“The Colonel”
Remembering it.
The images in my head originated 45 or so years ago. My grandparents would take my brother and me on short camping trips in their own little red VW bus. The shifting gears and rhythmic rumble of the engine soothed me. We rode higher than the others, peering down upon them in an age before oversized SUVs. I felt larger than life watching the airplanes take off from the old Miami airport on our way out into the Everglades with the windows down. I’d sleep on a cot hung near the windshield, hanging my feet out the windows for fun.
Driving it.
Each summer, we travel backroads of the U.S., visiting national parks, collecting magnets and memories. We even went to the Everglades during the summer of ‘17 for old times sake.
Owning it.
I impulsively bought my own VW bus when I was 42, a 1972 version. Named Colonel Mustard by the previous owner, she was just a few months older than me. My intent was to drive it all the way from Vancouver, Canada to Florida, coast to coast, but the Colonel and I stumbled near St. Louis, Missouri with transmission problems. Eventually, we did make it to the Florida coast - Daytona Beach, as a matter of fact.
Utilizing it.
The Colonel now gets me to the classrooms, antique stores, card shows, and sporting events I need to visit while providing all of the connectivity, flexibility, open air, and space that needed to handle the life as we make it. If you see me and the Colonel out on the road, be sure to give me a wave!