First Times.

There are first times for everything: first tooth, first words, first kiss, first job...this has been a weekend of "firsts" for not only myself, but my family as well. 

This weekend, we took "Lola" (our 1973 Volkswagen Bus) on her first 400 + mile road trip. Now, Lola is what's known in the VW world as a Westfalia, or a camper bus. My husband spent the past few weeks diligently preparing Lola for this weekend of a lifetime. In tip-top shape, we headed out to Port Orange, Florida for a huge VW show called No Dough Bus Show. 

Now, let me share with you, there is no better and more fun way to travel than in a VW Bus. The honks, the waves, the looks we get rolling down the interstate at our top speed of (gasp!) 65 miles per hour!! But we were doing it! Getting blown all over the lane by semis and huge tour buses, bouncing along on Georgia's ever-so-wonderful interstate roads! (I'd forgotten to make my "No Dough or Bust"sign for the back window in Lola!) It was a blast! Lola is loved by ALL! 

Upon arrival in Port Orange, we set up at No Dough Bus Show for a long, relaxing day with other VW Bus enthusiasts. Now, for another first, this was our first time driving her out of state to a car show as well. We took Lola on her (and our) first Navigational Rally as well, which is kind of like a scavenger hunt, only in a car!!!! We gave it a try for about 45 minutes and had an absolute blast, as well as a lot of laughs, before turning in our sorry looking answer sheet at the final check point. (I am certain others gave up before and shortly after us as well!) 

That evening, we camped in Lola...drum roll, please.....for the. first. time. And oh my goodness! We loved it! Lola sleeps four, there's a lovely fold out bed, and a child's cot that lies above the driver's and passenger's seat (my son loved it!) as well as a cot that is above in the pop up top area, my VW enthusiasts can picture this,  know most of you can't! Camping in her well, it. was. AWESOME!!!! We have set the tone for any and all of our future road trips. Who needs a hotel? We are driving in one! And let me tell you, camp sights are much cheaper than a decent hotel room any day! We had all we needed, right in Lola. A cooler, a grill, our radio, our dvd player, pillows, and a nice cool breeze....and well as fellow VW lovers right next door! What. a. Blast! I truly cannot wait to do it again!!!

To end the weekend of firsts, on Sunday No Dough had arranged a "No Cash Beach Bash" which was a gathering of VW's on the beach in Daytona Shores. One of the only beaches in the USA where you can actually drive ON the beach! And it was PHENOMENAL!! I am a beach girl, though and through, as well as a car lover! I can think of no better combination than this. It was like having your home right on the beach! During high tide, the water literally was probably 40 feet from the parking area! (Thankfully, it was low tide the majority of our nearly 6 hours on the beach!)

This weekend was an adventure of a lifetime......and marks the beginning of many more road trips like these, driving the backroads, making random stops to sightsee, camping in our VW Bus......and enjoying life together, as a family.

Oh - and one final first to mention: I got my first sunburn - behind my knees!! A painful first, but still....

Lesson One: Driving a Stick Shift

What a way to begin the new year! Learning something new....I've begun a list of things I would like to do not only in 2012 but in the years to come. One that's been on the list for quite some time (years, in fact!) is to learn how to drive a manual transmission-a.k.a stick shift.

Today, while out shopping for a new kitchen faucet (in which I/we did not buy) I got an impromptu lesson in "Lola" - our '73 Volkswagen Bus. I will admit that I'd had a few brief lessons before, but it was many many years ago-and they weren't consistent, so when it came time for me to slide on over to the drivers seat today, I felt completely lost.

Okay, deep breath, and another deep breath...adjust the seat...and adjust it again........in driving a '98 Lexus with the fancy automatic, electric adjustments, there are many options to get your seat "just right." In the oldies, with the little handle that you pull and then slide your seat forward as you pull the lever, you have only a few options. So now, I am literally sitting on top of the steering wheel and my side mirror, well, at this point, it's basically useless as I am sitting farther forward than it is!

Honestly I think the first thing anyone should do is just seat in the drivers seat, with their hand on the shift knob - engine off! - and just feel the gears, get used to the shifter. Close your eyes for a moment and just feel it; first, neutral, second, neutral, third, neutral, fourth.....and well, in the VW, that's all you get-besides reverse, which is where we almost headed first! Driving a manual transmission vehicle is like a dance or a symphony.........left foot on the clutch, press down...shift to first, right foot on the gas, slowly; left foot let's off the clutch, slowly...........and so on. When the gas pedal is down, the clutch should be up. Ah, the brakes! Depress clutch pedal and the brake at the same time! Each time you shift, your foot must be off the gas and on the clutch. How many times today did I keep my foot on the gas and shift...hey, when you drive an automatic, letting off the gas means the car comes to a stop. (Yes, even on a manual transmission, the car will come to a stop if you don't shift fast enough.)

I did have a chance to come to a stop - several times - on a hill today as well. Always an exciting challenge, I was a nervous wreck! Thank God we were in an empty parking lot - at least for a little while! Definitely, I rolled back, but seemingly, not so far! Oh the difference it makes when in traffic! I drove home from the empty school lot - about a 4-5 mile drive! I wish I'd had flashing lights on the back window with a sign in lights saying "New Manual Driver on Board, Keep your Distance!"

Admittedly, I think I was less of a nervous wreck while out in traffic (ok - very few cars were out at the time!) I mean, when someone's behind you, you just have to do it! There's not much thinking at that point, it all comes natural. Did I miss a gear in that drive home every now and then, you betcha! Did I roll back, well, not so much! But if you see a short brunette in a white '73 VW Bus, I would keep my distance, it just might be me, out on my second lesson!

And I really really want to thank Volkswagen for creating the Bus with the almost non-stallable transmission! I stalled it only once, and that was because, well, I didn't give it enough gas! Thanks, Volkswagen! You give this girl much more confidence!