Comments on: Railroad Days http://bodeswell.org/2009/08/25/635/ A family of three drives an old VW bus from San Francisco to the tip of South America. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:31:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: jason http://bodeswell.org/2009/08/25/635/comment-page-1/#comment-134 jason Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:02:17 +0000 http://bodeswell.org/?p=635#comment-134 Mike and Susan- only a few campfires so far. There's no stove in the bus (those came later, in '74 or so?) but we do have a multi-fuel single burner stove we use to cook outside. that means we're burning unleaded gas and don't need to carry around any extra fuel or canisters, other than our spare jerry-can. Our single most expensive upgrade to the bus was to remove the old ice-box and splurge on an Engel 12V refrigerator that runs off a second battery (isolated). Highly efficient and highly recommended! Mike and Susan-

only a few campfires so far. There’s no stove in the bus (those came later, in ’74 or so?) but we do have a multi-fuel single burner stove we use to cook outside. that means we’re burning unleaded gas and don’t need to carry around any extra fuel or canisters, other than our spare jerry-can.

Our single most expensive upgrade to the bus was to remove the old ice-box and splurge on an Engel 12V refrigerator that runs off a second battery (isolated). Highly efficient and highly recommended!

]]> By: jason http://bodeswell.org/2009/08/25/635/comment-page-1/#comment-133 jason Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:57:37 +0000 http://bodeswell.org/?p=635#comment-133 Pat- your early retirement sounds like it was a great adventure! We've considered Alaska, but fear we might be just a little too late in the season. Like you say... It's only 1000 miles, so you never know ;) Jason Pat-

your early retirement sounds like it was a great adventure! We’ve considered Alaska, but fear we might be just a little too late in the season. Like you say… It’s only 1000 miles, so you never know ;)

Jason

]]> By: Mike and Susan http://bodeswell.org/2009/08/25/635/comment-page-1/#comment-132 Mike and Susan Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:29:11 +0000 http://bodeswell.org/?p=635#comment-132 Love reading about your adventures! May they keep coming. Are you cooking in your camper or doing campfires outside? Love reading about your adventures! May they keep coming. Are you cooking in your camper or doing campfires outside?

]]> By: Gary and Gaye Hombaker http://bodeswell.org/2009/08/25/635/comment-page-1/#comment-131 Gary and Gaye Hombaker Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:19:05 +0000 http://bodeswell.org/?p=635#comment-131 Keep smiling. Through it all it will be a positive adventure especially for Bode (Soy Yogurt and all). Keep the blogs coming we are really enjoying your adventures! Keep smiling. Through it all it will be a positive adventure especially for Bode (Soy Yogurt and all). Keep the blogs coming we are really enjoying your adventures!

]]> By: Pat Vandermolen http://bodeswell.org/2009/08/25/635/comment-page-1/#comment-129 Pat Vandermolen Wed, 26 Aug 2009 02:34:44 +0000 http://bodeswell.org/?p=635#comment-129 I am really loving your tales of life on the road in a VW van. My best friend Caroline & I quit our jobs in 1978 to do a "retirement trip" in a 73 van which we rigged up with a bed & roof vent. We figured we didn't know what we would be like when we were old ladies so we'd retire first & come out of retirement when the money ran out, about 3 months later. We traveled from Nashville to all thruout the West, up the Pacific coast & on to Alaska since it was "only 1000 miles, as the crow flies..." somewhat longer as the VW van travels. Outran one forest fire, backpacked in some of the most beautiful wild places, drove over a winding steep mountain pass with one foot on the gas & the other on the brake when we had a vacuum leak that was repaired in Dawson City, Yukon...I could go on & on..... Long story short, my Ole Buddy, Ole Pal, Caroline died a couple months ago at age 60 from cancer..I can truly say that she lived well into her 60's. Every year we'd commemorate our retirement & it still brings smiles to my heart. No matter where your bus will take you (or strand you, but believe me that's part of the adventure!), this trip is just the beginning of a lifetime of memories. Happy Motoring! Pat (aka JoEtta Cool) PS. throw in some parachute cord along with the duct tape for car repairs -- very handy if the gas cable breaks & you need to do a pull on the cord strung back into the engine compartment as you're leaning forward maneuver ;-) I am really loving your tales of life on the road in a VW van. My best friend Caroline & I quit our jobs in 1978 to do a “retirement trip” in a 73 van which we rigged up with a bed & roof vent. We figured we didn’t know what we would be like when we were old ladies so we’d retire first & come out of retirement when the money ran out, about 3 months later. We traveled from Nashville to all thruout the West, up the Pacific coast & on to Alaska since it was “only 1000 miles, as the crow flies…” somewhat longer as the VW van travels. Outran one forest fire, backpacked in some of the most beautiful wild places, drove over a winding steep mountain pass with one foot on the gas & the other on the brake when we had a vacuum leak that was repaired in Dawson City, Yukon…I could go on & on….. Long story short, my Ole Buddy, Ole Pal, Caroline died a couple months ago at age 60 from cancer..I can truly say that she lived well into her 60′s. Every year we’d commemorate our retirement & it still brings smiles to my heart. No matter where your bus will take you (or strand you, but believe me that’s part of the adventure!), this trip is just the beginning of a lifetime of memories. Happy Motoring!
Pat (aka JoEtta Cool)
PS. throw in some parachute cord along with the duct tape for car repairs — very handy if the gas cable breaks & you need to do a pull on the cord strung back into the engine compartment as you’re leaning forward maneuver ;-)

]]> By: karen http://bodeswell.org/2009/08/25/635/comment-page-1/#comment-128 karen Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:21:52 +0000 http://bodeswell.org/?p=635#comment-128 BTW...the BodesWell thong is a Fine, Fine Item! Ahhh...Christmas gift giving will be fun this year! BTW…the BodesWell thong is a Fine, Fine Item! Ahhh…Christmas gift giving will be fun this year!

]]> By: karen http://bodeswell.org/2009/08/25/635/comment-page-1/#comment-127 karen Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:16:50 +0000 http://bodeswell.org/?p=635#comment-127 Yumm, yumm...who doesen't love a good ole cup of Soy Yogurt?!?!?! Yumm, yumm…who doesen’t love a good ole cup of Soy Yogurt?!?!?!

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