Date: Fri, 31 Jan 1997 21:56:28 -0500
From: Charlie Ford <cford@mindspring.com>
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"