I just found out that Howard King died a few weeks ago. He was an incredible man who combined his talents as a photographer and his love of nature to protect and expand some of my favorite local state parks and camping areas, including 21,000 acres of redwood forests purchased in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties using funds raised through sale of his photographs. King was 97.
"Hauling a chain saw and digging tools, King built miles of trails by hand through Big Basin Redwoods, Butano and other state parks, working well into his 80s without pay. A trail to scenic Mount McAbee in Big Basin bears his name."
"But King is best known for his photography. His photos of redwoods adorn postcards, books and posters across California. His images have been used to raise millions of dollars by the Sempervirens Fund and the Save-the-Redwoods League to purchase redwood forests facing development or logging. As a result, Big Basin, Butano, Castle Rock and other parks have doubled in size over the past generation, even as the Bay Area population has steadily grown.
"`He was a wonderful guy,'' said Claude ``Tony'' Look, who co-founded the Sempervirens Fund with King. ``In redwood photography he stands out so much. He took pictures that no one else could take because he would stay out there so long. He wore me out.''
"Maria King, his wife of 19 years, recalled Tuesday that King regularly headed to the woods whenever it rained or the fog rolled in. Unloading his red Volkswagen bus, King would stand under tarps and umbrellas for hours in inclement weather with his 4x5 camera. The reason: Redwoods are notoriously hard to photograph because of changing light patterns, and King said the bright greens of the forest shone best in his photographs when the light was soft and the ancient trees were wet.
``I think he would like to be remembered as a superb photographer, an environmentalist, and someone who wanted to be of as much use to the world as possible,'' said Maria King, 94. 'He had a real affinity for those trees.'"
The Mercury News
And he seemed to have an affinity for his VW bus. It apparently enabled him to stay out in the woods for long periods through the rain waiting for the special lighting that made his photographs famous. I know four professional photographers who have syncro westfalias. I guess it is not just a coincidence. Thanks, Howard King, for your great gift to the Bay Area, 21,000 acres of redwood forest and a life lived to its potential.
Wednesday, July 23, 2003
The $72,000 VW Bus -
Can you imagine a VW Bus worth $72,000? There is one, and it's not even a syncro. It's an orange 1969 baywindow prototype in pristine condition. They call it the "Beach Bomber". I believe it has fewer than 10 miles on the clock. It's actually in a museum, now. According to the curator,
"'We have it up on a rotating pedestal in a case with video surveillance.'"
Here's a photo of the bus. Here's the story..
"'We have it up on a rotating pedestal in a case with video surveillance.'"
Here's a photo of the bus. Here's the story..
Big Darkness, Soon to Come
"They somehow managed to blow it all, like a gang of kids on a looting spree.
"It is genuinely incredible. The U.S. Treasury is empty, we are losing that stupid, fraudulent chickencrap war in Iraq, and every country in the world except a handful of corrupt Brits despises us. We are losers, and that is the one unforgivable sin in America.
"The American nation is in the worst condition I can remember in my lifetime, and our prospects for the immediate future are even worse.
"Big darkness, soon come. Take my word for it."
- Hunter S. Thompson
I had to laugh when I read the above today, even though it is not that far from the sad truth, IMO. It is great to have gonzo journalism back with Thompson writing a weekly piece for ESPN.COM. I share a geographical bond with the man. He wrote a a good part of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" while staying in the small motel behind my house. He called it his second home. It's right on a bluff overlooking the ocean and he apaprently found it to be an ideal place to hide away and write. Lots of fog, and foghorns, this time of year.
"Dawn is coming up in San Francisco now: 6:09 A.M. ...at the Seal Rock Inn...out here at the far end of Geary Street: this is the end of the line, for buses and everything else, the western edge of America."
Hunter S. Thompson, "Fear And Loathing on the Campaign Trail, 1972"
"It is genuinely incredible. The U.S. Treasury is empty, we are losing that stupid, fraudulent chickencrap war in Iraq, and every country in the world except a handful of corrupt Brits despises us. We are losers, and that is the one unforgivable sin in America.
"The American nation is in the worst condition I can remember in my lifetime, and our prospects for the immediate future are even worse.
"Big darkness, soon come. Take my word for it."
- Hunter S. Thompson
I had to laugh when I read the above today, even though it is not that far from the sad truth, IMO. It is great to have gonzo journalism back with Thompson writing a weekly piece for ESPN.COM. I share a geographical bond with the man. He wrote a a good part of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" while staying in the small motel behind my house. He called it his second home. It's right on a bluff overlooking the ocean and he apaprently found it to be an ideal place to hide away and write. Lots of fog, and foghorns, this time of year.
"Dawn is coming up in San Francisco now: 6:09 A.M. ...at the Seal Rock Inn...out here at the far end of Geary Street: this is the end of the line, for buses and everything else, the western edge of America."
Hunter S. Thompson, "Fear And Loathing on the Campaign Trail, 1972"
Monday, July 21, 2003
IWCCC Îles-de-la-Madeleine Rally Aug. 13-17
The annual International Westfalia Camping Car Club Rally will be held on the Îles-de-la-Madeleine this year from Aug. 13-17. According to Tim Smith, the club has booked an entire ferry for transport of hundreds of westfalias to the rally. Can you imagine what a wild party that ferry ride is going to be!
The club was started in 1993 by Claudine and Denis Poirier, who live outside of Montreal. Since then, they have held huge annual rallies, averaging over 300 vans, including one event in 1999 that set a Guinness World Record for the most Westfalias camped in one place, with 489 Westys in attendance at Parc des Voltigeurs in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada. Apparently, there are over 1000 members in the club.
Why can't we Americans do that? Are there really that many more VW campers in Canada per capita than in the USA? Does it have anything to do with the fact that Canada is a more progressive country, having, for example, just legalized medical marijuana, and decriminalized simple possession while also legalizing gay marriages. Can you imagine our current president or congress ever backing such measures?! Unthinkable. They are trying to prevent Canada from enacting these measures in their own country! And in that regard, the USA finds itself isolated from much of the rest of the western world, just as it is on many other important issues, like global warming and nuclear arms proliferation, land mines, biological weapons, the importance of the UN. Maybe if we do like the Canadians and hold huge VW Bus campouts, things will change!
The club was started in 1993 by Claudine and Denis Poirier, who live outside of Montreal. Since then, they have held huge annual rallies, averaging over 300 vans, including one event in 1999 that set a Guinness World Record for the most Westfalias camped in one place, with 489 Westys in attendance at Parc des Voltigeurs in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada. Apparently, there are over 1000 members in the club.
Why can't we Americans do that? Are there really that many more VW campers in Canada per capita than in the USA? Does it have anything to do with the fact that Canada is a more progressive country, having, for example, just legalized medical marijuana, and decriminalized simple possession while also legalizing gay marriages. Can you imagine our current president or congress ever backing such measures?! Unthinkable. They are trying to prevent Canada from enacting these measures in their own country! And in that regard, the USA finds itself isolated from much of the rest of the western world, just as it is on many other important issues, like global warming and nuclear arms proliferation, land mines, biological weapons, the importance of the UN. Maybe if we do like the Canadians and hold huge VW Bus campouts, things will change!
Westy Shower
I am finding that my approach to equipping the westy cabin for camping has evolved to a "modular" approach. On short trips, we just take the van. On longer trips, we take along the outdoor kitchen. It is quick to set up and does not take up much room or involve a lot of stuff. It consists of a propane stove, some slotted 1/4x6" borads to assemble into a counter and a little folding stool. The stove hooks directly to my (2) propane tanks on the van via a 12' long, but very compace-packing, hose. It's actually enjoyable to cook when you can have a decent outdoor kitchen with lots of room. And it keeps the van free for use as the main living room, so to speak.
I am now taking this approach a step farther and have assembled a portable shower modual that is very compacet and light, yet provides a measure of added luxury that will be great to have on the 2 week trip we have planned for August. The shower consists of the Zodi double burner Hot Tap portable propane fueled water heater/shower, a 12 volt pump that can plug into the van or use its own little gel battery, a hose to hook the burner to the van ot propane tank, a cedar slotted little platform to stand on while showering, a stand to hold the shower hose at appropriate height and an incredibly cool Paha Que Teepee shower tent that is light, sets up quickly and is really well designed and made specifically for this purpose. All of this fits in a space about 1/2 of the size of a normal sized cooler and provides really nice hot showers easily. Of course, being used to showering on a boat helps, as the pressure is not that great, but it is more than enough to make it a great addition to the westy for extended camping/traveling.
I'll report back after the trip and let you know how it works 'out in the field.'
I am now taking this approach a step farther and have assembled a portable shower modual that is very compacet and light, yet provides a measure of added luxury that will be great to have on the 2 week trip we have planned for August. The shower consists of the Zodi double burner Hot Tap portable propane fueled water heater/shower, a 12 volt pump that can plug into the van or use its own little gel battery, a hose to hook the burner to the van ot propane tank, a cedar slotted little platform to stand on while showering, a stand to hold the shower hose at appropriate height and an incredibly cool Paha Que Teepee shower tent that is light, sets up quickly and is really well designed and made specifically for this purpose. All of this fits in a space about 1/2 of the size of a normal sized cooler and provides really nice hot showers easily. Of course, being used to showering on a boat helps, as the pressure is not that great, but it is more than enough to make it a great addition to the westy for extended camping/traveling.
I'll report back after the trip and let you know how it works 'out in the field.'
Sunday, July 20, 2003
SYNCRO.ORG Gets a Blog
What is a blog, you ask? Well, that depends who is behind the blog. They are as different as people are from one another. But generally, a blog is a rolling journal of commentary, news, analysis, gossip, musings, or whatever the author cares to write about. There are millions of them out there in 'blogsphere.' The trick is to consistently write stuff people enjoy reading so that you develop an audience. I do not expect to accomplish anything earth shattering with this blog, but you never know! The focus of course will be syncro related matters. Stay tuned. I hope to enlist some co-hosts and to make the blog worth visiting, although I do not anticipate doing daily updates. Too much work!
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