Volksfest and other news

Had a busy weekend in the city, and attended the annual Victoria Volkswagon Club auto show at one of the local parks by the ocean in the city, Gyro Park. Beautiful site, although the ground was as parched as your mouth on the morning after a night of boozing, brown and brittle grass everywhere.  Nonetheless, the weather was beautiful for the show this weekend, and I met a number of very cool and interesting folks. I was the only one with a painted out/pimped out westy, however the show seemed to be geared more to the classic VWs and hobby restorations.  I didn’t mind – I stood out like a cat in a henhouse, and the kids loved the van, as they often to, pulled in by the murals, and colourful interior.  I had a number of little ones in the van, some climbed up top to check it out, while others played on the bed, looking at everything in the van – so much to see I guess!  I enjoyed checking out all the other vans there, as there was a terrific assortment of models, some with the pop-up, some without, some that were seats only and no cabinets, some really cool customized ones, and so on. I have posted just a few of my favorites as there were several dozen vehicles in the show. 

I obtained the name of another good VW mechanic from several people at the show, so will give him a call tomorrow and see what he thinks about my power steering. I’d like to have it fixed before I head to the mainland later this week.  Of course, was busy and managed to piss away the entire weekend without calling ANYONE in the Vancouver area I was hoping to see, so need to get right on that tomorrow or I’ll have to postpone for next week, or maybe just the weekend. Other than the power steering racket, the van has been running very well this week, with absolutely no issues (knock on wood).  I thought it would be hot in the van with the high temperatures we’ve been having the past few weeks, but with the back door open (and bug screen on) and the pop-top window open (and bug screen closed) it actually cooled right down inside. I kept the curtains all closed, and let the air blow through.  I checked with a thermometer to see just what the difference was, and it was 33C outside and 26C inside, so a considerable difference, and without the sun burning down on you continuously, inside the van is complete shade for most of the day.  Good to know, as I was concerned about the heat the further south I get.

Someone at the show today knew the Polish phrase I have on the back, he was Polish.  We had a nice chat about how much fun it would be to take my van to Europe and travel around there for a while. It is a real possibility should I decide to venture to the UK to work for a couple of years. They’ll ship my  belongings, up to $10,000 cost, so I figure, just stuff the van and have them ship that! Surely it won’t cost more a house full of furniture. It would be super cool to travel in Europe with Karma…

Yesterday the show began with a pancake breakfast at the VW dealership not far from here, and a mini-show. I took Karma and she got some interest there too. I didn’t stay long as it was rather hot in the sun.  We all gathered later in the day at Clover Point park by the ocean and did a group cruise to a coffee shop in the city where apparently every Saturday night during the summer, the hot rods all gather. The VW club enjoys cruising there earlier than the hot rods, and taking up the best spaces out front each year when they have the Volksfest, kind of a friendly rivalry thing. There were tons of cool cars that rumbled into the parking lot, a few of which I’ve also posted here.

I’ve been checking out some possibilities for camping in Mexico for real cheap but still where I want to be, and had a few finds, including one in a small town where they allow you to camp for free if you buy an occasional meal from the restaurant on the property. It’s beachside and there’s hot showers and flush toilets. Sounds perfect. I can’t recall if I mentioned in a previous post about volunteering in Mexico for a while.  I met a gal from the US who works in an orphanage/shelter for girls & women on the Baja Peninsula, and we chatted about things.  I told her my background was social work and that I was heading to Mexico in the fall, and she told me about a new program they are hoping to start up this summer, rescuing young girls that had been sold into the sex trade. They offer free camping onsite, and free meals in the mess hall/cafeteria. Sounds like a great opportunity to use my skills, learn about international social services, and improve my Spanish.

I have a travel partner joining me in September. She’s coming to the Bob Dylan concert with the rest of the crew, and will join me from there.  I am hoping she follows through and comes with me, as I think it would be better than traveling alone in Mexico and beyond.  It’s also been rather lonely driving alone too, without Stormy.  He has settled in rather nicely at my daughter’s place in the Yukon, and she takes him regularly for walks.  One of her neighbors comments each time she passes with Stormy on the leash, “There goes that girl with that cat again!” I don’t have to worry about his care when he’s with my daughter as she treats her kitties very well, and is vigilant about not letting them get outside on their own.  Stormy has made fast friends with Squirrel, the youngest of the cats. He has also easily figured out the best way to deal with Irelyn, the bitch, is to take a WIDE path around her. He’s been kind of picking on Macgee, however he is a big boy, just as big as Stormy and he can take it. I don’t know why he has been doing that though, as he and Macgee got on very well the last time they lived together in the Yukon. Who knows…maybe they had a falling out…

I finally sewed the screen into the pop-top window.  The original one was gone, just the zipper left, still zipped up. Someone had made a new screen for the window, but only sewed it across the bottom, though I’m not sure why. It was useless as it was, as it didn’t have any way to attach to the rest of the tent.  I got out my trusty sewing  kit (housed in a West Coast Choppers lunchbox tin) and got that bugger sewn in proper. I don’t need any visitors in the night, thank-you very much…

Hard to believe I am more than 3 months into the trip…where did these last months go? It seemed like I was waiting to leave forever, and planning for years, and now it’s partly over.  I’ve managed to acquire quite a tan along the way.  Living outside can do that.  I use sunscreen when I think about it, but today I forgot to put some on my back, as I couldn’t reach it and had intended on getting someone else to put it on for me.  I was wearing a smocked long dress, no straps and got a fiery burn back there, dammit. Now I’ll be peeling in a week or so in a place I can’t reach…that’ll teach me.