BacalarBlog

     Folks, we got back home this afternoon around 3 pm.  All’s well.  We spent last night in Peterborough with Jerry & Sofie and the night before in Sarnia with Elaine.  Stopped by the “Get Outta Winter Camp Out” in Guelph on the way by. The rain sure put a damper on that event.  A few hardy souls were there.  We had lunch and kabitzed with Don for awhile then continued on our way.  A full report will be forthcoming after some decompression !  Sure nice to be back in OUR house says Rita !  No problems here just a HUGE pile of mail to sort through.

Adios,

Frank, Rita & Hunter

     Iowa !  Davenport Flying-J to be exact !  That’s were we spent the night.  Progress IS being made !  Today fly-by Chicago and up into Michigan heading for the boarder at Sarnia !  All’s well and the Vanagon is almost done with the I-80.  Now onto I-94 and I-69.

Adios,

Frank, Rita & Hunter

        Nebraska is FLAT !  Finally out of the mountains, made it to North Platte at the Flying-J, again, for the night.  Weather is warm but a sprinkle of rain last night.  Looks sunny and clear this morning.  Eastward we go…………

Adios,

Frank, Rita, & Hunter

Snow covered mountains in the west

More mountains

AND more mountains

The Bonneville Salt Flats

Art on the salt flats

Windmills in the mountains

     Folks, we got back on the road Monday morning.  Headed up over the coastal mountains to pick up the I-5.  What a great ride up through the dense forest and fog of the coastal mountains over to Gilroy then through the farmlands towards Los Banos.  On the I-5 up to Sacramento with all it traffic and found the I-80 East, yes it was the 5th, 6th or 7th lane on the right, yikes !  Then that lovely I-80 will stay with us for quite some time.  Up into the mountains again, Tahoe forest and eventually reaching a summit of 7,900′.  Good little Vanagon !   Winding p at the Fling-J in Winnemucca for the night.  Morning came and off we went through the high desert to Wendover, the Bonneville Salt Flats,  Salt Lake City then up the mountains again heading for Wyoming.  Last night’s stop was again the Flying -J in Rock Springs Wyoming.  The I-80 is provides a visual treat for the traveler, a never changing scenic landscape passing by.  Mountains of all colours, shapes and sizes, covered with SNOW, but none down on the roadway, desert, and salt flats !  It sure is a work out for the Vanagon though as it’s puney little engine sure has a hard go of it up the hills !  BUT, so far so good and today off towards Cheyenne and beyond.

Adios,

Frank, Rita & Hunter

         Folks, we just got back from Synco de Mayo out in Hollister Hills, CA.   Click here: Syncro de Mayo 2009   We left April, Sal and baby Owen Kai in Watsonville Saturday morning and drovethe 1/2 hour ride up through the hills over to Hollister and then found our way up to the SVRA state park where this event has been held for 10 years.  Well, OMG, what a spectacle !  Since it rained pretty much all day Friday and it was sort of gloomy Saturday the park was a muddy mess, but just what these Syncronaunts like !  We found a camp spot near our friends Mark & Ann and were soon overwhelmed by all the folks there that wanted to come and meet us after having been following our adventures all winter.  Unbelievable, to meet and see so many folks that we knew only by name, conversations on the Vanagon Lists, through my business and conversations on our Blog.  We never did get a chance to go up on the muddy hill to watch the Syncros at play in the mud.  They sure seemed to be having a ball though.  Mud caked Vanagons passing through the campsite while we were busy meeting and greeting and trying to get a bite to eat.  The afternoon wore on, with free tap beer from a local micro brewery and live music from a stage, and soon preparations for the evening barbecue were under way.  Help was needed so Rita & I pitched in and helped arrange the largest barbecue we have ever seen.  Steaks, chicken, corn, mushrooms, salads, deserts, etc, etc, etc !  Truly amazing work by the organizers Brent, Seth, Al, Darrell, Mark, Ann, Venice, and many more whom I’ve forgotten their names already.  After the super supper, awards were given out and door prizes drawn.  Rita & I won a bag full of goodies and were quite surprised.  Long distance award went to Darell Christensen who came down from Duval, Washington.  No it did not go to us, we did not drive all that way just for this event !!!.  There were well over 100 vehicles, not all Vanagon Syncros but all sorts of 4WD vehicles and many 2WD Vanagons & other VW Buses.  Some of the better known VW businesses were represented such as Lucas and Taylor from Go Westy, Peter and Chris from Van Cafe,  Darell of AA transaxel and Brady and Jim of Bostig Engines were there also.  They even had a free WiFi set up for all of us to use.  Saturday night a great bonfire got going quite near our camp and of course I had the tequila to pass around.  Long into the night stories were swapped until tired bodies found their way to their beds !   Sunday morning was a mixed bag of weather, sun peeking in and out intermixed with light rain.  Folks began packing and saying good by.  By 10 we were packed back up and on our way back to Watsonville to spend the rest of the day and evening with April, Sal and baby Owen Kai.  Tomorrow morning were getting on the road home.  Hopefully by next weekend we will be back in our home, that will be quite a surprise !

Syncro de Mayo 2009 entrance

Rita with our van

SDM camp