Vanagon Shenanigans: May 2008

Friday, May 30, 2008

Install of Yakima Racks (There will be Blood)

Ok, first I would like to say that if you have to use the same fonts at home that you use at work because other wise it just doesn't "look right" you might be going a little crazy.

The wife and I ( I will call her H because I have seen other blogger's get ripped because they forgot their wives name while blogging) ..... ok again...

For Christmas this year we asked everyone for REI gift cards (if they asked) So we could get the Yakima set up for our Vanagon.... I really to name it, maybe something viking sounding.... Well I got up the nerve to install it yesterday and today. No I am not a procrastinator in the least. Nor do I have ADD which might explain why I jump around on my posts. :) I was kind of nervous about putting wholes in my camper top. As I could not find pictures on how exactly to do it.

As far as I know this is the only complete install w/ pictures on the net!

I was very nervous about placement, but as I looked at the camper I could see there are all kinds of land marks on it. My understanding is the farther back the rack is the easier it is to lift and lower it.

1.) this picture is as far back on the camper you can get without getting into the hinges. I took a pencil and lightly drew down the straight edge. this gives you a 90 degree angle to where the camper flairs out.

2.) using the same "wide body" hardware straight edge draw a line parallel to the flair. the reason you want to do this first is that you can see if it crooked. after making any adjustments mark where the wholes are to be put.

arhhhhhh I cant believe I didn't save this I had it done and now it is gone!! all my deep insights and humorous commits gone!! I have been trying to do this for the last 2 days the lost post was much more informed. I would do it again but it is 1 am here and I get up at 4 am ussually. Tomarrow I have to go find out why I pay $1300 for a repairs to my Vanagon to run 2 days!!

* you want to make your drill bit as short as possable as not to damage the canvas

*you also want to do all drilling with the camper popped up

3.) the next few pictures are to show the placement of the front bars.

* this is to ease the minds of the people that where concerned about bolts ripping the canvas.

* the placement of 18 inches allows clearance for a sunroof if I ever get one.

oh yes the blood!! I warned you!!

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Past Travels

Most of our camping has been local. Huntville state park, Livingston SP, and Lake Conroe for day trips.

Our last big trip was too Hot Spring SP which is just wonderful, there was a bike show in town (wow what a hobbie), they have put a city inside the state park to get access to the hot springs. So you have hiking, biking, and nature trails up a mountain with a mile of each other. This is where you go when you want it all! Heck you can sleep in a hotel, get a massage in the bath house, hike up a mountain, shop and never go more than 5 miles from the center of town.

http://travel.webshots.com/album/549562167PQUAUP these not my photos because I am not that good.

These are mine:

Going back a little

I want to let you know about how we used to travel.

Before the gas prices started going up I had a Jeep Cherokee Sport 4x4 whish I sold as the price of gas got to $2/gallon for a Scion xB which has better leg room front and back that the Jeep. Which made for less complaining on long trips from my 2 sons.

This is a great car! I can carry 4 yaks on it, 35 mpg and it looks pretty cool unless you have it all banged up from camping and yaking out of it. lol. The only issue I have is getting all the equipment into it! I wish I had a picture of the xB all loaded up with fishing equipment, coolers, etc strapped to the roof of the car! Another issue I had is the clearance of the xB

this is me in Matagorta, Tx. If you havent been there it is a very wild area with few people

that are willing to get a dumb person out of the sand, but someone finally did!

We didn't catch anything this trip but it was very pretty there!

Monday, May 26, 2008

Greetings All!

Greetings all, I hope that you find this entertaining, thoughtful, educational. And all the rest of it .

First of all my name

"Stígandi" identical to the Old Icelandic noun stígandi, "stepper, strider," from the verb stíga, "to step, to step upwards." This name appears in Göngu-Hrólfs saga ch. 6, and it also occurs as the name of a ship in Vatnsdæla saga ch. 16. I got this from this website ( http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/ )

My wife believes I have a Viking heritage so the name fits me better than my real on in my eye. Oh yea don't be fooled I didn't tell all me friends and my co-workers on day " I want to be called Stígandi." My wife and I are hoping to travel the Americas (north and south) I hope sooner rather than later. I just need a way to make money driving across country. You have an idea let me know!

Second:

This blog is mostly going to be about upgrading my 82' VW Vanagon (the most awsome car created) camping, kayaking, fishing.

We purchased the bus about a year ago from eBay. Our maiden voyage was from Dallas too ( http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/pedernales_falls/ ) Pedernales Falls State Park in the hill counrty of Texas. Where we got our first test of the camper!! A tropical storm hit and made it all the way to Austin. The wind shook the camper tent and it didnt leak and more importantly..... didn't get pulled away! This work of "modern" technology weights 4000 lbs., has a pancake Porche engine, 2 gas stove top, sink, refigerator, alot of storage room, and can sleep 4 people! Yes I know I could have had a pick up truck pulling a camper trailer behind it but I would have had to buy the truck and the trailer + have another note to pay off. I paid cash for this baby and just worry about the insurance and registration. even if I have to pay for a new engine ($3500 installed), it is still better than paying $6000/year on a truck and camper. BTW kids if you have a car that is paid for do not go and by something new unless you can do it with cash. Small repairs are nothing to paying the note + intrest on something new.

Falls pict