May 16-18, 1998

On Saturday we loaded the Peg Perego on the bike rack, and with the kids
strapped in, set out on a Victoria Day Weekend road trip.  From one old
canal town, Peterborough, to another, Welland (both in Southern
Ontario).  Although the trip is only about 300 km each way, I couldn't
help feeling a tiny bit trepidatious because Dela hadn't been taken out
for a long drive since a faulty ignition coil aborted a trip to Boston
last fall.  But vans belong on the road, right?

Off we went, me keeping my usual 100km/h speed cap, with no radio to
interfere with my built-in trouble monitor (my ears). The radio stopped
working last summer, and I decided I liked listening to the sound of the
van better anyway.  A couple things of note:

*A hum that develops at around 90 km/h and fades at 100 km/h.  A bearing
giving up the ghost perhaps?

*More wind noise than there was before I installed a new seal around the
luggage rack.  Perhaps I should remove the rack, add a length of
weatherstripping, and re-install?

The round-trip went off without any problems.  We got about 21 mpg, no
perceptible oil or coolant loss, without any problems holding 100 km/h
(okay, 90km/h up the Burlington Skyway).  I spotted seven Westies during
the trip, 5 of them with square lamps and tinted windows, the other two
Digijets like mine, but in nicer shape than mine.  Hey, mine's a winter
car, okay?

Overall an excellent, relaxing weekend.  I got to spend time with my
family; my rowers (whom I coach) got a bronze medal at the regatta which
was our destination; and the weather was near perfect.  Next trip is up
to Palmer Rapids (near Algonquin) the weekend of June 6-7.  Any list
members in the area?

Marcus Elia
'84 Westfalia (Dela)