• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Florida Hikes logo

Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides

  • Trails
  • Maps
  • Guidebooks
  • Search
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
The dune buggy as a canvas for an artist

Pasco County Bug Jam

At the 2014 Pasco County Bug Jam, we spent hours walking up and down the rows of vintage VWs. This year’s event was bigger and better than before, with lots of dune buggies on display.

November 13, 2014    John Keatley

A row of Westys near the Bug Jam stage
See our photos from the 2014 Bug Jam
With a prediction of rain, and overcast skies we took the back roads to Dade City for this year’s annual Pasco County Bug Jam. Students from the local high school kept parking in order. We were lucky to get an end spot, only a couple of rows from the entry gate. Rounding the corner to the entrance, we saw that the line nearly went out of sight. Thankfully, they had extra people manning the gate, and the line moved quickly.

Through the gate, we were once again in the land of VW Nirvana. A VW dragster, a dune buggy, two Westys and a row of classic bugs welcomed us as we entered the magical land of Volkswagen.

A bus with character. It could be yours!
A bus with character. It could be yours!

Shows like these are not just about the cars. The VW people are as interesting as their vehicles. A old photo with two young children was standing beside a 1958 Van. It read “one family owned since new.” The fellow sitting in the chair next to it said “that’s me, I’m the one on the right.”

Over the loudspeaker, a live DJ mixed VW trivia, classic rock and roll, and craziness over the speakers, like “we are looking for the best VW tattoo, swing by the stage and show us your tat.” Or “Who’s wearing the oldest Bug Jam T-shirt? Come show us what you’re wearing!”

Owning a VW bus means living life in the slow lane
Owning a VW bus means living life in the slow lane

This year’s entertainment was provided by the “Blues Brothers.” They were not the Jake and Elwood that I remembered, but it didn’t matter. I could hear them, and the crowd cheering them on, all the way out into the parking lot as I was carrying our swap meet finds to the car.

As we walked up and down the rows of vintage VWs, we recognized a few from previous Bug Jams or other car shows we’ve attended. It’s always fun to see what’s new or has been added. The cars went on and on. Looking down the hill where the swap meet was held last year, it was filled with dozens of bugs, buses, buggies, and other VW-based vehicles. Later we heard the announcer say that there were 103 more vehicles than last year’s show.

One of the many dune buggies for sale
One of the many dune buggies for sale

Dune buggies were on nearly every row. I have never seen so many at one show. I have been watching their numbers grow since I sold mine many years ago. They have now become so popular that they have their own class, H-2 Open Body.

Dune Buggy with attitude
Dune buggy with attitude

There were a couple of original Meyers Manx buggies. They are considered the father of the dune buggy craze. Across the country, hundreds of other manufactures began creating their own version of the fiberglass dune buggy. Many looked so much like a Manx, that only a true “Buggy Person” can tell them apart.

An original Meyers Manx
An original Meyers Manx

These buggies became a blank canvas: a one or two piece body, a windshield, big tires in the back, and no doors. Most were mounted on shortened VW pans and few added hard tops and side pods. It is rare to see any two that are alike. Metal flake paint was in its full glory. Pink, purple, gold, green, and candy apple red were just a few of the color choices.

The dune buggy as a canvas for an artist
The dune buggy as a canvas for an artist

Walking through the parking lot, on the way back to our car, I pointed out a cool homemade camper to Sandy. There was nothing like it in the show, and there it was, just sitting out in the parking lot. As we drew closer I kept thinking that there was something different about it? Why doesn’t it look right? A few cars away, it hit me. It is two feet longer than a standard VW van or camper.

The VW family, including a golden retriever, were comfortably sitting inside their creation. The top and windows were open along with the “barn doors.” I told them that I had just realized that the length was one of the things that made their camper so unique.

The unusual VW van in the parking lot
The unusual VW camper in the parking lot

The owner explained to us how it had been built. The front half was a 1961, and the back half was a 1959. Sandy quickly asked “does that make it a 1960?” When the two halves were joined, an additional two feet was added to the middle. Creating a 1959/60/61 stretch VW van.

As we bid them goodbye, I had to smile. We had just spent a little time with a few unique members of our “extended” VW family.

Leaving the parking lot, a few drops of rain hit the windshield. I was already thinking about next year’s Bug Jam.

Category: Articles, Events, TravelTag: Dade City

Reader Interactions

Have an update? Contact us.

Primary Sidebar

Camping & Long Treks

  • Florida Trail Adventures
  • Appalachian Trail
  • What it’s like to hike the Big O Hike

Our Newest Books

Book cover showing orange blaze and trail leading into stand of cabbage palms
Florida Trail Hikes
50 Hikes in Central Florida
Explorers Guide North Florida Panhandle
The Florida Trail Guide (third edition)
Five Star Trails Gainesville & Ocala
Five Star Trails Orlando
Book cover of trail down swamp causeway under ancient pines

Explore More!

Footer

FIND A TRAIL OR PARK

NORTHWEST FLORIDA
Apalachicola. Apalachicola National Forest. Blackwater River State Forest. Blountstown. Bonifay. Bristol. Cape San Blas. Carrabelle. Chattahoochee. Chipley. Crawfordville. Crestview. DeFuniak Springs. Destin. Ebro. Eglin Air Force Base. Fort Walton Beach. Freeport. Gulf Islands National Seashore. Madison. Marianna. Milton. Monticello. Mossy Head. Navarre Beach . Niceville. Panama City Beach. Pensacola. Ponce De Leon. Port St. Joe. Quincy. Sopchoppy. South Walton. St. Marks. St. Marks NWR. Tallahassee. Vernon. Wakulla. Wewahitchka

NORTH FLORIDA
Alachua. Amelia Island. Baldwin. Branford. Bunnell. Cedar Key. Chiefland. Dowling Park. Ellaville. Fernandina Beach. Flagler Beach. Gainesville. Green Cove Springs. High Springs. Jacksonville. Keystone Heights. Lake Butler.Lake City. Live Oak. Mayo. Macclenny. Micanopy. Olustee. Orange Park. Osceola National Forest. Palatka. Palatka-Lake Butler Trail. Palm Coast. Perry. Salt Springs. St. Augustine. Starke. Steinhatchee. Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. Suwannee Springs. Talbot Islands. Timucuan Preserve. Trenton. Welaka. White Springs. Williston

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

MULTI-REGION
Big Cypress Swamp. East Coast Greenway. Everglades National Park. Florida National Scenic Trail

CENTRAL FLORIDA
Apopka. Belleview. Brandon. Brooksville. Bushnell. Canaveral National Seashore. Christmas. Chuluota. Clearwater Beach. Clermont. Coast to Coast Trail. Cocoa Beach. Cross Florida Greenway. Crystal River. Dade City. Daytona Beach. De Leon Springs. DeBary. Deland. Deltona. Dunedin. Dunnellon. Frostproof. Geneva. Inverness. Kenansville. Kissimmee. Lake Mary. Lake Wales. Lakeland. Largo. Leesburg. Longwood. Melbourne. Melbourne Beach. Merritt Island. Merritt Island NWR. Mims. Mount Dora. New Port Richey. New Smyrna Beach. Ocala. Ocala National Forest. Ocklawaha. Orlando. Ormond Beach. Osteen. Oviedo. Palm Bay. Ridge Manor. Sanford. Silver Springs. Spring Hill. St. Cloud. St. Petersburg. Tampa. Tarpon Springs. Titusville . Walt Disney World. Weeki Wachee. Winter Springs. Withlacoochee State Forest. Withlacoochee State Trail. Yeehaw Junction

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
Bradenton . Charlotte Harbor. Ding Darling NWR. Englewood. Estero. Fort Myers. Immokalee. Naples. Pine Island. Port Charlotte. Punta Gorda. Sanibel Island. Sarasota. Venice

SOUTH FLORIDA
Arcadia. Basinger. Big Cypress National Preserve. Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. Clewiston. Everglades City. Fisheating Creek. Lake Okeechobee. Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. Lake Placid. LaBelle. Lakeport. Moore Haven. Okeechobee. Pahokee. Port Mayaca. Sebring. South Bay

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA
Big Pine Key. Biscayne Bay. Biscayne National Park. Boca Raton. Boynton Beach. Coral Gables. Davie. Delray Beach. Northeast Everglades Natural Area. Florida Keys. Fort Lauderdale. Fort Pierce. Hobe Sound. Hollywood. Homestead. Islamorada. Jensen Beach. Jupiter. Juno Beach. Key Biscayne. Key Largo. Key West. Marathon. Miami. Ocean to Lake Greenway. Overseas Heritage Trail. Palm Beach. Port St. Lucie. Redland. Sebastian. Stuart. Vero Beach. West Palm Beach

  • Trails
  • Parks
  • Beaches
  • Gardens
  • Springs
  • Ecotours
  • Attractions
©2006-2021, Sandra Friend & John Keatley | Disclosure | Site Index | Work with Us | Advertise with Us
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy | Florida Hikes PO Box 93 Mims FL 32754| Contact