Wherever I go, I find the most interesting people with interesting stories about their buses or vanagons. Regardless of the year they owned it, people speak about their memories like they owned the bus yesterday. There is no ego here, people who approach me are genuine cool, the real deal. Easy going good time charlie's with a hint of regret lingering in their voice when they talk about the VW van they used to have. I have yet to meet anyone who hated their bus and wished they never owned it. (now that is not to say we haven't muttered those words under our breath as we try to figure out what the hell is wrong with this thing or that...)
My friend Bill came by to check out the van one day. Being a former owner in the 70's with a classic campervan, he told me tales of their adventures when they were younger, taking their daughter from place to place, enjoying every moment of it.
"You know," Bill said, "A buddy of mine and I took one of these things (pointing to the bus) and drove east of Edmonton down highway 16 using nothing more than the vent windows to steer it"!
"What?" I exclaimed, not truly appreciating what he was getting at. Picture these two young guys getting up to highway speed, letting go of the wheel and then navigating on the road using the wind resistance caused by opening the side vent windows. Man! To be a child of the 60's hey?? That had to have been just the funniest damn thing ever! I don't recall exactly how many miles they got before having to make a grab for the wheel, but I remember thinking "holy shit that's a long way to go"! And this isn't exactly the straightest road either, there were some curves for them to deal with. Bizarre. Now, I would like to see Bill try that again... LOL Just don't use my van!
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