March 15, 2007

‘Orange Pumpkin’ goes out in a blaze of glory

Bill Reynolds was enjoying the beautiful spring-like afternoon as he jumped into his 1975 VW Bus to drive down to the hardware store last Friday. But what happened next was anything but average. As he rolled down the driveway a neighbor yelled that the van was on fire and Bill climbed out just in time to watch his longtime vehicle go up in flames. “I guess there was a gas leak and when I started the VW and it sparked a flame,” said Reynolds. “It’s a total loss.”

The beloved VW Bus was at the center of many happy memories for the Reynolds family. “My girls learned to drive in it,” said Reynolds. “And, we traveled around the country in it several times. As recently as 2004 we took it up to Lake Tahoe for a camping trip. The “Donkey” (it was also known as the “Orange Pumpkin”) fit everything, wood, camping gear. It was great for when we went up in the mountains to cut down our Christmas trees. We had more fun and memories with that van, and even the grandkids used it as a playhouse. We’re going to miss it.”

Bill’s wife Jan said that the sturdy van had even been through a flood in Carlsbad and a tornado in Florida. She credits the firefighters for not only putting out the fire but also being understanding about their memories. “One of them said, ‘at least it went out in a blaze of glory!’”

Bill says the only problem now is their friends complain, “How are we going to find your house without the “Orange Pumpkin?”

—By Julie Davis Berry
Photos by Frank Richardson