The History of All Histories ...

For me, Pokey Jr. (PJ) was the car that really solidified my love and interest in Volkswagens. PJ was our daily driver and took us on family camping trips, vacation, and so many road trips that I can't even remember. The name Pokey Jr. is somewhat deceiving, as he was the elder of the Pokeys.

As a kid, I was fascinated with Disneyland. I will never forget being woken up and some ungodly hour in the early morning. My parents telling me to get up because we had to go somewhere. I do not even remember packing clothes. What I do recall is getting into PJ and falling asleep at some point. A few hours later, my parents woke me up just as we were about to pass by the old Disneyland sign (back when it was cool before California Adventure). I just remember crying. lol

My sister and I were both band geeks and were accepted into the honor band, which was big on competitions. My sister was four years ahead of me and my parents had the oft-thankless task of being band boosters. PJ hauled band equipment, band members, and helped organize the local band review. During our annual coupon book drive, to raise funds for the marching season, PJ drove groups of kids around to their assigned neighborhoods. PJ was loved by the band members and thanks to me following my sister through the program, PJ performed these duties for 8 years.

Although underpowered and loaded with vacation or camping essentials, dad piloted us on some of the most questionable roads I can remember. I cannot count the number of times I heard, "don't worry, it's a two lane road". I sometimes think he really thought PJ was a rock crawler with some of those sketchy roads we traversed.

Another special memory for me was learning how to drive with PJ. The whole idea of sitting on top of the wheels took a bit of getting used to, but I met that challenge. A final test that my sister and I were tasked to complete was the infamous hill challenge. Near our favorite lake in the Sierra Nevada foothills, dad would make us drive PJ there, where we were greeted with a steep country hill. Before dad gave us permission to take our driving test, we had to defeat the hill.

The challenge ... Drive halfway up the hill, stop, then take off with out rolling backward, killing the engine, or burning up the clutch. We both made it, and no clutches were harmed in the making of those moments. After getting my license, I drove the first love of my life to the prom in him. Since PJ was so large, many other dances followed with my group of friends.

PJ was also integral in relationship building with my dad. When I was in high school, rap music was just starting to become popular. My dad, for reasons I will never understand (but totally am thankful for) decided that we needed to build a kick-ass stereo system. Dad and I spent hours researching, shopping, and installing a stereo in PJ. Starting from the Clarion head unit, to our initial subwoofers (Pyle PS210 Sub-pounders). We eventually upgraded to the Lanzar DBH9000, which housed 2-12 inch subwoofers. We had the best pounding and sounding VW Bus in the area.

At some point, after finishing high school, my parents decided it was time to get rid of PJ. They struck a deal with our long-time mechanic, Phil, and he purchased the van. The one caveat; if Phil ever decided to get rid of PJ, he would agree to give our family (meaning me and my sister) the first shot. A few years ago, my sister got the call. We have never been much to buy into sibling rivalry, but the jealousy is real. Lucky for me, she lives across the country and has yet to collect PJ. So, while I have the chance, I enjoy taking PJ for a spin and reminiscing about the old days. lol