera with a phone in it...but I have also little Canon Elph,which i finally am poised to pair to my brandie new used COPTOP, bombproof Panasonic Laptop (the local car computer SportUltinerant geek had a freekin field of 'em in the back of his TAHOE fatform...nuff said said I.
But yeah,fuel stickershock? Average it out dood.
Then plug in the local rate per beautiful zip code...
My fuel came in up to 4.75 gallon sips as I was on Das Boxer BMW mc.Wearing out YET another Getrag M97 transmission was I......I know offtopic.Winds when I was out seemed out of the south,and or west,with fine gusts,making 90 on my GS seem like 130...yeah dems were loooongass days,french you know.
Yeah blue blockers are um beautiful in the eye of the holder...I likem,but yeah its like living in photoshop....rung what yabrung YO!
Your Pal,BoxcarPanamerica
1975 003 Auto Westy L90D

repair!!!!aug2015
Jan/16 Bumped mixture a few notches richer. finally developing HP.


1.8L/LJet/Pertron DVDA+PertronixCompufire 42/36Ham Heads/AA 93mm pistons/barrels.Porsc.Swiv.Adjusters/CromoSteel pushrds/ Web 9550Cam/55cc chmbr.,035 squish,8.6:1CR/German Supply VWCanadaReman Rods/Schadek 26mmPump/vdo dualOP8/10#low sender/Quart Deep Sump
Backdate Htr bxs,reflanged 914 4into1. Two and three eighths inch collector,magniflow*muffler

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Amskeptic
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Re: IAC Traverses New Mexico to California

Post by Amskeptic » Sun Jun 10, 2018 7:34 am

Boxcar wrote:
Sat Jun 09, 2018 8:22 am

DATA puhlese. Please splain more about your inverter.

It is a $59.99 Walmart-issue 750 watt, Dremel driver primarily. It can alligator on the battery terminals if I am working in the back, and it can cigarette lighter in the front.
There's your data.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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asiab3
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Re: IAC Traverses New Mexico to California

Post by asiab3 » Sun Jun 10, 2018 7:49 am

I get a distinct "Fear and Loathing" vibe from the blue blocker pictures, though I am guilty of shooting through my brown polarized glasses myself… Naranja probably makes for a better desert-strafing machine than most convertibles anyway…

Robbie
1969 bus, "Buddy."
145k miles with me.
322k miles on Earth.

Boxcar
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Re: IAC Traverses New Mexico to California

Post by Boxcar » Mon Jun 11, 2018 10:51 am

asiab3 wrote:
Sun Jun 10, 2018 7:49 am
I get a distinct "Fear and Loathing" vibe from the blue blocker pictures, though I am guilty of shooting through my brown polarized glasses myself… Naranja probably makes for a better desert-strafing machine than most convertibles anyway…

Robbie
Good call on the BlueBlocker frame of mind Robbie.

I likes your roadblog too,you touch on alot of good stuff there!

Yours truly,
Enricardo/Boxcar/Eric yes all of mees.
1975 003 Auto Westy L90D

repair!!!!aug2015
Jan/16 Bumped mixture a few notches richer. finally developing HP.


1.8L/LJet/Pertron DVDA+PertronixCompufire 42/36Ham Heads/AA 93mm pistons/barrels.Porsc.Swiv.Adjusters/CromoSteel pushrds/ Web 9550Cam/55cc chmbr.,035 squish,8.6:1CR/German Supply VWCanadaReman Rods/Schadek 26mmPump/vdo dualOP8/10#low sender/Quart Deep Sump
Backdate Htr bxs,reflanged 914 4into1. Two and three eighths inch collector,magniflow*muffler

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jtauxe
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Re: IAC Traverses New Mexico to California

Post by jtauxe » Wed Jun 13, 2018 12:54 pm

I offer this for perspective on fuel prices:

I just returned from a (most excellent) trip to Iceland with the family, and diesel there is about $10/gallon (~ISK 275/liter). We burned a bunch in a (cough cough) Peugeot Traveller minivan. What a colossal piece of crap that van is!

We've got cheap fuel here in 'merica.
John
"The bus came by and I got on. That's when it all began..." - Garcia/Weir/Kreutzman
http://vw.tauxe.net

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tommu
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Re: IAC Traverses New Mexico to California

Post by tommu » Wed Jun 13, 2018 1:35 pm

$6.51 a gallon in the UK.

jackstar
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Re: IAC Traverses New Mexico to California

Post by jackstar » Wed Jun 13, 2018 3:11 pm

But see, no one cares about those other places because they are not 'Mericans damn it!!
I am nominating Kim un Jenga for the NoBell Piece Prize. Who's with me? Let's go!!

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Amskeptic
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Re: IAC Traverses New Mexico to California

Post by Amskeptic » Wed Jun 13, 2018 10:20 pm

jackstar wrote:
Wed Jun 13, 2018 3:11 pm
But see, no one cares about those other places because they are not 'Mericans damn it!!
I am nominating Kim un Jenga for the NoBell Piece Prize. Who's with me? Let's go!!

I would happily pay $4.00 gallon for the rest of my days, if the money made it to road infrastructure without a detour into the pockets of grifters, cheats, and scoundrels. After Michigan and Louisiana, I do not besmirch California's high gas prices when I enjoy its top-notch road engineering (except for rural secondary roads that are getting ever more badly cracked and sun-damaged).

Who gets the NoBull Prised from the current clown show?
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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Re: IAC Traverses New Mexico to California

Post by Curtp07 » Wed Jun 13, 2018 10:33 pm

Love the pictures.

I can’t imagine what you spend on gas.

Right now I’m burning about 10 TONS per hour..glad I don’t pay for the fuel :)

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Amskeptic
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Re: IAC Traverses New Mexico to California

Post by Amskeptic » Thu Jun 14, 2018 9:35 pm

Curtp07 wrote:
Wed Jun 13, 2018 10:33 pm
Right now I’m burning about 10 TONS per hour..glad I don’t pay for the fuel :)

He's not kidding folks. He is burning ten tons an hour.
No, seriously.
Colin :cyclopsani:
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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SlowLane
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Re: IAC Traverses New Mexico to California

Post by SlowLane » Thu Jun 14, 2018 9:56 pm

tommu wrote:
Wed Jun 13, 2018 1:35 pm
$6.51 a gallon in the UK.
Imperial gallons?

Gas is $1.49 (CDN)/litre in Canada, from whence I have just returned piloting a U-Haul E-450 down the interminable I-5 highway. Whenever I make a trip like this, I marvel once again at Colin's perverse perseverance in doing these circuits. I'm pretty much done with driving after 4 consecutive hours.
'81 Canadian Westfalia (2.0L, manual), now Californiated

"They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance."
- Terry Pratchett

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