The 50th Annual Van Nationals
I arrived at the Van Nationals on Monday for early bird camping, just after they opened the gates and the long line of people (some of whom, had to stay in a school parking lot overnight) had gotten in.
I didn't really know what to expect. The grounds were big and open, hot and dusty, and I had some difficulty finding where the rest of Twin City Vans had set up. They grabbed a corner near some electric. The space was already filling in and I really didn't want to get boxed in. I wanted the flexibility to go into town and also to take my van to show it later in the week.
It was very hot on Monday and I figured I'd find a place to cool off and come back later when things had settled a bit. I had done a little research beforehand and knew there was a rec center with a pool right next to the fairgrounds so I went there. It was AWESOME. Only $5 entry and the facility was great. They had indoor and outdoor pools and a few big water slides. I rode the blue slide about a dozen times. The red slide was too slow / I was too big for it so I only rode that once. I even met a small group of vanners from Pennsylvania, "Dungeons and Vanners" (they love vans and board games). I got a long, unsolicited early American history lesson from them, which I figure was semi-appropriate, leading up to the 4th of July. I stayed until the pool closed and then I went for dinner in town, hoping for the sun to start setting and the temperatures to start dropping.
I snagged some photos of vans (thinking I'd get a lot more later), saw some online vendors in person like Hevy Hauling and Lindsey Wonder, and the whole time I'm walking around, I'm fending off mosquitoes and possibly other bugs (something bit my calf that definitely didn't feel like a mosquito). It didn't matter where in the fairgrounds I was, the bugs were also there. I put on repellent but it really didn't help.
Earlier at the pool, one of the guys from Dungeons and Vanners told me about a vanner named Rickshaw Willie, who (among other things) likes to dress up as Mr. Peanut. I actually ran into Rickshaw Willie that evening (thankfully for me he was wearing a Rickshaw Willie t-shirt) and told him I had heard about him earlier that day. He related a recent story of getting harassed by sheriffs in a small town where he was dressed as Mr. Peanut simply waving at people and people called the cops out of concern instead of waving back.
One of the guys I traveled with, Tommy, was celebrating a birthday on Monday so I went back to the Twin City Vans setup and Tommy's awesome "Econo-bar" for ice cream cake and beer. I couldn't relax or enjoy a conversation with anyone because of the bugs. Mosquitoes have always liked me and the feeling is definitely not mutual.
One of the most powerful moments came after spotting this van. The lights drew me in and the mini bike was slowly rotating. The guy next to it told me it was his son's van & mini bike and that his son had passed away. His ashes were in an engine-shaped urn inside the van. He said he wanted to make sure his son and his son's van & mini bike made it to the Nats.
On a happier note, this van was insane, inside and out. I was chatting with the owner and he was showing me all sort of details. It was so cool.
The bugs just wouldn't leave me alone and I headed in my van really early, maybe around 9:30. I was tired, very annoyed (at the bugs), and just decided to go to sleep. I slept right through to sunrise.
I started walking around to see what new vans may have showed up and the bugs immediately started bothering me again. I could not imagine spending 5 more days and nights there getting chewed up by mosquitoes. I'm still itching as I type this. Other factors contributed too (nothing personal - every single person I talked to there and along the way was great!) but the bugs pushed me over the edge. I couldn't believe it, but I decided to leave. I considered going somewhere else but my van didn't love the steepness of the Black Hills so I didn't think it could handle the Rockies very well (an EFI conversion is on my wish list). I knew if I just went home, the rest of the week could be salvaged by Full Tilt Boogie. It's my favorite local show of the year and I thought I'd miss this year because of the Nats. Before I left, I stopped in the main stadium-like building to brush my teeth and put my contacts in. The restroom was full of an assortment of flying bugs too - it just reinforced my decision to leave.
I drove straight through, 750 miles home and got there before sunset. While I took the direct route through Nebraska, it was still very scenic. I had never been through Nebraska and I pictured flat cornfields in my mind but it was pretty, especially western Nebraska. Along the way, my odometer rolled over. It read (1)00,507 by the time I rolled into my driveway for a grand total of 1,702 miles round trip.
While the bugs ultimately ruined the Nats for me (and is why I will now refer to them as the "Van Gnats"), I actually had a really good trip - I loved the drive, both there and back, sightseeing, hanging out, meeting people, and the camping along the way.