I bought a Bus…a VW Bus

So here we are traveling at 496 mph , flying at 3,407 feet on our way to another adventure. How did we get here? I guess I need to go way back to my first encounter.

It happened in 1997 at a little coffee shop I managed. A customer home from college, came in all excited about their VW Microbus they just painted.  Now I’ve always been a bit of a car guy, but was never much into buses, but I shared their enthusiasm and looked it over. Fast forward 16 years later.

Having just sold two of my businesses and my motorcycle, I was preparing to acquire a 43’ Sail Boat and begin a dream I have had to sail the ocean. For a temporary accommodation I moved to my families home in Vermont from New York as I waited for April to arrive as I set that as the date I would close on the boat and move aboard Full Time to begin the work of provisioning the boat and learning what it would take to actually accomplish this feat.

April came and went…the deal fell apart and I was back out looking for another boat. Week after week I search traveling some 600 miles each day as I scoured the coast line from Maine to Virginia by car and further by internet.

As each day passed, Vermont became more comfortable, interesting and full of adventure. In June I purchased my first Kayak in Rochester, NY. She’s an Ocean Kayak Trident 4.7. She’s a Beast and after setting it up so I can carry Lexie, we began to learn, understand and enjoy kayaking. That brought me to throwing the kayak up on my car and traveling to places to kayak. From Pemi River in New Hampshire to Seneca Lake in New York’s Finger Lake region to the ocean off Fire Island is Southern New York.

All the while, in an effort to save money (I’m cheep) I would camp in the car. On one of my trips I met a guy in a VW Vanagon Westfalia pulling some dirt bikes. It was a rare Syncro version (4 wheel drive) I asked if I could take a picture of it and he smiled for the camera. That was the Bug Bite…

From that day on that bug bite began to itch and the itch grew into a desire and then I began to do some research and 3 months later, here I am flying to Reno Nevada to pick up a 1978 VW Campmobile Westfalia Deluxe Edition.

Upon picking it up I will set out on a journey to travel to the remaining 9 states I have not ridden to on the motorcycle. Unfortunately, this will take me to the northern parts of the US during the beginning of Winter. No fear though, I’m well prepared for the trip and the bus can handle it.

Along the way Lexie and I will be camping at friends homes, state parks, national parks and maybe even one or two parking lots. Follow along and see how it goes. We don’t expect smooth sailing for that would be crazy in a 35 yr old Air Cooled Bus, but sometimes the adventure is in the trip and not the destination.

Hang on…here we go!

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