Camping with Besty Westy was pleasure, begining to end!
Picking up with Rachel and Lee was a breeze: Lee went through all instructions to drive, setup, and live in the camper, followed by a short test-drive to demonstrate we could handle Besty's raw, manual transmission power (we could!). It was a three hour drive to Shenandoah National Park via the Thorton's Gap Entrance, mostly on country roads, which Besty handled easily. At the heat of the day the lack of air-conditioning was both authentic and a bit sweaty, but fun: with the windows wide open, the country air whipping through the cabin, and the FM radio blasting over the sounds of the road, we found ourselves back on the road-trips from our childhood .
Arriving at the park, the steep incline leading to the park wasn't a problem at all for the newly replaced engine, and in no time we were driving along Skyline drive.
At our campsite, at Big Meadows, we had no trouble setting up the pop-top, and awning. There was also plenty of storage, both for food, equipment, and clothing. Our family of 2 adults, 2 kids, and puppy fit with no issue. All the amenities in the camper worked without issue, as did all the flatware, utensils, and cooking equipment. The sleeping arrangements were cozy; the kids had plenty of room in the pop tent up top, but down in the main bed, my wife and I were more shoulder-to-shoulder than we're used to, but way more comfortable than a tent on the ground, and considerably easier to setup. The sheets, blankets and pillows Rachel provided for us were clean, soft, and plenty warm for our late-summer evening.
On the return trip we were surprised by the fuel economy this old girl gave us; we made it almost 200 miles before needing to fill-up. And again, the drive was easy, and as much as part of the adventure as the camping itself. Rachel met us again to check in the vehicle and we were back in our own car home after less than thirty minutes: effortless from beginning to end.
Thanks to Rachel and Lee for sharing their passion restoration project with our family - we'll never forget our weekend experience with Besty Westy!
5 Photos submitted by Adam L.