VW Camper Family

A camping forum for VW bus and camper owners.

Here's a suggested outline for introducing yourself to others in the group. 

Look forward to getting to know you.


Hi, I'm _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (name)


1. I own/drive a VW type .....


2. First VW purchase year


3. Location including country


4. Where you have driven in your VW


5. Where you have camped in your VW


6. Most fun moment(s)


7. What got you started in the VW world


8. What you most love about having a VW


9. What you'd like from this group


10. What you'd like to offer to this group


11. Your personal likes/dislikes or something else about you


12. Are you on Facebook? If yes, please post your name (a copy your page address, http:// ...is best), so we can find each other.


13. Anything else?


 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Hello everyone,
I'm Carole Brown, owner and driver of the YesWeCan CamperVan, or Dexter (named by previous and first owner, also female).
My VW is a 1971 Bay window Westfalia. 1971 is the last year of the 1600cc engine and small rear lights; first year of disc brakes. A good year apparently.
Currently garaged at friend's home in Millbury, central Massachusetts, USA for the winter. I'm between Millbury and my condo in Provincetown, Cape Cod, which I'm hoping to sell.

In December 2009, I collected my van from the eBay seller (a dealer) and drove 10,000 miles between Oregon and Massachusetts, spending 5 of the 6.5 month journey in California. I camped with other VWs at club events and overnighted free wherever I could; see my blog for where we stayed (http://yeswecanjourney.wordpress.com pages Route, Thanks & Travel tips).

Most fun? So many of examples. I guess it's the SLOW DRAG race at the Spring Fling event held by the Orange Empire Bus Company near Corona, California on 1st Sunday in May. We came 2nd in the 2010 race. Watch the youtube video of the final here.

What got me started was a reunion with cousins in the UK in August 2009, some of whom had VW vans and buses.
What I love most about my camper van is that it's like the dog I don't yet have: it introduces me to other people who are always nice (like you) AND it makes others (and me) smile! My THANKS page on my blog makes me smile very time I read it; the people who befriended my and my VW van on the road between OR and MA were wonderful. When I set off, I knew only three people I was going to visit. I could never have imagined all the new friends that were ahead.

I'd like this group to be about supporting each one of us with our dreams related to our VWs, building confidence for our travels, and giving us connections across the USA and around the world. I'd also like to gain more understanding of my VW and ways to keep it in tip top condition.
What I can bring to this group is my initiative for starting new things; my energy and enthusiasm, skills in social media, blog design, writing and photography; and my strange British sense of humour.

Something about me: I dreamed of coming to America yet never knew it would take 15 years for my green card (which allows me to live and work in USA). During all those years I flew back and forth countless times, living half a year in Massachusetts and half in England. Now I'm here, I'm ready to start my life over. At the age of 55 it's a bit of a challenge! My YesWeCan road trip in 2010 was to inspire me and others to follow our dreams.

I'm on Facebook as The YesWeCan CamperVan and Carole Brown
ALSO PLEASE JOIN ME HERE at the YesWeCan Journey blog

I can't wait to meet you all!

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Replies to This Discussion

Hello I'm Paula

I'm from Newcastle upon Tyne in the North East of the UK.

We've had Katie for about 4 years.  She's a 1973 Bay Window T2 with a Devon pop top but with a Westfalia interior.

When we got Katie she was in good condition and didn't need too much work doing to her.  We managed to use her for the whole first summer before taking her off the road for the winter.  In which time my husband did some maintenance work on her.  He had to repair some panels on her and also do some repair work on the engine and finally he gave her a re-spray.

We had bought an awning for when we went camping as when we bought the camper one of the bunks in the pop top didn't have any material in it, so we let the kids sleep in the bus and me and hubby were in the awning.  We have since replaced the material in the bunks and now all four of us can sleep in the camper.

In the last 4 years we've travelled all over the UK.  Some of our favourite places we have have visited include Stratford upon Avon, Legoland at Windsor, the New Forest and Cornwall. 

Eventually we're hoping to get across the channel into France and Spain.

When we can we just try and get away for the weekend somewhere local, even if it's just for the one night away.

We are so pleased we bought our VW Camper, we absolutely love her and the kids love her as well, it is defintely the best thing we have ever bought and it has totally changed our lives.

The kids trying out the new hammocks in the pop top.

Looking forward to this year and already planning where we are going to this summer.

Paula xx

 

Hello Paula 

 It's so nice to be joined here by another English woman! Cheers!

 

Another beautiful looking VW bay window camper. What lovely colors VW chose - love your pale blue. I've never seen a photo of the bunks in that kind of pop top before - just great to see your children in there.

 

Buying my VW has changed my life totally, too. I think other members here would say the same (hopefully some will chip in with their  comments later).

 

Keep in touch and start any discussion topics you like.

Mention us to other women with VWs - are there many in the UK?

Best wishes,

Carole

My name is Tammy and my husband and I own a 1983 Westfalia passed down from his father to us when he could no longer drive.  We call our van Zeitgiest a name we came upon when traveling in San Francisco a few years ago that seemed to fit.  We have rebuilt the motor repainted the exterior and our next goal is the interior.  We drive our Zeitgiest daily and love the looks , thumbs up, peace signs that people display to us.  

We hope to have a big trip in few years just traveling about the country with it.

Hi, I am Melissa, one of the founding members and an admin of this site, so you can yell at me if anything goes wrong. I am known as Westywoman and you can see just a wee bit about me at www.westywoman.com. I also manage the Gold Country Campers group.

Currently, my '84 Vanagon Westfalia camper and I reside in Sacramento, CA. This is my third Vanagon Westfalia camper: I am afflicted with a disease that persists. As I have owned both air-cooled and water-cooled Vanagon campers, I have an understanding and affinity for both beasts. I have enjoyed the best and worst of both Type 2 and Type 3 busses.

There are two campouts I organize in Northern California every year (well, for the past two years): Train Spotting in June and a Thanksgiving in November. These have become very popular. Anyone heading to Northern California in June should check out Train Spotting 3 on the calendar.

 

I hope to see more women owners at the various campouts and events; while I enjoy the mens's company and shop-talk, it would be wonderful to hang with some more chicks.

 

Cheers!

Hello ladies, Well it's great to see that we are up to 30 members now and have women from 4 countries. I guess you can see that for yourselves but just thought I'd mention it. What has surprised me is the greater number from eastern America from what I had expected, so it's not true that all the US campers are in California! 

Welcome to this new group Tammy and it's been so nice also hearing from your husband on Facebook recently.

Lovely to hear from you Melissa - thanks for taking care of the VW Camper Family and thanks also for befriending me shortly after I got my VW this time last year. 

A few of us are meeting at Buses by the Bridge and I'm hoping we can come up with a few ideas as to the purpose of our group that I can then share with those of you who can't be there to ask for your opinions.

As I've said before please start any topics of interest to you in the discussion forum. I'm also going to post this message in the comments area since only some of us have contributed to this 'INTRODUCTIONS' section.

Happy VWing!

Carole

Hi, I'm  marci


1. I own/drive an 84' westfalia


2. was given her around 5 years ago from a family friend


3. she lives between LA and Colorado


4. Where you have driven in your VW: everywhere between the west coast and colorado


5. Where you have camped in your VW: same as above


6. Most fun moment(s): every moment if fun!


7. What got you started in the VW world: when i was 14 my folks bought a westie and i was hooked ever since.


8. What you most love about having a VW: being able to roam!


9. What you'd like from this group: friends


10. What you'd like to offer to this group: friendship


11. Your personal likes/dislikes or something else about you: traveller, photographer, dialogue coach, printer, book binder, yogi, hiker, mom of a home grown 4 1/2 yr old damselfly and an adopted 2 1/2 yr old vietnamese firecracker, partner to an amazing man for the last 20 years~

Hi Marci,

Great to hear from you and thanks for introducing yourself.  Would be nice to know where  you are exactly and to see a photo of your '84 westy posted here.

Please feel free to start any new discussion topics and share your experiences and ask questions. I would love others to discuss more.

As you'll see if you look through the members, we have new owners and those like yourself who have been touring for years. I'm sure you have lots to share.

If you have ideas as to how to encourage others to start new discussions or ways we can connect better, please make suggestions. I tried to do a phone-in at the start of the year so we could talk and hear each other, but there were few replies so that didn't work. I'm open to all ideas.

Cheers, Carole

(currently delayed in CA due to flight cancellations due to snow back east - seems every time I re-book my flight to Boston, I get the day when the next storm hits!)

Tammy! Your Zeitgiest looks a lot like our Sandy now! How did you decide on the color? Our's ended up much brighter than the paint chip we selected, but it was a beautiful mistake/surprise & we love it!



Tammy said:

My name is Tammy and my husband and I own a 1983 Westfalia passed down from his father to us when he could no longer drive.  We call our van Zeitgiest a name we came upon when traveling in San Francisco a few years ago that seemed to fit.  We have rebuilt the motor repainted the exterior and our next goal is the interior.  We drive our Zeitgiest daily and love the looks , thumbs up, peace signs that people display to us.  

We hope to have a big trip in few years just traveling about the country with it.

@ Paula! Kids love buses! We have a 71 and even if we are broken down, etc. etc. The next time I ask, "Should we drive the bus or the Xterra" (our off road vehicle) they ALWAYS say, "lets' drive Betty!!!" We love her like a pet or something!

Hi, I'm Denise


1. I own/drive a VW Vanagon


2. First VW purchase year- 1984


3. Location including country- Chicago, IL USA


4. Where you have driven in your VW - Around Kansas City, Missouri

5. Where you have camped in your VW- Big Lake,  Lake Jacomo,  Smithville Lake.


6. Most fun moment(s) The first time we took our van out the dog (100 lab named Henry) decided to sleep in the bed with us all night. The last time we went out we spent an entire day reading and hanging out in our chairs in the sun.


7. What got you started in the VW world - We wanted to buy something we could go "junking" in and we were at a neighborhood garage sale and both saw the Westy from across a crowed street. We both ran over to it and started shouting "OMG Babe, there's a kitchen in here...can you see the inside of this thing?" It was clearly love at first sight.


8. What you most love about having a VW- I love fixing it up and planning our trips


9. What you'd like from this group- I would love to meet other people in the Chicago/Wisconsin area who would like to camp together.


10. What you'd like to offer to this group- I make a mean chili.


11. Your personal likes/dislikes or something else about you- I'm a liberal, so if that makes you queasy you might not like me.


12. Are you on Facebook? If yes, please post your name (a copy your page address, http:// ...is best), so we can find each other. http://www.facebook.com/dmkmezzo


13. Anything else? I'm super excited to find this group and to see that it is relatively active. Alot of the sites out there have like 6 members and they all live in NV. :)



Hi Denise,

I've been off line a while as I'm in London this month and without internet access at my little old house. It's so  nice to read all about you and I'm so happy you are excited to find this group. We seem  now to be spreading not only across the USA but around the world too. 

I'd love to visit you in Chicago and meet you on Facebook too. 'The YesWeCan Campervan' page has over 400 friends and we're hoping to get nearer 100o supporters before we start our cross country roadtrip this year.

Here are some links that I hope you enjoy visiting:

My Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/carole.brown1

My VW's FB page - http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-YesWeCan-CamperVan/203679777444

Why we're driving across the USA this year - http://yeswecanjourney.wordpress.com/2011/01/29/a-cause-for-our-new...

 

I'd be thrilled if you could make comments at all three!

Cheers, Carole

Hi all,

I am Suzy Hess Wojcik from Eugene, Oregon.  I see there are several gals from Eugene on the list and there are VW campers

around every corner here.  I love my van and wish it would stop raining so we could get out more.  Suzy

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