Re: Perfect Fest Vehicles?
I tented for years until I got a VW camper. Never looked back. Having a comfy, dry bed with no set-up - perfect. Furthermore, with the pop-up, this makes for a place to stand up on a rainy day, which immensely improves one's mood - need a petty big tent to compete with that. And then there's the propane stove, for making a nice cup of espresso any time.
Even when the van failed in its murder-suicide attempt (burst into flames, but didn't get me or my instruments), subsequent vans did the job. Before that, though, there was one time I had a Toyota truck, and put my futon mattress in the bed (so to speak). Used that one year for Winterhawk (now Grey Hawk) Bluegrass Festival in upstate New York. It had rained buckets the night before opening day, and the road up to the hillside was so muddy they weren't letting people go up. Somehow I answered a request for volunteers to drive workers and supplies up from the bottom to base camp. When I got up there I asked if I could camp up top out of appreciation (cramped camping at the bottom didn't seem too pleasant). They said sure, if I thought I could. I zig-zagged my way up there, much like tacking a sailboat into the wind.
When I got up top there were two other camps - that whole area and just us. I pulled in right up to the treeline, where I knew I would catch the shade in the morning. Stretched out on my futon under a blanket of stars, in that stillness and quiet, and got the best sleep I have ever had at a festival. During the weekend bit by bit people came up, as the ground dried out. That was fine, made for some decent jams without having to hike down to the bottom. But sadly, on Sunday there was a bit of rain, which put a bit of a hurting on the futon. It took a long, long time to dry it out, I think weeks. So I don't recommend that. The enclosed space of a van is vastly preferable for this reason, among others, including the security for instruments.
BTW, this was back in the latter part of last century. VW campers have gotten ridiculously expensive since, into collectible pricing. And this tends to conflict with their status as affordable utilitarian vehicles. I understand the company is planning to manufacture new ones, if they haven't already, and they will be electric. But sadly, not for export.
But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller
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