In a message dated 5/21/2005 4:31:30 PM Pacific Standard Time,
detroit.bus@GMAIL.COM writes:

contents  of our one-bedroom apartment. I figure it will take about  two
Vanagon-loads

TWO VANAGON LOADS! You must have one of the biggest on-bedrooms in New York
City.

Here's my advice. Ease up on the Coffee. You're gonna have to learn to  relax
if you want to survive in LA.

If you're gonna pull a trailer to be fair to your economic configuration  and
factor in the cost of the new transmission, installed somewhere around Vail,
CO. A fully loaded bus with a fully loaded trailer--small or not--and an 18
year  old  tranny with 156K, spells "bring it on."

The other scenario is no good either unless you're dying to drive 12,000
miles and log in a minimum of 240 hours behind the wheel. If you dying to be in
your bus for that long, just hurry out here. Because in LA you'll spend every
waking moment in your car--except when you're underneath it trying to undo
what  city driving has contaminated.

Get a pod. Ship all your stuff out. Take time to drive the country  leasurely
since you have time before your job starts. Stop in Montana and  Wyoming--see
the medicine wheel in Big Horn National Forest. See the site of the
concentration camp from WWII for Asians outside Cody, WY. Stop in Boulder, CO  and hit
Conor O'neills Pub or the Walnut Grill.  See the family in detriot.  Get a
picture with the largest ball of string. Eat at Bob's in Sturgus, SD. Go  to
Wall Drugs where ever that is. Take your time. And get used to it.

Or, get out to LA quick and get up to Yosemite or drive the PCH up to San
Francisco. OR head to Vegas, or all the stuff you won't be able to do out here
once you're working.

Don't waste good time moving. You've got a weekender. That's a vehicle  about
the journey. the kind of punishment you're talking about putting on your  bus
is for a destination vehicle like 2001 Honda Odessey.

Best,
Jeff
83.5 Westy
LA,CA