Date: Fri, 31 Jan 1997 21:56:28 -0500 From: Charlie Ford Subject: Austin to Taos, part I of III Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.............................. Route: Hwy 83 to 36 to I-20 to 84 to 518, north by northwest. Monday.... When I left Austin I headed north by northwest on Highway 84, that was Monday at about noon. Along the highway in that part of central Texas there is very little to look at except vast fields on the gradually ascending plains. Some farms I past were 1000 acre fields planted in cotton that had recently been picked, others were vast pastures of green grass for the cattle that were coraled by the fences that surrounded them. The bus was running good since having her fuel mixture adjusted in Austin at the place known as "VW Underground, Metaphysical VW Repair Shop". The gentleman, and I mean that, that worked on the Mothership was named Colby. He is the owner of the shop and even when I first spoke to him on the telephone he was cordial and helpful. I found him to be a man of knowlege of many things, not just VW's. He worked, I watched, and we talked of current events, spiritual matters, and fuel mixture in the 2.0 litre fuel injected engine. I had pretty much reconciled myself to rolling with the flow of the day, so I was in no hurry. After all was siad and done he worked for two hours on my bus, charged me $22.00, and I was on the rosd with a hearty handshake and a smile from him as I left. Good man! So on to my appointed rounds: I worked mys way up to Abeline on Monday, I arrived there after driving for about 4.5 hours. I had one helluva headwind coming out of the north so the bus surfed, yanked, and jerked her way up many reasonable inclines. I think I got about minus three miles per gallon. : ) I got to Abeline found a campground for the night and huddled in for what was going to be a cool night, quite a difference as compared to the 70 degree week just experienced in Austin. It is amazing what a couple hundred miles does in regards to weather. but this is the search for the beginning of wind so ahead lay my goal. I trudged onward. Weather is all pretty amazing. My Grandaddy used to say "it takes a fool to predict it, a bigger fool to believe what they predict, and an even bigger fool to complain about it", so I reconciled myself to dealing with it and settled in to meet the challenge. "79" Transporter, dressed for the road The Mothership The"Turning 40 Nostalgic VW Service Tour, and Search for the Beginning of Wind". www.armory.com/~y21cvb/charlie/charlie.html "Wider still and wider.....shall thy bounds be set"