A note from the road
Hi, I’m Michael. Most people know me as BigNerdLoLz.
I started my Bus journey in January 2020. Somewhere along the way, keeping an old Volkswagen moving turned into a bigger adventure: helping bring a community’s knowledge back where people can find it.
Hi. I’m Michael, aka BigNerdLoLz. You may never have heard of me. I’m a list of unusual things, a person who likes figuring out how things work, and someone who has collected a few hard-to-find answers along the way.
That is part of why we are here. The old Vanagon conversations hold practical knowledge that can be difficult to replace: the fix someone tried, the part that fit, the road that worked, and the details another owner needed at just the right time. We are recovering the Gerry mailing-list archive and the history of Vanagon.com so those conversations can keep helping people.
I’ve taken the helm on this recovery and I’m putting a bit of gas back into the community. There is a lot left to do. I’m grateful to everyone who has shared a photo, answered a question, preserved a page, tested a feature, or simply cheered us on. I hope this place serves the next owner as well as it served the people who came before.
An arcade run, a borrowed Bus, and a motorcade
One chapter still makes me laugh. I rented a Bus to buy an arcade game and meet Alex in Jerome. The plan was for me to follow him back to his place in San Diego so we could get the arcade home. I’m still not sure why we arranged it that way. Alex broke down on the way back, though, so having a motorcade turned out to be useful after all.
That is the kind of trip this has been: ambitious plans, old vehicles, good people, and adapting together when the road has other ideas. Play Desert Microbus Westfalia Edition and take a turn behind the wheel.
A few good people to know
I recommend contacting Ken Wilfy for fitment questions, and Steve, the locksmith in Texas, when you need keys. When you’re trying to invent your way into a repair or make an unusual solution work, reach out to me and let’s compare notes.
Starlink was a big unlock for me on the road. If reliable connectivity matters to your own travels, here’s the Starlink referral page I use. This is my personal recommendation from experience.
Keep the knowledge moving
Read what owners have learned, add your own experience, and help us bring this archive back into reach. The recovery is ongoing; we’ll keep showing what is known and what still needs work.
Thanks for landing here, and thank you for all your support.
Michael “BigNerdLoLz” Barbine