ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, June 20, 1996 TAG: 9606200034
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
Lots of folks remember their first car. A 1954 Olds. A 1970 Duster.
But the folks who have owned Volkswagens - and those who still do - say their memories of the times they've spent in their cars run deeper than the Grand Canyon.
Karen Wright of Buchanan remembers her dad driving home in a new, pale green Beetle when she was about 5 years old. "I immediately ran out and jumped into the little storage area behind the back seat and declared that as my place to ride."
Wright, who eventually owned 12 Volkswagens with her husband, Wayne Utt, wrote recently to share her favorite VW memory:
In 1985, my husband and I took our first trip out West in a 1968 VW bus. Not a camper - just a bus we'd put a bed, cabinet and curtains in. For three weeks, we lived in that bus, sweltering in Phoenix and camping in snow in Colorado. But the most memorable part of the trip was our breakdown near Sedona, Ariz.
There were no import mechanics there, so we limped toward Flagstaff with no clutch. I actually had to get out and push at one point on Route 89-A in Oak Creek Canyon - a crooked, steep, two-lane pass up the side of the mountain. Fortunately, we found our savior in Flagstaff, a VW guru by the name of Hippy Bob. Ol' Bob diagnosed our problem by telephone and came out the next morning, brought the parts we'd need and took us back to his place.
Although the damage was minor, it required major work to repair - including pulling out the engine.
Hippy Bob did the work at a very reasonable price, in less than a day, and had us on our way to the Grand Canyon that afternoon!
Our trip went on without a hitch and we will be forever indebted to Hippy Bob.
P.S. That VW bus is now living happily ever after in Bristol, Tenn.
LENGTH: Short : 44 linesby CNB