Travels in a NV SMB

[radin2son]

Thanks. One more dream, long trip in the works? 
 

Since we had to cut our last trip short due to my getting sick, we still have to make it to Maine. (Clan gathering in July.) Once there, we may look at Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Labrador, and Quebec. All we need are 2 spare tires…so they say. 
 

Went to high school in Sept-Iles, Quebec. The road ended there at the time. Always wanted to head west on the Trans Canada Highway. 
 

My other dream trip was the Pan American highway. Did the northern part, but the southern is out of reach.  
 

[Local Apparent Friday]

Ah man.  Yah we missed Maine this year too....first summer we missed it since I started going in 2014.  Beautiful country up that way.

[radin2son]

Found this photo in a box my parents had. Crossed the country several times to see them when they lived on Cape Cod.  May have made it to Kittery, Maine. 

 

Forecast was warm and sunny. Used our ‘83 VW as a base camp on a short backpacking/day hike trip in northern New Mexico. Second night out, torrential rain. Able to dry things out until it started snowing. Headed back to van. 
 

Same floor plan as our NV, so it was a no brainer when decide to return to van camping. 

 

[Local Apparent Friday]

That's killer.  There's a place up near Belfast that specializes in those things, if you get up there and want to reminisce.  It's a younger guy that owns it, but you'd think he was in the thick of it in the 50s and 60s from talking to him and picking his brain about VWs.  Must have come out breathing them and cut his teeth on shop manuals instead of nursery rhymes.

[radin2son]

The problem with the VW was unreliable reliability. Most of the time, no problems. Never stranded. 
Speed/power and MPGs weren’t a strong points. 
 

Our NV has been reliable, plus it just is a more capable van. 
 

Met a “large” guy in a rented VW Weekender van. He looked at our NV and the VW, and he was overcome with nostalgia for a VW of his own. (That reminds me, I would have loved to own the ‘67 VW van with 911 Porsche engine and chrome wheels. VW nostalgia.)