#vanagan

[hazilsky]

[lifeinmotion84]

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[escapism101]

[deusmach]

[thetommylog-blog]

Van Stories: The Trials and Tribulations of Stick Shift

A few months ago, I took a maiden voyage in my 1971 Volkswagen van. This was my first time using the clutch. Everybody says there's an instant when driving stick shift becomes a reflex. At that moment in time, switching gears was far from a natural response. I didn't realize that something so simple could be that intricate. I began to wonder if I was born without an instinct for manual transmission. 

After a few days of stalling out on railroad tracks and in the middle of Labor Day weekend traffic, shifting gears became an unconscious thought. It was like a learned a new language, I finally understood the clutch. This new mechanical vocabulary made me feel incredible even though I was yet to solve the mystery of reverse.

Now that my engine purred like a kitten, I was driving her more than ever. I even solved the rubric cube that was reverse gear. I wanted to keep Big Red satisfied so I decided to fill her up with some gas. Later that day, I found myself stalled out in 5 o clock traffic with many unfriendly tourists. The fuel I purchased was water downed. It infected Big Red like a disease. Don't worry she just got back from the hospital and she's fine. So the lesson I learned from this is... BUY AMERICAN!!!

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