372 XP Husq. cracked cylinder head

[louiseM]

Hey Louise, you mentioned a VW van; a friend of mine had one  and told me there was one thing you should have with you when you drove it, then he showed me the shop manual!

This is the best book for VWs, bar none...
How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive: A Manual of Step-by-Step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot: John Muir, Tosh Gregg, Peter Aschwanden: 9781566913102: Amazon.com: Books
The world would be a *much* better place if all manuals were written like this one. I used to carry a spare anything that was convenient to carry. German engineering at its best. Nothing was added "cause we can". Everything had a purpose, and most of it could be fixed with the lug wrench and a screwdriver. I miss my old aircooled Vdubs.

I remember that book, it may have been one of the first 'Idiot' books...yes, those engines were not intimidating...now it seems they hide the sparkplugs so you couldn't get to them if you wanted to...My last camper was a perfectly restored camper, perfect in every way, w/ the pop top and the closet, sink...you could live in it... it was painted a sunny  bright yellow...now I stick w/ a toyota pick up because I don't want to break down anymore...

[Old Greenhorn]

..... until I came to an exit in Kansas, and rolled into a little motel, they let me stay a few weeks at no charge while I waited for parts, and they happened to have a retirement / rescue for animals retired from the movies, Lions and everything!...there were community baseball games, nothing like Kansas hospitality!

Wait wait wait, back up the truck just a cottin' pickin' minute! There is a heck of a story here, I am sure. A week in Kansas waiting for parts I get, but a 'few weeks"? Sounds like you settled in pretty well. What was THAT all about?............. C'mon Louise, give us a story.

[louiseM]

HaHa...I am sorry, but it was a totally innocent story...the people took me to church with them!  Kansas people were big on church...they don't have trees, though...There was a one armed mechanic, and he was amazing, he could fix things just fine,  he was fixing my bus...it's a little bit of a sad story, he had 3 kids, and his wife had abandoned them, and I hung out in the shop  (it was next to the motel) and became friends w/ the kids, and they wanted me to stay, but I couldn't...on my way to Ca...but we played baseball and hung out w/the animals...it was sad to leave them because they had already been abandoned...now you'll have to cry in your beer...

[louiseM]

PS...I ended up not going to the saw mill today, because I figured they were busy, and I didn't want to be annoying...then I came down w/ a cold...so, feeling not so good...will think of another plan tomorrow...I remember another VW story...my golden retriever always sat in the passenger seat because she liked to hang out the window...everyone else had to sit in the back...we  went on about 6 trips accross country, one involved running out of money in Wyoming or somewhere, it's all a blur, just me and my dog, Sadie...we kept picking up hitch-hikers, and none of them had money, just shrooms or this and that...but some other group of travelers had a credit card and a van full of people...so we traveled via caravan because they wanted the shrooms...I am sure there is much about that trip I have forgotten, I do remember we were all camped in a corn field and 6 a.m. the thresher came and we managed to get up pretty quick, the van had a piano in the back...

[lxskllr]

You were following the Dead, weren't you?  ;^)

[louiseM]

hahaha...no, just plain stupid!!  was lucky nothing bad happened..!!

[lxskllr]

Bad stuff hardly ever happens. The news wants everyone too scared to leave their houses, and bad news sells ad space. Sounds like you had a fun adventure, and met interesting people  :^)

[louiseM]

You make an excellent point...It has gotten so much worse since the 24 hour news cycle...I wish they had a 24 hour news program that only had positive news...yes, adventures, and interesting people, people are amazing all over...there is a lot of good stuff happening all over....