Interesting topic.......

[Jim Ratto]

The Lounge is still the place to be for Cal-Look.

FB is just too much of a time suck. I made a conscious decision to stop being active there at the end of 2015. I did pop on my birthday as my wife insisted that I respond to the well wishes.

The only time I miss it is when I miss invitations to events etc. I missed a VW event earlier this year. Only found out when my wife mentioned it the evening after.
"It was on Facebook." I would have gone if I knew about it.

I've been on a negative cycle on the scene for a while.
I've lost my passion and have seriously thought about selling my '67.
My wife has talked me out of it... at least for now.

The joy is gone.

Right now, The Lounge is my only Cal-Look connection.  

If you have no storage space issue or money issue, keep your '67 Rick! During the past 3 years I've been close to sell my cars and all of my VW stuff a few times, for no other particular reasons than not seeing the point in owning it, and just since the past few months realized it would have been a mistake.

About the VW scene, I think during the last 15 years since I own my first car, I must have gone to about only 9 or 10 stictly-VW events and meetings. And most of the time it was for the huge swap-meet we have here in winter because I needed some parts. The only place I'm going to regularly is the Hills Race in Italy, but there VWs are not the majority of cars. The Lounge and buying the french air-cooled magazine every month (that I do mostly out of habit since I have all of them, rather than real interest in its content) are the only strictly-VW connection I have since many years. And I don't think I am missing a lot of interesting things besides it, also I don't think I need much more than this to enjoy my cars (like Richard I've been thinking making an empty fb account just to follow a few pages and groups, but I still don't think I'm missing out interesting things for the moment). I love VWs and seeing them and talking about them, but I also find interesting seeing other cars and seeing different things. I've always been going to classic car meets and events like historic rallies and races and most of the time I'm the only one with an air-cooled VW. Still I don't think I would sell all my VWs to buy different cars because VWs are what I enjoy the most.
There's always been this stupid thing about the VW-scene, a lot of people think they are smartmouthes and they are "hype and trendy" because they hate every other classic cars and have fun thinking everything else than what they own is a piece of shit. Or the guys that will brag about late models and 1303s being crap, then when this what not enough some decided it was better to hate on post-64 Beetle, then others needed to feel even more special so they decided the only true VWs were made before 1960... when it's the same guys that after getting out of the scene after 3 years will take a mortgage to buy a brand new cars like everyone else. Then you have guys who do things on their cars not for themselves but just to "piss purist off" because they are still stuck in their teenage rebellious moment and need to be special snowflakes. It seems there are groups of people who are into the hobby only to be able to talk shit about other people, and no they are not a trendsetter or a smartmouthes for this, they are just cretins and that kind of behavior is maybe understandable when you are 14 and feel like a man because your first hair is growing, but grown up guys acting like this are just dumbasses. So rather than having to deal with that and with uninteresting people like this (that luckily we don't have here on The Lounge), I much prefer being the only guy with a VW when I meet other car-nuts or just taking my car out for a spin all alone, feeling more a "car fan" than a "VW fan".

I can relate and appreciate this post. Rick, you've been doing this for a long, long time, and you know the feeling down on the cars and the scene is cyclical for somebody into this as long as you have been. I can't tell you how many times I've walked out to the garage either to drive my car or work on it, only to be too pissed off to bother. I almost sold my car in 2005-2006. And have had days since then when I've thought about it too. I beat myself up wondering why I have hung onto the car for 30 years. Is it because of what everyone else would say and think if I did get rid of it? To then have to justify my reasoning? Sort of I guess. I hate that about the hobby. Especially lately, but I have always detested having to justify anything when it comes to why I've done things, no matter if it's my car, or somebody else's. In the end, the consequences of what's been done in my garage, and on my car, are mine. So in some ways, yeah, in an effort to avoid being hassled, I stick with it. Sort of...
But the real reason I hang onto my car... meaning the deep real hard core reason... because there are days, not often, but there are these days when something just seems to "go right", usually when driving the car. It almost never has anything to do with being at a VW event etc, it's usually alone time, driving the car. For whatever reason, atmospheric pressure, temperature, good fuel, whatever... sometimes the car just feels 100%, and it works like I know no other car would on that day. I have my favorite quiet driving routes here in Southern CA, mostly in rural areas of Ventura County, and there are some long straights that come down a gentle decline, into fast corners, and to look out into the groves of citrus trees and see them reflect in that blue curvy hood, as the motor is back there growling and howling, but not missing a beat, then to gear down, feather brakes and then throttle to set up for the corner, then to have the pedal down hard and be scared by the acceleration, and the noise is scaring crows away and field workers look up to see what the big noise is, and to keep doing this for hours on a day when I have the time..... THAT is why I keep the car. I can probably count 15-20 days that have given me car goose bumps like this, in the last 30 years. Statistically it seems stupid, yes I know, but it's enough to endure.

Nico 86, again, I really relate to some of your thoughts. I look at much of the scene with some unfair disdain. I shouldn't be so down on a lot of it, but I just fail to understand why some things are the way they are. Things like cars that hit the scene only in an effort to make everybody else's car look inferior, but then in a year are up for sale. The FB thing and cars is beginning to get a little irritating, mostly with some of the criticizing I see in comments made to others' posts. And that were made to some of my own too. Everybody that is making an effort to do things themselves and learn as they spend time on these cars deserves some respect. Posting a short and inflammatory comment about what the owner "should have done" instead of what they chose to do just breeds alienation. And often times, these comments come from outer space. These couple of irritants and others have kind of made me shy away from participating online.
The bit about all other cars, other than Cal Look VW's are junk pisses me off some too. If we all sat down and thought about it, our cars aren't from a different planet. The same approaches many factory high performance cars were successfully designed with, also work just fine on our cars. There are a lot of cars that can do what a good Cal Look VW can do. There' a lot of cars out there that can do more. So some of our guys probably need to jump down from their plastic, period correct bullshit pedestals, and pop that bubble.

[andrewlandon67]

The Lounge is still the place to be for Cal-Look.

FB is just too much of a time suck. I made a conscious decision to stop being active there at the end of 2015. I did pop on my birthday as my wife insisted that I respond to the well wishes.

The only time I miss it is when I miss invitations to events etc. I missed a VW event earlier this year. Only found out when my wife mentioned it the evening after.
"It was on Facebook." I would have gone if I knew about it.

I've been on a negative cycle on the scene for a while.
I've lost my passion and have seriously thought about selling my '67.
My wife has talked me out of it... at least for now.

The joy is gone.

Right now, The Lounge is my only Cal-Look connection.  

If you have no storage space issue or money issue, keep your '67 Rick! During the past 3 years I've been close to sell my cars and all of my VW stuff a few times, for no other particular reasons than not seeing the point in owning it, and just since the past few months realized it would have been a mistake.

About the VW scene, I think during the last 15 years since I own my first car, I must have gone to about only 9 or 10 stictly-VW events and meetings. And most of the time it was for the huge swap-meet we have here in winter because I needed some parts. The only place I'm going to regularly is the Hills Race in Italy, but there VWs are not the majority of cars. The Lounge and buying the french air-cooled magazine every month (that I do mostly out of habit since I have all of them, rather than real interest in its content) are the only strictly-VW connection I have since many years. And I don't think I am missing a lot of interesting things besides it, also I don't think I need much more than this to enjoy my cars (like Richard I've been thinking making an empty fb account just to follow a few pages and groups, but I still don't think I'm missing out interesting things for the moment). I love VWs and seeing them and talking about them, but I also find interesting seeing other cars and seeing different things. I've always been going to classic car meets and events like historic rallies and races and most of the time I'm the only one with an air-cooled VW. Still I don't think I would sell all my VWs to buy different cars because VWs are what I enjoy the most.
There's always been this stupid thing about the VW-scene, a lot of people think they are smartmouthes and they are "hype and trendy" because they hate every other classic cars and have fun thinking everything else than what they own is a piece of shit. Or the guys that will brag about late models and 1303s being crap, then when this what not enough some decided it was better to hate on post-64 Beetle, then others needed to feel even more special so they decided the only true VWs were made before 1960... when it's the same guys that after getting out of the scene after 3 years will take a mortgage to buy a brand new cars like everyone else. Then you have guys who do things on their cars not for themselves but just to "piss purist off" because they are still stuck in their teenage rebellious moment and need to be special snowflakes. It seems there are groups of people who are into the hobby only to be able to talk shit about other people, and no they are not a trendsetter or a smartmouthes for this, they are just cretins and that kind of behavior is maybe understandable when you are 14 and feel like a man because your first hair is growing, but grown up guys acting like this are just dumbasses. So rather than having to deal with that and with uninteresting people like this (that luckily we don't have here on The Lounge), I much prefer being the only guy with a VW when I meet other car-nuts or just taking my car out for a spin all alone, feeling more a "car fan" than a "VW fan".

I can relate and appreciate this post. Rick, you've been doing this for a long, long time, and you know the feeling down on the cars and the scene is cyclical for somebody into this as long as you have been. I can't tell you how many times I've walked out to the garage either to drive my car or work on it, only to be too pissed off to bother. I almost sold my car in 2005-2006. And have had days since then when I've thought about it too. I beat myself up wondering why I have hung onto the car for 30 years. Is it because of what everyone else would say and think if I did get rid of it? To then have to justify my reasoning? Sort of I guess. I hate that about the hobby. Especially lately, but I have always detested having to justify anything when it comes to why I've done things, no matter if it's my car, or somebody else's. In the end, the consequences of what's been done in my garage, and on my car, are mine. So in some ways, yeah, in an effort to avoid being hassled, I stick with it. Sort of...
But the real reason I hang onto my car... meaning the deep real hard core reason... because there are days, not often, but there are these days when something just seems to "go right", usually when driving the car. It almost never has anything to do with being at a VW event etc, it's usually alone time, driving the car. For whatever reason, atmospheric pressure, temperature, good fuel, whatever... sometimes the car just feels 100%, and it works like I know no other car would on that day. I have my favorite quiet driving routes here in Southern CA, mostly in rural areas of Ventura County, and there are some long straights that come down a gentle decline, into fast corners, and to look out into the groves of citrus trees and see them reflect in that blue curvy hood, as the motor is back there growling and howling, but not missing a beat, then to gear down, feather brakes and then throttle to set up for the corner, then to have the pedal down hard and be scared by the acceleration, and the noise is scaring crows away and field workers look up to see what the big noise is, and to keep doing this for hours on a day when I have the time..... THAT is why I keep the car. I can probably count 15-20 days that have given me car goose bumps like this, in the last 30 years. Statistically it seems stupid, yes I know, but it's enough to endure.

Nico 86, again, I really relate to some of your thoughts. I look at much of the scene with some unfair disdain. I shouldn't be so down on a lot of it, but I just fail to understand why some things are the way they are. Things like cars that hit the scene only in an effort to make everybody else's car look inferior, but then in a year are up for sale. The FB thing and cars is beginning to get a little irritating, mostly with some of the criticizing I see in comments made to others' posts. And that were made to some of my own too. Everybody that is making an effort to do things themselves and learn as they spend time on these cars deserves some respect. Posting a short and inflammatory comment about what the owner "should have done" instead of what they chose to do just breeds alienation. And often times, these comments come from outer space. These couple of irritants and others have kind of made me shy away from participating online.
The bit about all other cars, other than Cal Look VW's are junk pisses me off some too. If we all sat down and thought about it, our cars aren't from a different planet. The same approaches many factory high performance cars were successfully designed with, also work just fine on our cars. There are a lot of cars that can do what a good Cal Look VW can do. There' a lot of cars out there that can do more. So some of our guys probably need to jump down from their plastic, period correct bullshit pedestals, and pop that bubble.

Sorry for bringing up an old topic, but I really feel like the Lounge has died off in the last year or so. Not many posts other than people's projects and technical questions are being put up, which is fine, but I miss the stories. I miss the days of having guys I've read about in books reply to my posts, and pictures up of the big shows almost immediately. The few of us left here are the ones who, I feel, really "get it" in terms of what this scene is really about. It's not really all that much to do with how many early EMPI parts we can stick on our cars or how much we spent on our set of "real" BRMs. To me it's more about what Ratto and Nico86 were saying, we are happiest here when we're talking about drives we recently took in our cars, or listening to stories about the days when we were young, or in some cases not even born, when the hotrod VW was truly the underdog, punching several classes above its weight. The stories from Sarge about youthful abandon in the '60s and early '70s, when they were the only guys on the planet who had the keys to this VW enlightenment. I grew up in a family that really loved VWs, even if most of theirs were/are slow, with coffee table books written by one Mr. Seume, and having him respond to my topics has been absolutely amazing.

Sorry for the rambling on an old thread, but I really felt like getting this out of my system. I want to bring back the days where the Lounge felt like just that. A lounge where people could come from all over the world to tell stories about their unbelievably rapid VWs and in turn, listen to the stories of the "tribal elders." A place that brings people in, based in a love of clean, simple looking VWs that just so happen to be capable of truly insane feats of speed.

Thanks for reading,
Andrew Landon

[Fastbrit]

You'll find the vast majority of the 'old guys' are active on Facebook, love it or loath it. It offers instant post/response wherever you are, along with the ability to instantly add photos, even while on the move. Like I say, love it or loath it, but FB is quick and easy and for many people with busy lives, or who don't want to spend ages on a single forum, it offers a way out. The likes of Paul Schley, Ron Fleming, Rick Anderson, Darrell Vittone, Deano Kirsten etc etc are regulars on FB but rarely post elsewhere.

[Worm]

Elder Worm concurs with Bishop Sueme.  Touche'.  I too miss the good ol daz on da lounge.   Slipped away somehow. We all still watch and hope for a solid post now and again. 

Dont care what tire size u have or what u got at the swapmeet.  Wanna see pics of the local show, you with da boyz, etc...

I could be enrolled.  Most of my VW time is spent on Fbook at the Der Kleiner Kampfwagens page.  Check that out and post pics of cars here.  I too miss the dayz of a hundred posts.

[andrewlandon67]

Elder Worm concurs with Bishop Sueme.  Touche'.  I too miss the good ol daz on da lounge.   Slipped away somehow. We all still watch and hope for a solid post now and again. 

Dont care what tire size u have or what u got at the swapmeet.  Wanna see pics of the local show, you with da boyz, etc...

I could be enrolled.  Most of my VW time is spent on Fbook at the Der Kleiner Kampfwagens page.  Check that out and post pics of cars here.  I too miss the dayz of a hundred posts.

I believe I actually do follow the DKK fartbook page which has some better content than most, I guess what I'm trying to say here is that this is the only place that I trust for pretty much anything relating to ACVWs, as someone recently put up something on FB titled as a "Cal Look" thing, but the only thing I've seen there is Resto-Cal and pure garbage. To me, it's harder to find the quality of content on FB compared to the Lounge, with everyone thinking that their shiny paint or BRMs gets them into "the club" as it were. I know my car's hardly a Looker or even just good looking, but I'm actively trying to improve it in terms of both performance and finish, every chance I get. Everywhere on the Samba or FB claims to have Cal Look content, but it's all just a bunch of bandwagonners with too much cheesy crap and negative camber on their cars. The thing about that really gets to me is that instead of having this place as a refuge from all the idiocy of modern VW trends, it feels like I just have a museum to remind me that I got in too late. I hope things around here stop looking like a ghost town soon, the internet needs its real Cal Look fix.

Keith and Worm, thanks for both of your responses. Like I said earlier today, it's mindblowing to have guys who've been so influential in the scene respond to my rants and ramblings in a place as special as this.

[Neil Davies]

Peaks and troughs - it's not just here, it's the scene in general. Like it or not, with Cal Look, we're a minority. The last couple of years of Volksworld magazine have been a bit weak. Not a single feature car this month that I'd want to have as is - and its been like that for months. Ultra VW has gone. I spend more time on Retro Rides than I do on here, and there's a few folk on there just getting into Beetles after years of other types of car, so I just try to point them in the right direction!
I'm on holiday in Cornwall at the moment and I've not seen a single Beetle. Buses? Plenty, from splits up to T6's. A couple of weeks ago in Devon I saw two bugs in a week. At home I see one in regular use - a gold 1303 driven by a middle aged man and his elderly mother. I don't think Cal Look (or he forum, for that matter) is dead, but it's hard to muster up the enthusiasm when you feel like you're the only one. You are young and enthusiastic - keep pushing!

[andy198712]

Peaks and troughs - it's not just here, it's the scene in general. Like it or not, with Cal Look, we're a minority. The last couple of years of Volksworld magazine have been a bit weak. Not a single feature car this month that I'd want to have as is - and its been like that for months. Ultra VW has gone. I spend more time on Retro Rides than I do on here, and there's a few folk on there just getting into Beetles after years of other types of car, so I just try to point them in the right direction!
I'm on holiday in Cornwall at the moment and I've not seen a single Beetle. Buses? Plenty, from splits up to T6's. A couple of weeks ago in Devon I saw two bugs in a week. At home I see one in regular use - a gold 1303 driven by a middle aged man and his elderly mother. I don't think Cal Look (or he forum, for that matter) is dead, but it's hard to muster up the enthusiasm when you feel like you're the only one. You are young and enthusiastic - keep pushing!

There is a couple beetles about local to me (cornwall) but in the real world i see day to day, beetles are rarer then splits and bays....

where in cornwall are you staying?

[Neil Davies]

We're in Perranporth until Tuesday - might spend a day at the Jamboree over the weekend, depends what the rest of the family want to do. How about you?

[Abadco2]

Following, listening as Andrew reflects, gives me hope that youth is upon us, bravo.  Having seen it all as “an elder,” I came back and Cal Look Lounge is the place I turned. 

I have heard this debate on fartbook,spacebook, insta..., I believe it all has its place.

What we have left is our little vehicles, this is the glue that keeps us interested, be it even types I personal do not prefer.

I see from afar some outstanding vehicles done throughout the world, in countries I had no idea even had modified or stock vintage Volkswagens.  I also see some unbelievable well done “Cal Lookers,” in European countries that show no sign of stopping.  They may not be voicing opinions as they once did but I think they are out there, right Keith?

I for one am following the Frenchie build, all the Pip, Buddy Hale vehicles at the high level. I pride myself in admiring any and all makes and models as long as the build shows a passion, taste and some imagination.

Art out.

[andy198712]

We're in Perranporth until Tuesday - might spend a day at the Jamboree over the weekend, depends what the rest of the family want to do. How about you?

I’m down porthleven,
Hope the weather stays dry for you! If you get stuck for ideas on what to do send me a pm
The roads around the jamboree get very busy!
Cheers
Andy

[Andrew]

I see from afar some outstanding vehicles done throughout the world, in countries I had no idea even had modified or stock vintage Volkswagens.  I also see some unbelievable well done “Cal Lookers,” in European countries that show no sign of stopping.  They may not be voicing opinions as they once did but I think they are out there, right Keith?
There is a couple beetles about local to me (cornwall) but in the real world i see day to day, beetles are rarer then splits and bays....

I went to Bug Jam recently, I enjoyed the experience, but the number of Bugs (of any type) were few and far between. I had to go hunting in the camping area to find fellow Bug owners to talk with, there were more cars in the club areas but it still wasn't quite what I'd expected. I'd say it was more like a camper festival than Bug Jam. Someone said on another forum that they didn't do the (UK) show scene anymore as most were were like plumber's van conventions; I thought that was harsh, but it does have a ring of truth.

Contrast that with the European shows like Le Mans, I can't help but agree that Europe seems to be where its at for ACVWs of all flavours.

[Richierich56]

I take my Oval to all the shows in the year at Santa Pod and you're right - 95% buses nowadays - and mostly watercooled too. The problem is though, if all the aircooled folk take the attitude of 'im not going to bother' then the aircooled scene will completely die will it not?? To be honest, I have been surprised by the fact that I have only seen one, maybe two cars off here at any show so maybe it's already happened. Or, maybe folk are just out cruising the street instead of going to meets.

[Fiatdude]

Going to the "big" VW show here in the Ozarks in Eureka Springs AR tomorrow. Its has 3 centers of activities -- The 'Fowl Air' Guys will be at the Harley Shop and the German Car club will be somewhere else and the main show will be at the Inn of the Ozarks. I'll be taking my Ghia to drive around and check stuff out... I'll see how the scene is 'happening' here.

[Andrew]

I noticed in Europe the air cooled cars are encouraged, either by offering them more show access, like into the parades, or via discounts or goodies.

Contrast the Pod, which is a great experience btw, but where just having a VW is good enough. What surprised me about Bug Jam that that there seemed fewer folk showing interest in the cars compared to wanting to just simply "have a good time" at the attractions, it felt like a festival with a car show attached than about the cars. Calling it Bug Jam was a misnomer. Perhaps, I'll try Action or just one of the race days next time.

Now, I kinda get the conundrum in the UK show scene, the weather is generally pants here and a van is much more comfortable and spacious camping experience than a Bug, especially when the rain comes down and you have family. Perhaps the best of both worlds is to tow the bug? If only I had the money.

[Fastbrit]

What surprised me about Bug Jam that that there seemed fewer folk showing interest in the cars compared to wanting to just simply "have a good time" at the attractions, it felt like a festival with a car show attached than about the cars.

Bug Jam has been like that since 1990...

[Andrew]

It's not just me then, tho' I'll admit to being a late starter.

[Richierich56]

VW Action has got really good again the last few years and there is good number of european guys come over - much more aircooled stuff and a lot more of the serious race guys attend it. Great atmosphere - much like the very early Bug Jams. You do still get however, sad to say, a large amount of the T5 etc van lot. Either way, a weekend away and getting to drive the Oval for the weekend and a few hundred miles on the street and a few runs on the strip - is worth it for me. It's what you make it isnt it.

[gkeeton@zbzoom.net]

What surprised me about Bug Jam that that there seemed fewer folk showing interest in the cars compared to wanting to just simply "have a good time" at the attractions, it felt like a festival with a car show attached than about the cars.

Bug Jam has been like that since 1990...

It's not just me then, tho' I'll admit to being a late starter.

I?m all for it. The one local event that?s mostly Watercooled, that the Aircooled ?encroach upon? that has most of the participants focusing upon the show entrants seems to be a cut throat pissing match of egos. I could see if it was a bunch of $75k+ builds, but all the fuss is over a bunch of spring lowered factory painted Golfs/Jettas with different wheels/window stickers. Getting back to my age comment, our age group seems to no longer be preoccupied with gaining acceptance with the vehicle we display, and simply goes with the flow. And with the lifestyle comment, when someone comments on what they spent on paint, and it?s more than someone has in the total investment of two of their cars, the conversation gets awkward. I?ve been the person with a small amount invested in my vehicle, and I?ve displayed vehicles that were the most expensive in the entire show. I?ll take going to an event to catch up with long time friends, and not looking at a single other car, over arguing with someone not owning an Aircooled VW about what I did wrong on my build.

[Andrew]

I?m all for it.

So am I, I enjoyed the spectacle, no complaints, money and time well spent, it just wasn't what I had expected.

Maybe Action next year instead for me. Or even better Spa and EBI.

 

[Neil Davies]

What surprised me about Bug Jam that that there seemed fewer folk showing interest in the cars compared to wanting to just simply "have a good time" at the attractions, it felt like a festival with a car show attached than about the cars.

Bug Jam has been like that since 1990...

Ooh, controversial! I did Bug Jam from '95 to '06, and after a single day visit in 2007 I've not been back. For me it all changed when the big top was moved over to behind the pits. Before that if you wanted to party, you went into Animal Camping and that was fine, and club camping and the pits were quieter. After the move we had to literally throw people off the dragstrip, climbing over race cars just to be able to take more drugs. Not for me.

[Sarge]

   ...."The stories from Sarge about youthful abandon in the '60s and early '70s, when they were the only guys on the planet who had the keys to this VW enlightenment."

I've still got the key, Andrew; just haven't unlocked the door much lately.  The 67's still out in the garage; I hot-lapped it last week.  Driving a Bug around here nowadays is downright frightening with so many distracted drivers behind the wheel; seems like you never know what to expect next.
Crazy times indeed!!  Past all that, there's not many days I miss tuning into the Lounge to read the latest posts.  I'm not a "connected" person... no cell phone, no Facebook.  Oddly enough, I'm still alive and having the time of my life in retirement riding a bicycle.



                                                                                                                                                                                 

[2manytoys]

   ...."The stories from Sarge about youthful abandon in the '60s and early '70s, when they were the only guys on the planet who had the keys to this VW enlightenment."

I've still got the key, Andrew; just haven't unlocked the door much lately.  The 67's still out in the garage; I hot-lapped it last week.  Driving a Bug around here nowadays is downright frightening with so many distracted drivers behind the wheel; seems like you never know what to expect next.
Crazy times indeed!!  Past all that, there's not many days I miss tuning into the Lounge to read the latest posts.  I'm not a "connected" person... no cell phone, no Facebook.  Oddly enough, I'm still alive and having the time of my life in retirement riding a bicycle.

Cover that beauty up Sarge!,...



                                                                                                                                                                                 

[andrewlandon67]

   ...."The stories from Sarge about youthful abandon in the '60s and early '70s, when they were the only guys on the planet who had the keys to this VW enlightenment."

I've still got the key, Andrew; just haven't unlocked the door much lately.  The 67's still out in the garage; I hot-lapped it last week.  Driving a Bug around here nowadays is downright frightening with so many distracted drivers behind the wheel; seems like you never know what to expect next.
Crazy times indeed!!  Past all that, there's not many days I miss tuning into the Lounge to read the latest posts.  I'm not a "connected" person... no cell phone, no Facebook.  Oddly enough, I'm still alive and having the time of my life in retirement riding a bicycle.



                                                                                                                                                                                 

I definitely get what you mean about crazy, distracted drivers everywhere. I'm in Fort Collins, CO these days and I'm waiting to bring my '67 up here until after racing season/all the new college students learn how to drive around here! It's just insane! Glad to hear you're doing well, biking's always a good thing to do, even if it's just up to a brewery. Anyways, thanks for the response! I know most people are either spending more of their time on FB, are like you and totally disconnected, or are just feeling burned-out in regards to their cars and how they relate to this crazy modern world, but it's still nice, to me at least, to come live life in the (internet's) slow lane every now and again.