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Messages - obnoxiousblue
1
« on: March 20, 2018, 03:10:26 PM »
Join us for the 18th Annual Buses by the Big Duck VW Campout from June 1st through June 3rd at Indian Island County Park and Campground in Riverhead, NY! We'll be camping in a reserved group areas 2 and 4, on sites equipped with electric and water. We never run out of room, and last minute arrivals are always welcome! Brings your bikes, bathing suits, canoes, and kayaks to enjoy the bay! Friday's welcome-party theme is "Superheroes!" in memory of our friend Dave who passed since our last campout. Dave's VW's were all named after Marvel Superheroes like Ben Grimm, "The Thing" While not required, if you know how many people will be in your group please consider RSVPing! Remember, pot-luck is on Saturday evening followed by a group campfire! IMPORTANT NOTE: Suffolk County Parks changed their pricing for groups in 2017. The County now requires at least 50% of campers to have a Green Key - or, pay significantly higher pricing. Since many of our guests are from Nassau County and New England (and non-resident pricing is now at $39/night!), in order to accommodate everyone while keeping site rates reasonable the following prices will be in effect again for 2018: $30/night - Resident or Non Resident While the current prices from Suffolk County are about $5 less per night (for a Suffolk Resident with a Green Key), each of us covering a little more helps to ensure that we don't disinterest campers from beyond our quaint little island. Your CASH-ONLY payment will be collected by Mike at the group site. But, please check in at the front gate upon your arrival to the campground. Pets are allowed in the campground, but must be licensed, and vaccinated. You must have the actual rabies certificate, and a license with you. The tag alone is not proof enough. Dog's must be leashed and under the control of their owner at all times. Be sure to invite your friends, share, and like the event on Facebook!
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« on: June 06, 2017, 10:17:13 AM »
Mike you must have done something right ! I didn't hear any complaints, about anything! Thanks Ed! This was by far the best Buses by the Big Duck yet. What a great weekend we had! The weather was phenomenal - even though we did have an hour of rain and thunder/lightening on Friday night. In true form, it didn't hamper anything and when it passed we had sun and nice early-summer weather. We had a record number of people this year... Had 38 campers, plus a couple tents and a set of trailers, there and 65 people in all. The camping "money" worked out just fine. My concerns were realized as the bill added up to a few hundred more than last year - but we also had significantly more people! The final bill (after including the deposits for the two group sites) was a hair under $2100! But it all balanced out by dividing the cost evenly among each site. I know it was a bit more expensive than years past, but I hope all our New England Contingent understands how hard I tried to keep the campground costs reasonable. Thanks to Andy and Natasha for all the firewood! I wasn't planning on running the raffle this year, because we had fewer items to raffle off. Andrea pushed me to do it and I'm glad we did as the raffles are always one of my favorite parts of these weekends. We offset it with a 50/50 and Audrey was kind enough to return her winnings to be donated! Special thanks to Nevin, Tom & Ronnie, Andrea & Brad and Go Westy for raffles! We've got a nice pot to hand over to and help out the John Thiessen Children's Foundation! I've always been on the fence about breaking camp for the obligatory trip to the duck - but maintain the yearly adventure as it is the event's namesake... That said, this year's cruise was awesome! We had 19 Buses/Vans make the trip and got a great group photo! Unlike years past, where everyone high-tailed it out (making you question if breaking camp was worth the 5 minute photo) we hung around and talked shop. I had some great talks with people about plans for my bus, as well as got a few ideas that will now be added to my list. Our Potluck dinner was perhaps the biggest it's been and so were our campfires! We had lots of Mac N Cheese - which went awesome with the Tropical Pulled Chicken that Jen and I made! Thanks again to everyone who came out, I can't wait to do it again! Here are some of the photos I found on Facebook - some are probably duplicates! Please share yours too as I didn't take many!           
3
« on: December 19, 2013, 10:56:30 PM »
Today marks the official end of production of the beloved and venerated Volkswagen Bus. To mark the day, the the Bay Pride Alliance has teamed up with Kenneth Mitchell of PaintedBus Artwerks to fashion a recreation of the iconic "crying bus". This bus is meant to be shared, like our beloved buses it too wants to travel to the far away places that it's namesake is famous for taking all of us. Please, feel free to share the crying bus on all social media, but leave the #baypridealliance hashtag on the logo, and use it in your posts so we can see how far the crying bus travel! Let's see this go viral! Look for info on FREE decals from the BPA coming shortly!  http://obnoxiousblue.com/bpa/VWT2rectangle.jpgForum Code [img]http://obnoxiousblue.com/bpa/VWT2rectangle.jpg[/img]
4
« on: October 14, 2013, 02:27:50 PM »
Milo, I am on Long Island and have rented the bus out for films, weddings! sweet 16's, proms etc...
I would be interested in talking, see if we can make things work.
The best way to get me, until we know what the plan is would be email.
Obnoxiousblue at g mail dot com
Mike
5
« on: September 09, 2013, 12:46:26 PM »
Denis Haynes?
He helped me fix a distributor issue on my bus at WRW, and I would like to drop the bus by his shop so he can take a look at my impending head-job.
He gave me his number at the campsite, and I apparently entered it incorrectly.
Maybe someone can shoot me a PM with his email or phone number?
I don't really want to just "show up" unannounced.
Thanks!
Mike
6
« on: September 01, 2013, 06:16:24 PM »
Was notified of a bus, stolen during last night from it's driveway in Terryville CT. The bus is owned by Ken Kozee and is a white over blue 1971 Westfalia. It is missing it's ice box cabinet, and though low compression is said to be a runner. The VIN is 2312233720 If you pass it, see it sitting somewhere or see parts that resemble the photos please note the location, take photos and get in touch with me or email mikeh@dasvolks.comYou can reach Ken, the owner at 860-919-8382 If you are ale to identify the bus, or note its VIN please contact the local authorities.  
7
« on: April 30, 2013, 10:50:10 PM »
Just over four weeks to go folks, and then the next installment of Buses by the Bug Duck!
Who's coming down to Long Island? Anyone have any new toys on their bus/van?
Would be great to see the sites packed out like in years passed!
Looking forward to seeing everyone!
Might bring the new puppy!
Mike
8
« on: March 30, 2013, 08:52:28 PM »
I've read of people installing the wiper wiring harness from a 78 Champagne bus into a late mode bay. I've looked, and my bus does have the block off plate in the wiper switch, and it does have the extra position for intermittent wipers. I've bought the harness, and now need to install. Obviously the plug ony fits on the wiper motor one way, on one end of the harness is a small black plug. I assume this plug goes into the switch on the steering column somewhere?
The other end and has a few "loose" (bound in loom, with VW factory crimp on connectors. I'm again assuming this end is meant to go to the wiper relay. Goes anyone know what goes where? Anyone with ay experience having had installed a intermittent system in your late bay?
9
« on: November 08, 2012, 07:17:02 PM »
Can anyone talk me through firing up a heater? I'm not sure if it will run, but don't have the foggiest idea how to even try to turn the darn thing on.
10
« on: September 24, 2012, 09:02:22 PM »
Found that when my bus is hot, I get a faint hazey cloud that seems to follow me. I looked under the bus during one of it's "smoking episodes" today, and found that oil seems to be dripping down on the passenger side heat exchanger. Looks like its coming from the push rod tubes. Is this a big fix? What is involved in fixing it? I've known by the spots on my driveway that I leak oil so it's kind of 'nice' to now know where it is coming from, just want to figure out how best to address this issue.
Mike
11
« on: August 13, 2012, 07:42:18 PM »
I've been looking for a way to secure my iPad while driving. The iPad, is my ultimate travel companion second to the bus itself and when equipped with 4G is a powerful tool not just for entertainment, but for keeping in touch with family, it serves as a great aide in navigation, finding places to eat and stay (street view also helps to check out an area first to make sure it's not a dump) as well as giving selected friends and family (note the order there) the ability to track the bus remotely on their iOS device or online which is a great safety net. Typically, the iPad just sits on the passenger seat. But that becomes less than ideal when a person wants to sit there. Even then, leaving the iPad (filled with countless hundreds of dollars in music and apps not no mention many memories in the photo gallery) teetering precariously on the in dash drink caddy is less than ideal. I had been familiar with RAM mounts from my time in the fire/ems field. We utilized these mounts to hold laptop computers in the vehicles. I recently found that RAM makes ipad hardware too. I did some research, and didn't want a cumbersome aluminum arm occuding the walkthrough of my bay. I wanted something that cold be bent or turned out of the way so as to not hinder the space when camping, or when the seat is turned around in my Westy. RAM kits are modular, and you pick the pieces you need to make a solution for your space. I picked these: The cradle, with charger dock and locking mechanism  http://rammount.com/Gallery/images/RAM- ... P8DLU1.jpgThere ARE slimmer cradles for the iPad, several options from RAM are available. They range from basic cradles (that just hold the iPad in place) to others that are docks (to allow charging and music play) and others that have built in locks. I wanted one that had a dock, and a lock. This was the only unit to have BOTH. I also like that while it appears a bit bulky, there isn't another key to carry or loose. The flex arm that mounts to the passenger side seat stand with one-way theft deterrent hardware  http://rammount.com/Gallery/images/RAM- ... 1-202U.jpgThe theft lock to keep the arm and the cradle from being unscrewed (preventing someone from walking off with the iPad, locked inside the cradle)  http://rammount.com/Gallery/images/RAM- ... NOB3L2.jpgThe plan is to run the wiring down the flex arm, and either back to the spare battery under the floor in the back, or under the rubber mat (maybe under the bus) to get back up power to the iPad, and allow the radio to interface with the iPad for music (on the iPad, or streamed like from Pandora) as well, as to allow for hands free phone and video calls through Skype, and navigation to play through the in car speakers. The GPS Drive HD Motion X app, makes a great "dashboard" that gives you access to navigation, with turn by turn directions and speedometer and altimeter. As well as one touch access to real time traffic, reroutes, favorite locations (as well as addresses in my iPad's contact list) You can store maps, for travel, change between a day and night view (screen colors that effect your vision less at night) Flag favorites along the route, and even work my iTunes playlists from within the GPS ap and check-in to places on my Facebook and Twitter accounts. I'll be looking into external GPS antennas to give a bit better range with the iPad though the iPad's native Google Maps is quite efficient. I'll be looking in the near future of a smaller less theft deterrent solution for securing the iPad in side the roof so I can watch tv or a movie while relaxing before bed. More later!
12
« on: June 10, 2012, 10:35:58 PM »
Here's a few shots I took too, and a nice video of the White Wagen!   Someone call the EPA! Whats the Exxon Valdez? BP? BP who?  Click the image for a video of Audrey's new bus running! 
13
« on: June 10, 2012, 05:44:01 PM »
Great time this weekend! Thanks to Andrea and Brad for hosting the Buses by the Big Duck again for 2012!
14
« on: June 04, 2012, 02:21:10 PM »
I noticed a slight "rattling" sound coming from the motor today, granted the noise has probably been there for a while but I never heard it till today.
It appears as if the belt is loosening, (no big deal right?) But in the 5 years Ive had this bus, the belt has never needed to be replaced! Plus, Ive only replaced belts on bugs...
Is this the same set up with shims? or it the type 4 set up more similar to newer style cars with adjusters? I did notice that there is a slot cut in the alternator bracket that seems to insinuate that rotating the alternator along this bracket would "tighten" the belt though just the same it seems like there are shims on the pulley too... Just not sure which is most appropriate to use as Ill be replacing this belt before the duck next weekend. (or AT the duck next weekend! haha)
15
« on: June 01, 2012, 08:30:44 AM »
Will be there for sure!
Have to leave for about an hour on Friday night, as I committed to take a few kids to prom in the bus; thankfully they're only about 15 minutes down the expressway!
Should be a fun weekend!
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