For what it’s worth here are some pics of my install… just wrapped it up tonight. I still have some concerns with the wiring (I tapped into my aux battery via cutting the plug that used to power the Fridge. Anyway… this took about 10 hours once I made the decision of where to put the dang thing. I couldn’t put it under my bench as that’s where my 2nd battery is located… and I didn’t really want the fridge… so, without changing any of the camper cabinetry outside appearance, I came up with this! I can’t wait to get out and stay warm!

Earlier this summer I designed this cycling kit (jerseys and riding shorts) for a friend of mine. We ordered up a bunch and have been wearing them all around the PNW. If someone zips by you…at mach speeds, you can tell your friends that you’ve had an encounter with the Hand of Doom Race Team. Go Roger.

Hand of Doom Jersey Front

Hand of Doom Jersey Back

Hand of Doom Shorts Front

Hand of Doom Shorts Back

My friend and fellow designer David Cole and I spent some time this summer re-juicing our creative energy in the mountains high above Whistler Village. Here’s a down and dirty video of some of the fun. With some luck, a little skill and lots of practice, we made it back safe and are now back at the office with a whole new outlook on the daily grind!

Well, is it a midlife crisis? A project? A headache? A wise decision? I’m not exactly sure, but according to my friends who own these things… they say things like, “You’ve crossed the vortex…welcome to the other side my friend” and “Tell Jack we said hi…” (local VW mechanic). Or, “HA! A magic bus was my dream car in high school. Even better than the Dr. Pepper wagon. Just watch out for the lawn mowers that will pass you on the hills!” These comments make me smile.

It’s never been a dream to own one, or even a desire. In fact, I always thought it was unnecessary to want a van to sleep in. But, for some reason I got the itch and it just seems right. Although I may regret the trickle of time and money, I foresee many fun family times ahead. Traveling with no place to stay, no reservations, no worries about rain and soggy gear. Gone are the days of cramming gear into our sedan, or my jeep!

I took a leap of faith and searched the country (via eBay and Craigslist). I found this 1984 VW Westy eBay and won the bidding! It sounded like the one… and it was for sale by the “original” owner. Lot’s of miles but, supposedly garaged for most of it’s life. We’ll see It’ll be a couple weeks before I get the car to Seattle (shipping from California). The whole eBay process was kind of stressful, but hindsight not that bad. Arranging bank transfers is easy and finding a shipping company is easy. eBay makes it simple to buy or sell a car. I’ll most likely list my Jeep Wrangler on eBay too. Here are the photos from the listing: