We limped a little into Phoenix, still having mysterious issues with juniper here and there. She's a high maintenance lady for sure, and Daniel has learned so much about how she works, but after Texas and really everything she's been through he was starting to wonder if it was all worth it. Cue Phoenix, AZ. We had been so used to finding our own way and having people think we were crazy for driving an antique across the country that we were astonished to find the SW full of people crazier than we were!
There were VWs all over Phoenix, and within a week we were directed to Richard and Dawn, who with their twenty some VW's in various places in various stages of repair, thought we were anything but crazy and proceeded to open their home and garage to us for the month of January. Richard and Daniel
worked on rebuilding Juniper's engine, an opportunity for Daniel to really get his hands into the heart of her and work out any kinks. They brought us to our first VW gathering in Lake Havasu...and we were born again VW lovers. We spent the month with the family, playing with the kids, tinkering in various engines, learning to felt, and soaking in some SW winter sunshine...
We were renewed and refreshed as we headed out of Arizona, glad again that we had chosen this old and quirky car for our transportation around America. There is something transformative in the very nature of a Volkswagen. They were built to last if you are willing to invest patience and care into their upkeep. They are simple and well made with the intention of being accessible to everyone who cares to try. They are a rare breed in this age of quick fix, disposable, no effort products. They also represent redemption and reinvention, their origin is rooted in one of the greatest and highly publicized evils of Germany (Nazism) and transformed into the hippy, peace and love, grassroots symbol of America. We think that's rather symbolic and we ride with pride. Onward to California and the motherland of beachbums,the hippy movement, and Leah.
