Abdominal pains be damned!! It's 2:20 on Friday afternoon and I am working up my list of stuff that I am going to need for camping this weekend. In casy you are wondering I am off to Forget Me Not Pond, just SW of Bragg Creek, AB. No let me confess, I haven't really been camping since I was about 8. I'm 40 now. You do the math.
Understand that I am one of those people that will either be vastly over prepared or vastly underprepared. I am really hoping that this time I hit the sweet spot. I have a jerry can of gas for the Westfalia, jsut in case. Some extra engine oil, spare tire, some basic tools and a tire pump. Now I have to figure out food, beer, wine, snacks etc. to keep me going in the bush for a couple of days.
At this point I am sure that I will of course forget some critical piece of equipment but I'll have to improvise at this point. There will be no blogging, surfing the internet or even texting this weekend. I am cut off from civilization. Just me and my Westy.
If you have any tips for camping in your Westfalia PLEASE pass them along. I'm a noob at this.
A couple years ago I bought an old VW Westfalia...good Gawd!! I have no ideas how to do anything to these vehicles...
Friday, 17 June 2011
Thursday, 16 June 2011
A Hospital visit, scuba and camping
Okay, officially the part that needed replacing was the "Shifter coupler". 2.5 hours of labour...grrr. I am going to have to start doing some of this stuff myself before this Westfalia becomes a money pit. I haven't picked it up from the shop yet but it should shift like new. Whatever that's worth.
I was planning to pick it up this morning but due to an unplanned visit to the hosptal at 3:00 am, that's not going to happen. Apparently Im not going to be scuba diving this weekend either. The good news is though that I am back at home and on the mend.
I still want to go camping to Little Elbow... that's going to be a game time decision I think. I really want to get the Westy on the road.
I was planning to pick it up this morning but due to an unplanned visit to the hosptal at 3:00 am, that's not going to happen. Apparently Im not going to be scuba diving this weekend either. The good news is though that I am back at home and on the mend.
I still want to go camping to Little Elbow... that's going to be a game time decision I think. I really want to get the Westy on the road.
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
$12 part... $250 labour
Well my tranny problem is fixed. It wasn't the transmission, it wasn't the clutch, it was some $12 part down by the clutch lever assembly that needed replacing. Well the Westy is ready to go camping this weekend. All I have to do is make sure I am. Long story but I am not sure I am going to make it this weekend, not because I don't want to but there is a possibility I may be in the hospital. Brutal.
Well I am taking care of myself and followin the doc's orders of dreaking clear liquids for the next 24 so we'll see what happens. Oh, and for the record, beer doesn't count as a clear liquid.
I just finished watching the Bruins win the Stanley cup. YAY! I even managed to win a couple of bets on it too. People, you have to believe me when I tell you "Boston in 7".
Hopefully I am well enough to pick up the Green Monster tomorrow and go camping. I'll keep all my faithful readers posted as I am sure you will want to know. If I don't go camping I am going to want some Muhamura from Aida's on 4th Street as a small but tasty consolation.
Is anyone actually reading this?
Well I am taking care of myself and followin the doc's orders of dreaking clear liquids for the next 24 so we'll see what happens. Oh, and for the record, beer doesn't count as a clear liquid.
I just finished watching the Bruins win the Stanley cup. YAY! I even managed to win a couple of bets on it too. People, you have to believe me when I tell you "Boston in 7".
Hopefully I am well enough to pick up the Green Monster tomorrow and go camping. I'll keep all my faithful readers posted as I am sure you will want to know. If I don't go camping I am going to want some Muhamura from Aida's on 4th Street as a small but tasty consolation.
Is anyone actually reading this?
Tuesday, 14 June 2011
No joy for Westy
End of the day, almost, and no news on the transmission. I called the boys over at the shop and they are going to get it in before the end of their day today. So no updates on what's wrong with it until tomorrow. Bummer. I guess I have to go back to the other car which , I'll admit, has more power but is nowhere near as fun to drive.
Here's hoping it's nothing too serious and I'll have my Westy back tomorrow.
So you know your a VW bus driver if little kids coming running up like you are the ice cream man. The bad part is they can usually catch you...
Here's hoping it's nothing too serious and I'll have my Westy back tomorrow.
So you know your a VW bus driver if little kids coming running up like you are the ice cream man. The bad part is they can usually catch you...
Wishing and hoping...
Well no news is not good news it appears for the VW. I still haven't heard anything from the shop with respect to my tranny problem. At this point I just hope it doesn't cost me too much money and it can be fixed in time for my camping weekend. Sigh.
I was actually thinking I mught take it out to Canmore tonight too but that isn't in the cards. Well on the brightside at least I'll be able to go 110kph + going up Scott Lake Hill.
Oh, I met with a Westy nut last night too do pick up some parts from him. He was stripping out an old Bay and had some door handles and key sets for me. I guess the previous owner of mine either didn't like locking it or couldn't be bothered. I'll try and get them installed this week. I'll take pictures too since this will be my first / virginal (is that a word?) attempt at fixing anything on the bus.
I'll also try an post some pictures of the inside, if anyone is actually reading this. I think once I get the door handles sorted out I might look into the water resevoir and pump for the sink.
I was actually thinking I mught take it out to Canmore tonight too but that isn't in the cards. Well on the brightside at least I'll be able to go 110kph + going up Scott Lake Hill.
Oh, I met with a Westy nut last night too do pick up some parts from him. He was stripping out an old Bay and had some door handles and key sets for me. I guess the previous owner of mine either didn't like locking it or couldn't be bothered. I'll try and get them installed this week. I'll take pictures too since this will be my first / virginal (is that a word?) attempt at fixing anything on the bus.
I'll also try an post some pictures of the inside, if anyone is actually reading this. I think once I get the door handles sorted out I might look into the water resevoir and pump for the sink.
Tranny problems (and I don't mean Transvestites)
Bear with me I am going to jump around a bit on this but I dropped the Monster off at the shop earlier this week to nail down a fuel leak. It wasn't anything major and I PROBABLY could have done it myself but given my current level of expertise and the flammability of gasoline, I thought I would leave this one to the professionals. Happily after the fuel leak was repaired I drove around town in the beast. Yesterday however some weird shit started happening. I could shift into 1st and 2nd gear no problem, 4th was ok but 3rd gear was a struggle. So after watching the Canucks / Bruins game @ Donnegals I drove home, slowly and mostly in 2nd gear. Go Bruins... Boston in 7!
I got home and did a little research and it sounds like it might be a simple clutch adjustment (here’s hoping) and it’s not too expensive. I got up a little early this morning and dropped it off at the shop, again. They open at 9:00 and I don’t have an appointment so I am hoping that they can take a look at it and get me sorted out. I really want this fixed before Friday because I am supposed to be heading out to Little Elbow Campground for a weekend of camping and diving in Forget Me Not Pond. Well I won’t be camping at Forget Me Not… you know what I mean. Speaking of scuba diving that is one of the other reasons why I bought the Westy. I wanted something cool that could handle my scuba gear and that I could camp in.
Out here in Calgary one of the popular dive sites for training is Lake Minnewanka. It’s about an hour and change from Calgary, just North of Banff. Here is your diving lesson for the day. Because Calgary is 3740 feet above sea level any diving we do is classified as altitude diving. Calgary falls into the 4000’ category but because Minnewanka is approximately 4540’ it falls into the 5000’ category for diving purposes. The change in altitude means that once you arrive at the dive site you have to wait a bit (usually an hour to hour and a half), for your body to adjust to the new altitude before going in the water. If you don’t wait you increase your risk of getting decompression sickness (the bends). Basically I got the Westy so I wouldn’t have to wait as long and I could just camp out in the National park.
If you are interested in diving or want more information about Lake Minnewanka here are a couple of good sites.
http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ab/banff/natcul/natcul4m1.aspx
http://www.shorediving.com/Earth/Canada/Alberta/Lake_Minnewanka/index.htm
I’ll update later on the transmission problems and what the prognosis is…
I got home and did a little research and it sounds like it might be a simple clutch adjustment (here’s hoping) and it’s not too expensive. I got up a little early this morning and dropped it off at the shop, again. They open at 9:00 and I don’t have an appointment so I am hoping that they can take a look at it and get me sorted out. I really want this fixed before Friday because I am supposed to be heading out to Little Elbow Campground for a weekend of camping and diving in Forget Me Not Pond. Well I won’t be camping at Forget Me Not… you know what I mean. Speaking of scuba diving that is one of the other reasons why I bought the Westy. I wanted something cool that could handle my scuba gear and that I could camp in.
Out here in Calgary one of the popular dive sites for training is Lake Minnewanka. It’s about an hour and change from Calgary, just North of Banff. Here is your diving lesson for the day. Because Calgary is 3740 feet above sea level any diving we do is classified as altitude diving. Calgary falls into the 4000’ category but because Minnewanka is approximately 4540’ it falls into the 5000’ category for diving purposes. The change in altitude means that once you arrive at the dive site you have to wait a bit (usually an hour to hour and a half), for your body to adjust to the new altitude before going in the water. If you don’t wait you increase your risk of getting decompression sickness (the bends). Basically I got the Westy so I wouldn’t have to wait as long and I could just camp out in the National park.
If you are interested in diving or want more information about Lake Minnewanka here are a couple of good sites.
http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ab/banff/natcul/natcul4m1.aspx
http://www.shorediving.com/Earth/Canada/Alberta/Lake_Minnewanka/index.htm
I’ll update later on the transmission problems and what the prognosis is…
Monday, 13 June 2011
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.
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.
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