Vanagon Road Trip: West River Westies X, Bald Mountain Campground Townsend, VT. July 12-14

We made a last-minute decision to jump in the Vanagon and head north to Townsend, VT for the 10th annual West River Westies gathering at Bald Mountain Campground.  We rolled in on Saturday afternoon and were clearly among the very last to arrive. After circling the campground's Westfalia acreage a few times, we settled down next to some kind neighbors from New York on one side, and Maine and Vermont on the other. Coincidentally, we were also parked next to this very same NY Vanagon at the 2011 Transporterfest in Brookline. It's a small VW world.

The weekend was a bit rainy and the weather may have dampened our pop-top tents but it certainly didn't dampen any spirits. There was record-setting attendance at this gathering of over 60 Buses and Vanagons, with the award for oldest going to a 1962 split window, gloriously rusty.

The vehicles were of every color and variety, old school and new school, some original to the smallest detail and others wildly updated with modern looks and comforts. "Young" and old, the vans were accompanied by an equally diverse bunch of VW-loving owners. Jacob even found some new toddler buddies.