The Day The BobD Died Again

Bus, Microbus, Transporter, Station Wagon, Vanagon, Camper, Pick-Up.

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glasseye
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Re: The Day The BobD Died Again

Post by glasseye » Tue Apr 24, 2018 10:49 am

Your perigee for me is the Seattle -Missoula transit. Jun 24-28.

Somewhere E of Lewiston on US 12 near June 26. Should be gorgeous there.

Right in deerhunter's old backyard! He should fly to Pullman and we could do a three-way.

Glad you're making it to Maupin this year. Lucky them.

Happy Motoring!
"This war will pay for itself."
Paul Wolfowitz, speaking of Iraq.

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Amskeptic
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Re: The Day The BobD Died Again

Post by Amskeptic » Wed Apr 25, 2018 6:44 am

glasseye wrote:
Tue Apr 24, 2018 10:49 am
Your perigee for me is the Seattle -Missoula transit. Jun 24-28.

Somewhere E of Lewiston on US 12 near June 26. Should be gorgeous there.

Right in deerhunter's old backyard! He should fly to Pullman and we could do a three-way.

Glad you're making it to Maupin this year. Lucky them.

Happy Motoring!
I will pencil that in. It'll be a little touch and go, but at least the fuel tank is clean so I won't be cleaning filters every 40 minutes, like the last time I came through in this rotten tangerine.
Gorgeous?

Image
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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glasseye
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Re: The Day The BobD Died Again

Post by glasseye » Wed Apr 25, 2018 6:23 pm

My proposal for a three-way referred to Satchmo, not "Deerhunter". :study: It's been a while.
"This war will pay for itself."
Paul Wolfowitz, speaking of Iraq.

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Amskeptic
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Re: The Day The BobD Died Again

Post by Amskeptic » Thu Apr 26, 2018 7:28 pm

glasseye wrote:
Wed Apr 25, 2018 6:23 pm
My proposal for a three-way referred to Satchmo, not "Deerhunter". :study: It's been a while.

I knew exactly who you were referring to, seeing as I named Deerhunter after seeing those horrible ripped spot welds. That was a good bus, too. His Vanagon was a good vehicle. What does he drive now? A Subaru?
Colin

Image
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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satchmo
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Re: The Day The BobD Died Again

Post by satchmo » Fri Apr 27, 2018 10:37 am

You are baiting me.

Commuting in the greater Los Angeles metro area is a strictly utilitarian proposition, and the thought of a destroying a 30 year old manual transmission vehicle with innumerable starts and stops just to get to and from work is heartbreaking. Plus, other drivers hate you if you aren't up to max speed shortly after the light turns green. I don't need that.

I was driving a 2013 Prius and Mary had the Subaru, but my daughter took the Prius to grad school in Corvallis, and Mary wanted something smaller. Mary is driving a VW Golf now, and I found a used Mazda CX-5. I had a 2003 Toyota Tacoma for a while too, but my son somehow spirited it away from me. Children. Whatareyougonnado?

I very nearly bought a VW Multivan (the 1990 or 1991 version of a Weekender Vanagon) on two different occasions just this past year, and I will actually do it at some point. I will also commit the heresy of unceremoniously yanking the WBX engine and installing a 2.5 liter Subaru motor with a new wiring harness, if it hasn't been done already. I'm too old and too tired to mess with the WBX any more. Give me a Vanagon with power and dependability. If I can't have that, I might as well just get something utterly ordinary, like a Sprinter :blackeye:

Satchmo (former owner of the Deerhunter, a 1973 nine-seater bus)
By three methods we may learn wisdom:
First, by reflection, which is noblest;
second, by immitation, which is easiest;
and third, by experience, which is bitterest. -Confucius

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glasseye
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Re: The Day The BobD Died Again

Post by glasseye » Fri Apr 27, 2018 12:25 pm

If I can't have that, I might as well just get something utterly ordinary, like a Sprinter :blackeye:

AGHHHH! :bootyshake: This from a guy who drives a white Mazda SUV thing! To Eureka Dunes, too!
"This war will pay for itself."
Paul Wolfowitz, speaking of Iraq.

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Amskeptic
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Re: The Day The BobD Died Again

Post by Amskeptic » Sun May 06, 2018 7:11 am

glasseye wrote:
Fri Apr 27, 2018 12:25 pm
If I can't have that, I might as well just get something utterly ordinary, like a Sprinter :blackeye:

AGHHHH! :bootyshake: This from a guy who drives a white Mazda SUV thing! To Eureka Dunes, too!

Ewwwww, both of you! A white Mazda thing in Eureka Dunes? A white potato chip truck cresting the Father Crowley Viewpoint?
Fine! I am putting up a Farrah Fawcett poster next to the Mona Lisa at the Louvre.

Satchmo (hello), do we have any real data on the longevity/reliability of the Subaru 2.5 versus a correctly assembled/maintained VW waterboxer?
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: The Day The BobD Died Again

Post by Jivermo » Sun May 06, 2018 8:55 am

Let’s take that Mazda up to Aguereberry Point, back on past Pete’s mine, out to a romp through Rhyolite, down Titus Canyon and up to Ubehebe, and on to Crankshaft Junction. Park it, leave it, and hoof it over the pass, west, into Big Pine, and grab yourself a cold beer.

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Amskeptic
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Re: The Day The BobD Died Again

Post by Amskeptic » Sun May 06, 2018 4:12 pm

Jivermo wrote:
Sun May 06, 2018 8:55 am
Let’s take that Mazda up to Aguereberry Point, back on past Pete’s mine, out to a romp through Rhyolite, down Titus Canyon and up to Ubehebe, and on to Crankshaft Junction. Park it, leave it, and hoof it over the pass, west, into Big Pine, and grab yourself a cold beer.
Why?

Park VW Westfalia at:
a) Aguerreberry Point, go to fridge and grab a cold beer
b) Rhyolite, go to fridge and grab a cold beer
c) Crankshaft Junction, go to fridge and grab a cold beer
d) Big Pine, go to fridge and grab a cold beer
e) sleep it off in the pop top ....*
Colin

*Image
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

Jivermo
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Re: The Day The BobD Died Again

Post by Jivermo » Sun May 06, 2018 8:12 pm

Well, I figured that would have exhausted the Mazda’s useful life, at least for me. Crankshaft Junction could use another relic. I’ve slept there, and frankly, the landscape could use a junked car. Oh, horrors, I’ve opened myself up to the environmentalists, now!

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satchmo
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Re: The Day The BobD Died Again

Post by satchmo » Sun May 06, 2018 9:04 pm

Hey, the Mazda made it just fine into Eureka Dunes from Big Pine. Survived a sand storm in Eureka Dunes, then ventured over the Last Chance Range to Crankshaft Junction. From there down to Ubehebe Crater and to Stovepipe Wells, where we watched two F-18s dog fight over the Panamints. Went out from there over Towne Pass. Turned south into the Panamint Valley and drove through the lovely resort town of Trona (everyone should book a long spa weekend there at some point). Then home to the lovely San Gabriel Valley. I'm still trying to get sand and dust out of numerous creases and crevices, many of them on my car! :cyclopsani:

Satchmo
By three methods we may learn wisdom:
First, by reflection, which is noblest;
second, by immitation, which is easiest;
and third, by experience, which is bitterest. -Confucius

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Re: The Day The BobD Died Again

Post by Jivermo » Mon May 07, 2018 4:14 am

Good one! So, you did pass through Crankshaft Junction, and beyond. Fascinating place, Death Valley. I spent 10 days camping there last spring, and feel I barely scratched the surface. I’m heading back there when it cools down to explore more. Scotty’s Castle was closed due to flooding, of all things, but is supposed to reopen next year.

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glasseye
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Re: The Day The BobD Died Again

Post by glasseye » Mon May 07, 2018 11:57 am

Image

Here's the campsite at Eureka Dunes. L to R: The Mazda, Frito, and a Nissan pickup with a poptop thingie. Last Chance Range BG.

Image

The Toyota we drug off the berm. Fell asleep @ 50mph and 4:00 AM. Based on tracks in the sand, Satchmo estimated they were at least 20 ft airborne, airbags all deployed, vehicle a write-off. That's what happens when you decide at 02:00 AM that you need to return to Big Pine for enough gas to continue via Crankshaft Junction.

Image
This rock high-centered the Toyota.

Image
Taking refuge in the Nissan from 50 mph winds after sunset. L to R: Satchmo, his son John, my neighbour and Nissan pilot Bernd, and your loyal journalist. Satchmo and John forsook their tent for Frito's floor and the Nissan camper. Impossible to sleep in a tent under those conditions.

Image
Enroute. On the CA/NV border. Bad place to buy diesel.

Image
Satchmo's F18 experience mirrors mine a few years ago at the Dunes. Two of 'em. Directly overhead at about 300 ft. God Bless America. :salute:

Image
The van y'alls wish you had. :bootyshake: Frito in 20 Mule Canyon at 130k trouble-free miles

Except for that one time the AC condensor rad failed (in Vegas!) and that other time a charge air hose burst, reducing turbo boost to nil. My Ultraguage diagnosed it. I didn't even have to stop.
"This war will pay for itself."
Paul Wolfowitz, speaking of Iraq.

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Amskeptic
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Re: The Day The BobD Died Again

Post by Amskeptic » Wed May 09, 2018 2:33 pm

glasseye wrote:
Mon May 07, 2018 11:57 am

Image
Enroute. On the CA/NV border. Bad place to buy diesel.

130k trouble-free miles
Geezus. Channeling Ansel Adams? Paul Caponegro? Goddam gorgeous.

Colin
" over twenty three trouble-free feet . . . "
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

Jivermo
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Re: The Day The BobD Died Again

Post by Jivermo » Wed May 09, 2018 3:24 pm

“60mph sustained, gusting to 90”. That’s what the ranger said when he walked around checking in the campers at Texas Spring, DV, last spring. It blew for 14 hours, bending the flagpole at Furnace Creek, and breaking the 6 x 6 support posts for several road signs in the park. I was huddled in the upper berth of a ‘87 Vanagon, which shook like a jet in heavy turbulance all night. We survived all right, but a lot of tents were flattened, and some RV’s damaged. A rough blow!

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