Itinerant Air-Cooled Maupin I

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Amskeptic
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Itinerant Air-Cooled Maupin I

Post by Amskeptic » Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:28 pm

As one who enjoys the solitude of the open road where I can empty out the buzz of human hordes and all of their social rules (wear clothes and be polite), I found the perturbing prospect of a potential parade of people present positively perplexing.

And there I was (scantily clad in the sunshine in order to more quickly thaw out from the snow endured just the day before), knocking out a sorely needed oil change in the privacy of a quiet parking lot in Pullman WA when glasseye drove up in his 1974 VW Dorper camper. Glasseye, being photographically gifted, I knew would allow an arty picture:
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Then we drove out to satchmo's house planted in the middle of Washington's eastern Land Of Oz countryside:
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Commemorated the start of our caravan to Maupin with a valve adjustment on our VWs and much Photographer Choreography from the Maestro Photographer, I flitted about the shoot like an annoying fly:
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Here I am following satchmo and SO trying to come to terms with the restrictions of caravan motoring (not being able to run the bases of the hills to improve momentum for example), but definitely enjoying the view of a moving blue and white bus from the outside for once:
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I lept ahead to get some "arty" pictures of buses on the move, but my camera was surprisingly shy . . . you want me to focus where? here? here? or here? how about a flash? by then my subjects were waaay down the road, but a couple of lucky shots occurred:
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We battled magnificently annoying Columbia Gorge headwinds and side winds that were slowly wearing glasseye down to a look that declared "can I just have a nice steady rock to sit on?" Satchmo and I solicitously put him in the middle of the caravan and I crowded his rearview mirror a while until he got his Bus Pilot Buffeting Crosswinds Legs beneath him (and he got real frisky later in the day passing me even, the cheeky lad)

Fueled up in The Dalles and I ran around with my laser thermometer checking out everybody's oil and exhaust pipe temperatures, and comparing relative fuel economy, I got the worst fuel economy and the hottest exhaust pipes (720*), so sue me already:
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Satchmo's 2.0 engine build was the peppiest of the lot and he also got good economy with respectable exhaust pipe temps (580* at shut-off) and if he wanted to, he could have blown us away on the hill climbs in 3rd gear where the 4.57 rear axle would allow an easy 55-60 mph wind-out)
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Mount Hood. Getting close:
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It is a beautiful descent into the valley of Maupin. You have no idea how far down the gorge it truly resides when you approach from the north . . . you can see the south outbound road that is way up above the campsite on the other side of the valley way down below from the vantage of the first descent. Here is the glasseye bus at the site. . . and satchmo's bus, hidden behind some tents.
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It was a particular pleasure for me to pull in at the Deschutes River RendezVW, to be surrounded by these cars whose numbers have diminished to such a degree that I saw nary a one just out and about on my trip across the country.
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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hambone
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Post by hambone » Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:48 pm

It is weird to come out West and see such a plethora of air-cooleds. Didn't see a single one in a week in Chicago. I think those harsh salty winters did them in long ago. Out here, the "mild" climate and lack of road salt is particarly well suited to steel preservation, not to mention the ideal habitat for Westfalia products just down the road. All this rain does it's damage though; if not propery treated rust eats holes in the same panels albeit at a slower pace.
Still see a lot of early Beetles out here, but pre '67 Buses are now a rarity.
Looking forward to PART 2!
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Birdibus
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Post by Birdibus » Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:31 pm

lovely country.
hey satchmo!
Amazing camper, glasseye. I hear it started right up after sitting for a couple decades or more. Happy happy to see it on the road.

I was studying the satellite map of the Deschutes River canyon. It looks amazingly deeply eroded, with embedded meanders. It cuts a large scar across a flatter plateau notable for contour crop furrows and square property lines. Off to the west can be seen the white cap of Mt. Hood. I imagine the volcano to be the source of the fertile plains, and the rivers to be scars cutting through the deposits of ash that have built up over eons. Very interesting country as seen from space.
71 bus, 74 westy

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Amskeptic
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Post by Amskeptic » Fri Jun 20, 2008 1:19 am

Birdibus wrote:lovely country.
Very interesting country as seen from space.
Quite beautiful down here on Earth too, Rte 197 south from The Dalles. Come on up next spring. I am going to, if gas isn't $10.00 a gallon.
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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