Ok here we go!

Well here it is...the back story and the story so far...

Like every hero there is an origin story... here is mine.  I turned 40 this year and complete with my midlife crisis I had the opportunity to buy a VW.  This is not just any VW.  This isn't a Passat or a Tiburon this is a WESTY! I have been hankering for an older VW for a number of years now and have toyed with getting a VW Thing but they are so hard to find in decent shape where I am that I started looking in other directions.  A guy I used to work with has what in the lingo is referred to as a "Bus" and encouraged me to look at them.  So over the past couple of years I would look on the VW web pages and send him a link or two to get his opinion but nothing to serious.

This year though... wow.  It was like a biological clock ticking. 

I found the currently un-named bus online and took my sweet time with it.  We finally agreed on a price and I drove away with it. The first thought that flashed through my head was that I hadn't driven a stick shift since I was about 23, oh and what the hell am I doing.  I managed to navigate and drive it without stalling from downtown Calgary to my home in the South West. Overly pleased with myself I parked it and started unpacking. 

The first few days went without incident I even drove it out to my girlfriends place in Canmore. For those of you who aren’t local to the Calgary area understand that the city of Calgary is nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and it’s about 1000 vertical feet difference (uphill) from Calgary to Canmore.  There is one hill in particular.  Scott Lake Hill.  As I drove I happily clipped along at about 90 – 100 kph, until the hill.  By the time I hit the top of the hill I was creeping along at about 60kph.  It’s a different mindset driving in a Westy.  You can’t be in a hurry to go anywhere and you have to smile when you are behind the gigantic steering wheel.