Itinerant Air-Cooled

I am driving I-75 southbound, only 450 miles north of a 47-car pile-up on the same road, reported yesterday outside of Sarasota was it?

I am in the BobD. How very strange it is to compare these two cars, Chloe and the BobD. For the first several hours of driving a fresh tight immaculate new VW bus with its absolutely fierce dainty tippy-toe brakes, I missed the old one! Why? Do I long for slow going, shrieky generators, and diffident drum brakes?

This is the magic of old Volkswagens, they draw you in to their work and make you loyal to their honest if blazeless performance. Chloe seized me with admiration for having just done the whole country so effortlessly slyly slowly.

I am in Starbucks whose music is driving me distracted:



My project list thus far is pathetic, I guess Chloe threw such substantial needs my way that I don't know what to do with this car. So far,
Gummiflege the rubber window/door seals and ball joint/tie rod/CV boots
Wash the windows
Clean the shocks and insides of the wheels
That's it. But, I have had some wonderful experiences with this car too, and my memories of our adventures are trickling back in after the Chloe Interlude.

I have had such a better itinerary experience than my paltry post-count would suggest. I have enjoyed meeting a bunch of new people and what do you say when some of your old customers have known you for a third of their lives now, and an entire fifth of mine? That this business has legs? This is very very cool. I am having a gratitude attack today.

I may even have time to fill you in on some prior visits since this car seems to want for nothing. Back to the southbound journey, to the warmth, to the sun.
Colin

Just keep on going south until you come to Suriname. Its still the middle of Summer here and will be until January.
I am here, working and have lots of good coffee.

Colin, I know a little bit about Cloe after meeting her this year. Can you fill us "newbies" in a bit about BobD?

Stan

The BobD is a I think 78 bus Colin bought from a former member here. It was ridiculously low mileage, and very original and Colin just had to have it, he gave a large pile of greenbacks for it. (Most if not all of his savings) He then proceeded to take it on a IAC tour last summer and put like 20K miles on it, I think more than doubling its mileage. I was astonished that he did so. But he had little choice as his original bus was totaled by someone not paying proper attention to the task of driving. This is the short versoin. Colin agonized online here for what seems like months over the decision to buy BobD.

Amskeptic wrote:Colin

Since you have so much time between the stops, why don't you post some pictures along the way of what you see in Florida. The pan handle of Florida is a favorite of mine.

Sylvester wrote:
Since you have so much time between the stops, why don't you post some pictures along the way of what you see in Florida. The pan handle of Florida is a favorite of mine.

Dont ruin it sylvester, I was looking forward to pics of every starbucks from here to miami.

Have a good trip colin

zabo wrote:Dont ruin it sylvester, I was looking forward to pics of every starbucks from here to miami.

Have a good trip colin

You don't want to see pictures of the BobD engine stripped down on a crystal white beach with turquoise waters and girls in bikini's in the background?

retro1302 wrote:Colin, I know a little bit about Cloe after meeting her this year. Can you fill us "newbies" in a bit about BobD?

Stan

viewtopic.php?f=57&t=7306

Other stories in the 2009 Itinerary . . . lots of disassembly silliness in the technical forums. If you see green/white, it is the BobD, now almost 87,000 miles and driving . . . perfectly.
Don't worry Chloe, that does not affect my loyalty to your ass-kicking asphyxiating ways.
Colin

Amskeptic wrote:

retro1302 wrote:Don't worry Chloe, that does not affect my loyalty to your ass-kicking asphyxiating ways.
Colin

I would worry more about the BobD throwing you a curve ball from feeling under appreciated and thinking his Type 4 'powerhouse' is somehow inferior to Chloe's endearing Type 1 engine. I hope you have a safe and trouble free trip, but after reading many of your exploits, I wouldn't rule out The BobD giving you a dope slap upside the head.

aopisa wrote:

Amskeptic wrote:

retro1302 wrote:Don't worry Chloe, that does not affect my loyalty to your ass-kicking asphyxiating ways.
Colin

I would worry more about the BobD throwing you a curve ball from feeling under appreciated and thinking his Type 4 'powerhouse' is somehow inferior to Chloe's endearing Type 1 engine. I hope you have a safe and trouble free trip, but after reading many of your exploits, I wouldn't rule out The BobD giving you a dope slap upside the head.

Let's rule it out for the next 50,000 miles or so. It has been flawless since I've owned it. The risk is that I'd do something stupid . . . like disassemble and lubricate a wiper switch on white gravel off Interstate 10 or sumpin'.
Just hit 87,000 miles an hour ago as I was crossing the Cypress SomethingorOther:



I am now in Miami . . . posting from the bank drive-through window (after hours) waiting for this infernal heat to break, it is raining lightly, 82* with 90% humidity at 10PM, and I cannot sleep with this buggy sticky oppressive air. Sure wish I could sleep, it has been a long day of driving.



I have my laptop and cup of coffee on the vacuum machine for the drive-through bays:


Colin
(here's another Everglades cloud shot, much prettier in person)

RSorak 71Westy wrote:
Colin just had to have it, he gave a large pile of greenbacks for it. (Most if not all of his savings) Colin agonized online here for what seems like months over the decision to buy BobD.

Let's be a little more graceful. I am not one of those "I just have to have it" kind of people. When Bob D realized that he could not keep it any longer, he asked me to be its caretaker, he *wanted me to have it* knowing as he did, my insane attention to detail and love for these cars. I agonizingly dithered because I had a bus that was working fine and yes, very little money. Only later (one year minus one week) did I discover that it was actually a very good decision. After I lost the Road Warrior, I used the BobD bus for a year and came to realize that I could not bear to wear it out so damn quick. Then another bus became available, not because "I just had to have it" but because its owner *wanted me to have it* knowing as he did, my insane attention to detail and love for these cars.
Colin

Time to install AC in BobD so you and sit there and idle away your time while being nice and cool. Yeah, it takes a lot to get used to 82F and 90% humidity and be comfortable enough to sleep in it. Where the hell do you sleep in the bus?
If I were you I would carry one of those new style hammocks with a insect net.

Love the pics and you are as bad as me it being a Wifi mooch!

Bleyseng wrote:carry one of those new style hammocks with a insect net.

Love the pics and you are as bad as me it being a Wifi mooch!

I need a hammock with a solar-charged ventilator battery. Last night was very little sleep AND I have a 10 hour itinerary appointment coming up and I have to get in at least 250 miles tonight since Pensacola is a bit further than I reckoned . . .

I bring my own wifi, thank-you very much. It is a little Verizon box.
You think a bank drive-through window is a wifi spot?!?
It IS a cop magnet . . .

Bleyseng wrote: hammocks-

How does your back feel after a night in one of those?
ColinMiamiToPensacolaInAHalfDayYerNutz

My back is usually fine after sleeping in one. Depends on how tight you set it up as I prefer a softer setup but not too soft so you sag with your knees in your face.