[tcb] Re: side bar on trip report
- From: sammie smith <bugcollections@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: tcb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 23 May 2007 18:39:42 -0700 (PDT)
It is mostly blue and white with a black trim mixed in. The description of the
owner fits. Didn't notice pull out drawers where the rockers were so I don't
know. Yes the bus did get pushed off the road and flipped but by a Ford
pickup. That story is in the book and the current bus is a co-mingling of 2
busses; the original and a donor that he cut lots of body parts off of to
repair the original one. Did fail to mention that he has re-hinged all of the
windows with piano type hinges so that the windows down the side open straight
up at a 90 degree angle and has props to hold them in that position and he has
screens similar to a westy on the inside to keep out the bugs. Also a lot of
the body work panels have been fabricated and replaced with plywood and
stainless steel. I have a neighbor who is a retired NASA engineer and I'll ask
him if he has heard of him. However, I asked John, the owner, what his
background was, was reading the book at the show and reads like
written by someone with a background in philosophy or at least journalism or
English. Told me that he only graduated from high school. Either he is very
smart, was lying about his education, or someone helped him write the book.
Mark Sawyer <mechmark@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: Sammie, Is this a blue and white
bus with pull out drawers where the rocker panels use to be. If so, I met him
many years ago at Buses Near the Arch. We called it the bondo condo. He had
just gotten back on the road after being run off the road by an 18 wheeler some
where up north. Tall, skinny guy that spoke very softly. Showed us an ID for
Nasa where he was some kind of engineer.
sammie smith <bugcollections@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: Went to the Mtn View
show. Saw the greatest bus ever, even better than Murray. Sorry that everyone
on the TCB list did not get to see this bus. Driver/owner John Lago from
Oshkosh WI. Quote from sign on windshield. "Daily Driver for 40+ years.
Totaled twice, on fire 3 times, and dropped through the ice once. How many
miles? Only the Shadow knows. From Florida to the Yukon, and close to both
coasts. Been through 2 trannys, many motors. Recently a 2000 mile two-week
trip to Georgia. Before that, a 5,000 mile ride to Newfoundland. Was there
ever trouble? Sometimes you're the bug and sometimes you are the windshield."
The bus is a 62 Kombi that the owner bought as a youngster in 1966. He has
modified this bus for roughing it in the Yukon and ice fishing in Wisconsin.
It has a wood stove made from stainless steel to heat the interior and cooking
when camping. It has a stainless steel trap door in the cargo floor for
drilling through the ice and ice fishing. There is no interior in the rear
except for a home made bunk along the left rear wall of the bus. Front seats,
driver and passenger, are aluminum and web lawn chairs. Interior toilet is a
hardwood seat with hole that holds a zip lock baggy. Fishing rods are mounted
on the interior roof. Roof rack for carrying canoe. No front bumper cept for
spare tire that hangs on the nose. Rear bumper home made from heavy steel.
Rope pull start mounted on crank pulley of engine as taken from a 4 cylinder
snow mobile. Works like a charm and starts on first pull as demonstrated by
the owner. Every nook and cranny of the interior of the
bus is designed to hold something useful for the owner who takes extended
trips and literally lives out of the bus and off of the land.
Owner has also written a book about the bus, philosophy of life, and whatever
else came to mind. Read it completely at almost one sitting. If you are
interested it is $15 and available at Lunchbreak Press, PO Box 703, Oshkosh WI
54903. Appears to be a self published book and has no ISBN on the book. Worth
the read for guys who like busses. Not sure about the gals. Book written
under name of John Bock. According to John, because that's his favorite beer.
He is supposed to be at the Funfest in Effington IL in a couple of weeks if
anyone on the list is going and want to catch some interesting conversation
with John, buy his book and look at his bus. Should have his traveling
companion with him, very large brown Collie mix dog.
Meeting John and the bus made the trip, even without all of the other things
that you normally get traveling a long way in a VW and though the mountains of
hillbilly hollow AR to a VW show.
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