H20 International. Pt1

At around 30 miles an hour the Vanigan would throw an awful, bone crunching shake. Struggling for fuel we pushed on into the night.

Leaning over the rear bench, my outstretched hand controlled the throttle with Mirch up front changing the gears. Identifying the problem was easy, but a snapped accelerator cable along with the terrible roads leading to Nates house [our rest stop for the night] and more importantly the unbearable pain running through my clamped fingers made for an awkwardly painful experience and one I will never forget. The quirky tones of Genesis pumping out through the stereo, a welcome sound, and one that would set the tone for the entire week. I wont be coming home tonight…

The USA is often hailed as the land of the free. A country where everything is bigger, better and bolder. The stand alone show-off of all seven continents. It is a place that lays claim to fathering the fastest growing and arguably most laid back VW collective at the present date. A fact gleamed through the opinions of both those in the know and out of it.

It was then, in the days leading up to the much anticipated H20 international that the true scale of our 1100 mile round trip dawned on me. Ocean City awaits every man but it takes a certain dedication to commit to what would become, the greatest road trip of my life to date. Landing in Boston then moving on to Jaffrey NH, Gardner, Fitchburg, Leominster, Crossing the Tappan Zee Bridge in a desperate attempt to avoid the roads through New York before stopping for the night in Philadelphia then finally reaching our destination, Ocean City.

Having all ready visited the European Dub Mecca that is Worthersee earlier this year, I was desperate to see just how the Americans could match the grandeur and sheer level of bizarre happenings on their own soil. Could the stories be true? Was I really as prepared as I should have been? As the plane took off from Heathrow at 4.35pm on Tuesday 22^nd September I wondered just what I was letting myself in for.