The Blue Donkey!

Thats the name we decided to call our Vanagon. I don't know why really, it just kinda made sense.
It's an 86 syncro (4 wheel drive) with an awning and a pop-top and bed 'upstairs'. Aftermarket bumpers and a 2" lift springs. Aside from that it's a normal 7 passenger vanagon.
I found it on Craigslist in Morro Bay California, and after some communication with the owner Cara and I flew there to check it out. Traffic in SoCal is horrendous! We drove to Morro Bay in a rental from LA, took about 6-7 hours. We liked the van so we bought it and headed out for a few days camping in our new 'mobile home'.

Road trip

My good friend Eddie was planning on taking an epic roadtrip this winter in his modified Land Rover 109, and talked me into joining him.


Thats Kathryn, Eddies Girlfriend taking the 109 for a test drive after they installed a turbo-diesel motor from a Benz in it.



The idea is to leave Alaska in november and travel to Mexico in time to compete in the 'End of the World Maya Rally' which will end in Bacalar Mexico 12-21-12, along with presumably the rest of the world according to some peoples interpretation of the Mayan Calendar.
If the world continues to turn afterwards (highly doubtful) then we will somehow find our way back into the USA and return to our jobs and attempt to rebuild our life savings in anticipation of the next world ending event.

Labor Day, Not at Tanacross

For the first Labor Day or Memorial day in the past 8 or so years, I wasn't joining my friends at Tanacross airstrip for some camping and automotive fun. I miss the good times and hope all was well, but I gotta do something!

I decided to take my Samurai and join up with a bunch of jeep folks for some spirited driving in Kuaokala Forest, commonly refered to as 'Peacock Flats'. I had only met 2 of them before, there was a total of about 10 jeeps on this run.

A test.... of sorts

I got it into my head that I wanted to have some sort of an online journal, a place I can share things with friends and family. This is it.

Cara and I went snorkeling the other day, to a place called 'Electric Beach'. It's called 'Electric Beach' because it's right beside an Electric Plant at the South Edge of Waianae on Oahu. The Electric plant uses seawater for cooling, and theres a pipeline that returns the warmer water several hunderd yards off the coast. This reportedly has the effect of attracting alot of sealife to the area because of the warmer waters. We have seen boats bringing snorkelers to this location multiple times and thought we'd check it out.

Unfortunately, I didn't get my bearings very well before jumping in the water, and we were unable to locate the 'hot spot' as there are no above water cues to aid in finding the exhaust. Next time out we'll pay better attention.