I just finished a 2 day drive from near Portland, Or. to San Diego desert
area, driving my 84 tin top westie inside with it's 2.0L/1.8l hybrid inline
VW motor. 5sp trans.    I did about 1200 miles down the eastern side of the
mountains...Hwy 395 most of the way, with freezing temps until near Bishop,
Ca...but dry roads.   I got a fantastic all time high gas mileage for one
tank, between Gardner, Nv and Lone Pine, Ca. of over 26mpg.  This is the
most mountainous part of the trip with 3 passes above 8000'..Only one pass
did I have any real slowing, the rest I powered over in 5th gear with the
occasional backshift to 4th to keep my speed at 60-65.  Usually I'll run up
the longest climbs in 4th gear at 50-55mph and about 3700rpms, but I was
into 'making distance' and there was pending weather.  My average fuel
consumption stayed at it's normal 22-23mpg overall and I burned one quart
of oil.....probably once I entered the freeway system in So Cal and begin
driving at 75mph like everyone does in LA..

   Having the proper tires on my van this time, and them all in almost new
condition made a huge difference in driver fatigue..It is a real pleasure
to not have to 'ride herd' on the van as you traverse some of these awful
two lane sections of 395, amidst bumper to bumper semi trucks running at 65
with gusty desert sidewinds and broken pavement...Good tires are money well
spent.

  I didn't weight the van this trip, but it contained an estimated 500lbs
of tools and bicycle gear, with nothing tied-on or outside on racks.  For a
quick over-night stopping spot, I chose an auto parts store lot in a very
small town in eastern California...I'd bought a battery there once, after
spending another night in that lot....I just thought..."Hey, it's quiet and
out of the way and pretty safe....and if anyone (a bored deputy sherrif?)
rousts me for 'camping' here, I can say I am waiting till morning to test a
battery or alternator, or something....."  No cop is going to be nasty
enough to make you move-on with a story like that....I slept great and the
arrival of the first worker was my alarm clock.

  Along the way I rode my bicycle up the back road entry to Death
Valley...There are signs..."pavement ends in 28 miles" and "next services
108 miles"....that is pretty remote...

  Anyway, the old dull brown 84 is again doing it's job like a 'journeyman'
vehicle....Pile the stuff in, grab the wheel and head out.....stop when you
get sleepy...make coffee when you wake up....perfect..

  Don Hansoin