Our Vans: A Brief History

    I have enjoyed driving and camping in VW buses since my San Diego days in the '70s. I do think during my flying days I was the only Navy Pilot who drove onto a Naval Air Station in a VW bus, which always drew a second look from those at the gate. I now drive my 4th bus, a 1986 Westy Vanagon Weekender purchased in 2001. 

Adjusting the valves in my 2nd bus, a '69 Westy, with my competent helper, Katie. Note the VW Idiot Book was open and probably saved me once again. 

Wild Rose Campground, Death Valley

Sequoia National Park with my kids

Andrew in my 3rd, a '71 VW with a different style of poptop

My 4th and current VW bus on one of my many excursions to the nearby Sierra Nevadas.

    When I met Marilyn in 2003, I quickly realized I was enamored, yet I needed to see if she could handle a trek in the bus. A long weekend in Death Valley nicely answered that question, and we began our travels.

2003: Another Death Valley washboard road.

    The bus is perfect to haul kayaks. Here it's loaded with two plastic and two inflatable for an outing at nearby Lake Kaweah.

Ready to kayak with friends on Lake Kaweah.

    In 2006, my son and I spent a few weeks in the Pacific Northwest in the Vanagon. We carried the inflatable kayaks so we could enjoy the very chilling waters of Lake Louise in Banff National Park, Alberta.

2006: Kayaking Lake Louise with my son.

2007: Just another dirt road in Death Valley.

2007: The VW reached new heights in Utah.

    

        The VW is also great for hauling people. It is the "people's car," after all. In 2008, we and Marilyn's sons and their spouses headed up to Sequoia National Park to hike Ladybug Trail in the snow.

    In 2009, I blew the engine in the Westy in Seattle—making me 4 for 4 in buses and blown engines. Small Car of Tacoma installed a 2200cc Subaru engine. Now I had power and almost dependability for our continued travels.

VW bus owners must expect the occasional repair beyond on our expertise.

2010: Moki Dugway, UT, my favorite drive. 

2011: Haag Cove, Northern Cascades, WA

2011: Grand Tetons, WY

2011: Little Bighorn, WY

2012: En route to my daughter's wedding in Seattle, we decided we should buy plastic pink flamingoes to guard the bus. They were a hit on the road and at the reception.

2012: Port Townsend, WA

    Unfortunately in June 2013, Marilyn had neck surgery that led to temporary paralysis, and riding in the bus was no longer comfortable. Enter the "MRV," short for "Marilyn’s RV."
    In February 2014, my "ole flying buddy" JR told me he was going to sell his 2004 PleasureWay Excel, a 20-foot RV with a Ford Econoline cab and turtle back. Knowing it would accommodate Marilyn, we flew to Whidbey Island, WA, bought it from JR, and headed for home.

2014: The "MRV" Port Townsend, WA

Fort Stevens State Park, Astoria, OR

    We arrived in Astoria, OR in the snow and enjoyed being snowed in for four days. Unfortunately we also realized we had a leak. Fortunately there was a RV technician in Florence, OR, to tackle the leak.

Hunting for the source of the leak under the sink.

    The MRV came with everything: wet bath, holding tanks, microwave, air conditioner, heater, generator, television, VCR, and on. As a VW bus driver these were things I despised. It was comfortable for Marilyn, but during a 4-month, 13,000-mile trek around the US, we did not use the shower, microwave, AC, or generator, and we realized we wanted something more basic.

2014: The MRV on Cape Cod, MA, halfway through a trek around the US.

    While camping in Anza Borrego Desert State Park in the MRV in February 2015, we saw two Chevrolet vans outfitted with poptops. Soon Marilyn agreed that this is what we wanted.

2015: Leaving Anza Borrego—further evidence why the MRV was not our style.

    Enter "Mz Agnes," a 2003 PleasureWay Traverse: think a VW Vanagon on steroids. It began life as an 18-foot Ford van and PleasureWay added a poptop, stove, sink, heater, bed, and microwave (we removed it). I found it in Maryland, quickly sent a deposit, and flew out to get it.
    Soon I was on another road trip, this time in the Traverse heading home from the East Coast. Somewhere in New Mexico I pulled over and negotiated the sale of the MRV, so we were once again with an RV and the bus.

The MRV, Mz Agnes, the Westy, just before the new owners came to get the MRV.

    Mz Agnes gave us 4 years and 60,000 miles of joy, including Alaska twice, Western Canada, the amazing Southwest, the Pacific Northwest, all our favorite California spots, and more.

2015: Mz Agnes's 1st trip: the Pacific Coast. 

2015: Uclulet, West Coast of Vancouver Island

2016: Capitol Reef National Park, UT

2016: Chaco Canyon, NM

2016: Lake Abiquiu, NM, Georgia O'Keeffe Country

2016: Boondocking, North Rim of Grand Canyon, AZ

2016: Titus Canyon, Death Valley. Mz Agnes, too, enjoyed dirt roads—and saw many.


2017: 5-day, 4-night Ferry, Bellingham WA to Whittier AK

2017: Worthington Glacier, Valdez, AK

2017: Haines, AK

2018: Alabama Hills, East Side of Sierras below Mt Whitney

2019: Another Ferry, Arrow Lake, BC—we're prone to taking every ferry we encounter.

2019: Yoho National Park, Canadian Rockies, BC

    Regrettably, Ms Agnes was problematic for Marilyn’s fused neck. She could stand in the VW even with the top down, but in the van, she could only stand when the top was up. That was not always possible, as we often found ourselves camping in interesting weather, be it snow, driving rain, or winds. We devised various ways to give her head room but it was not perfect. Though she was a trooper, we realized we needed a van with height. 

    We were actually on our way to VanWorks in Fort Collins, CO, when Mz Agnes decided to blow a head gasket in Boise. We limped her home—we only used 12 gallons of water en route. What turned out to be our last night camping in Mz Agnes was at the appropriately named Farewell Bend State Park. 

Farewell Bend State Park, Huntington, OR

    Arrived home, we sold Mz Agnes and flew to Fort Collins to buy a 2019 Dodge Promaster and have it converted. November 2019 once again found me on a road trip, this time driving "Uncle Robert," aka "Conchita," home. Now the journey continues as we travel the continent and enjoy our amazing rig.

Mojave National Preserve, the van's 1st campsite, on Doug's trip home from picking it up in Colorado.

    Our first trip was to the Pacific Northwest. Like everyone, the pandemic grounded us for awhile after that, but we finally were able to get the van back out on the road in spring 2021, this time to the Southwest.

2020: Camped in Port Townsend, WA.

2021: Alabama Hills, East Side of Sierras below Mt Whitney

Texas Springs Campground, Death Valley

Sharing a site with fellow travelers in a VW in Joshua Tree National Park

Snowed in in Longmont, CO. Fortunately we had snow tires installed before the trek. 

Colorado River just outside Moab, UT

    The VW is my daily driver, as well as what I take when I go solo to the mountains, desert, or ocean. It is my toy.

Olympic National Park, WA

    At present, I am looking for a new kayak with a unique requirement: it must fit inside the bus.