VWs in GNP

We've been up to Glacier National Park again, and this is the start of a few posts' worth of pictures from that trip. First up are a few of the VWs we saw in and around the park. Less one 1970s Karmann Ghia (seen tooling down the Pacific side of Logan Pass while we were hiking), in fact, these are all the (air-cooled, anyway) VWs we saw in and around the park...

...plus a couple Wasser-pumpers of interest. At Rising Sun Campground we discovered that with Ludwig's arrival we'd completed a three-generation span of the VW bus/camper platform (the presence of a Splitty would've made the picture complete). This is a 2003 Eurovan Westy, the last year that they sent them to the US. A retro-new VW bus is allegedly in the works, but it's tough to get very excited about VW's apologist vehicles, e.g. the "New" "Beetle".

Next was this snappy 1989 Vanagon Westfalia, owned by a nice Manitoban couple on "permanent vacation". The moniker they've attached to their little apartment-on-wheels is indicative of the diverse ways owners think of their rides. Ludwig is named such partly because we think of him as a tough little guy ("Ludwig" means "famous warrior"). At the whole other end of the spectrum however, this Vanagon-who is certainly more powerful than Ludwig-is named "Tinkerbell".

For completeness' sake, here's Ludwig at Rising Sun with Red Eagle Mountain in the background. Twenty-nine years of Westfalias in one campground; I'll bet that doesn't happen often, at least not by accident.

At the Two Medicine entrance, the ranger gave us a "Nice bus". Then we noticed the blue camper (a Riviera, not a Westfalia; note the thicker poptop) across the way which, of course, turned out to be his. He told us he's spent whole Summers living in this 1978.

Last but not least was this late-70s bay in West Glacier who, if the sticker on his side is accurate, serves as a shuttle for a local hotel. There's that Carter-era candy bar paint scheme again.

Next time: less busses, more park.