Build Thread For Haulin' Oats (and goats)

[Stoltz]

Originally Posted by onenationundergoat

Hi Stoltz! Welcome to the bus life! Looks great! What make/model/year/mileage/fuel?

Thanks!!!

Its a 1981 GMC RTSII-04 it only has 12,790 original miles and the 6V92TA Deisel motor motor was rebuilt less than 500 miles ago. It has an Allison V730. I'm going to have to change the gears or something because I top out around 65-66mph. I would like to be able to cruse at 65-70 and not me screaming down the road.

It was a retired Charlotte CATS bus then a Limo company bought it and partially turned the inside into a party bus, rebuilt the engine and parked it at a storage place. then ran out of money and stopped paying for storage and turned the title over.
so the owner of the storage place just wanted the money he was out so I got the bus for a great price!!!!!

[onenationundergoat]

Whoa that sound great! Although I'd be pleased as pie to go that fast! We originally got 47 mph, changed the gears and now to top out at 59! Wooooo!

[jean]

I appreciate your love of animals bit truth be told that isn't a very good life for a goat. I do love your bus!

[onenationundergoat]

Finally, an update! I might not get to post pictures, because our internet situation is tenuous. We'recamping in a casino parking lot near San Diego, CA, and the wifi just barely reaches all the way up here! This is the first time I've had internet on my laptop since we left NC because I can't use it without connecting it to the TV for a monitor.

Anywho...

At the end of September we drove the bus 1500 miles in 48 hours to Drayton, ND to work the sugar beet harvest. The job was pretty grueling, but the campsite with electric water and sewer was included. We didn't get the bus completely finished and it's still pretty much the way it was when we left NC even today. There are holding tanks for the black and grey water, but no internal plumbing from our water tank. So when we have a hookup we just run a potable water hose in through the kitchen window. Perks of having a skoolie: plenty of windows to choose from! For two weeks of work we each made over $2000. Our general on-the-road expenses are less than $1000 a month, even with our long-ranging fuel consumption, so that should last us a few months before needing a new job.

After Drayton we headed south toward warmer climes. Down through SD, Nebraska, Colorado, and Utah to our first long-ish camp in Moab. Moab is probably my favorite place in the country. After two weeks or so in Moab we visited Canyonlands and hopped over to see Zion. Then we went through Valley of Fire State park in Utah on our way to Lake Mead for free ($10 without a Parks pass) camping beside Vegas. Dan got to meet up with one of his buddies who was in Vegas for vacation. After a couple weeks at Lake Mead we set out for Death Valley, and then headed down through Bakersfield and LA to San Diego, where we are now currently. I'd estimate we've been about 8000 miles since September 25.

The bus performed magnificently over both the Appalachians and the Rockies. Uphill is slow (25-35 mph) but with no overheating. Downhill is hairy sometimes because we have to keep from overusing and overheating the brakes. We had to stop three times on the way out of Death Valley. The elevation changes by about 5000 feet in just a couple miles, causing a 9% grade.

Our in-chassis overhaul is holding up just fine, but it seems that the oil control rings on the pistons didn't seat well so we're burning some oil. We noticed the oil pressure dropping and remaining low, and couldn't get any mechanics to even look at it because it's a bus. Concerned that maybe a bearing was messed up, we cut open an oil filter to check for metal fragments. No metal. Phew. Then we checked the oil again. Dan had been checking it at night and didn't realize he had been checking the transmission oil stick right next to it. There was no oil on the stick! It took three gallons to fill it back up. So now it seems we have self-changing oil and will just need to add a gallon every couple thousand miles.

We also have an air leak around the release valves for the air tanks. It leaks out while we're parked in about twenty minutes, but it builds and hold pressure just fine while the engine is on. As soon as we find a mechanic we're having it checked. There's also a coolant leak in the radiator. It seems to only leak when the engine is running and when the reservoir is full. If we let the reservoir remain low (but can still see coolant in the tank) it doesn't seem to leak. As far as we can see the leak is coming out through the radiator fan shroud, but we'll have to take things apart to find the exact spot on the radiator.

The interior is holding up great! Even the one by twos that we used to construct the walls and for the slats in the beds and couch. We'll need a new toilet soon because the old one we bought is starting to crack. It'll be really nice once we get the washer/dryer and sink water hooked up.

The cats are loving the bus. It's a bit small for the dogs if they have to be cooped up without running around for a few days, but as long as we find out of the way campsites they're usually able to run around. The rabbit is indifferent and doesn't seem to know the difference between being here and at home. Rosie is having a grand time. She loves her pen and being around us. Someone said it's not a good life for a goat, but I have to disagree.

It is true that most goats do not do well by themselves. They are herd animals and get depressed without a herd. But I don't think there's even been another situation like this. Rosie may not graze all day with goat buddies, but she's constantly within feet of the rest of us, and we are her herd. She has free feeding of hay and fresh water, and she goes on hikes with us and hangs out when we're outside. She loves the dogs and likes to play with them. They chase her and she chases them. If you could see her in Moab running around and jumping and then coming beside my chair to lie down for a nap next to the dogs in the sun, you'd agree that she has a good life. I have pictures that I'll post when I get a chance!

[Jpslickorocks]

What a fun read. I'd like to see a pic of how you situated the freezer/fridge.

[crazycal]

Blackstone Labs

[Tango]

Great update guys. Keep those cards & letters coming in...from wherever.

[Mr_Batman777]

LOL ... I literally set fire to the brakes on my 2004 Winnebago Minnie-Winnie 331 coming down the mountain on the way out of Death Valley. It was a bloody miracle we got that thing stopped before we plowed into a street car in San Francisco (9% is serious in an RV ... especially when you're driving it like a car - oh well, that which doesn't kill you makes you slow your ass down).

[onenationundergoat]

Hey HolyBus and EastCoastCB! We're currently in Gainesville, FL, for a couple weeks visiting Dan's sister and assisting her with her kids while she has a new baby. I noticed on the skoolie map that you're close by. Would you guys be interested in a meetup? I see on the map that you guys are open to stopovers, or maybe you'd like to go on a camping trip to Ocala NF?

[EastCoastCB]

I'm down for sure!
I'm about ten miles from the ocala natl forest.
We have a cow pasture you could stay in if you'd like to stay somewhere for a week or two or three as well. The cows are gone for a few months at a feed lot. We love to meet new folks, especially with buses.
Your goat enjoying the FL weather?!

[onenationundergoat]

Today we experienced our first bus/goat related discrimination. We're at Dan's sister's house in a residential neighborhood. The elderly neighbors don't approve of the "eyesore" and "farm animal." In the past two days two different sheriffs came by and said they had received complaints about the bus. They asked us if we were staying there and if we had pets and what kind of pets, and we explained our situation. They said we weren't breaking any laws and as long as we made sure we weren't in the way of anyone's driveway we're fine. One was actually super interested in the bus and loved what we were doing.

Today a news reporter came by and said some people had reported a "green school bus full of goats" and wanted to hear our story. Of course, at the moment she showed up I was looking like a mess cleaning out the goat pen with all of our belongings strewn around behind the back deck. Not exactly the 15 minutes of fame we were looking for. I told her it would be better to do an interview after I finished getting everything clean.
Today was supposed to be a deep cleaning day because Dan's uber-clean mother is flying down in a couple days and I don't want her to think we live in filth.

As the reporter was leaving a code enforcement officer showed up, got out of his car and started taking pictures without speaking to me. I asked him if anything was wrong and he said this area is zoned residential and we were breaking the code by having a goat, and by plugging our bus up to the outdoor house outlet. We explained that this was OK with the sheriffs, but he said he outranked them. After explaining the situation for an hour we had to settle for a citation (without a fine luckily) and move the bus into the tiny driveway. The goat's pen is set up so that she doesn't have to leave the bus for any reason but exercise, so we can drive to the dog park and let her run around every few days and she's happy. We'll be here until Dan's sister is home from the hospital, and then hopefully we'll be on the road to visit EastCoastCB!

[EastCoastCB]

Residential FL...
The code enforcement treatment cost me my first bus when I lived downtown in Leesburg.
Come out our way when you can and let that goat roam around some!

[onenationundergoat]

Onenationundergoat was on the news! “One Nation Under Goat” Bus Swings Through Gainesville | WUFT News

[EastCoastCB]

Sucks, but pretty typical of what I've experienced with owning a bus. I can imagine the persecution would be worse with such a large and bio-diverse family!

[ArmyChap]

Very cool to see your bus on the news!

But it must have been a very slow day in town when "Hey, everybody, look-- a goat!" makes it on the evening news. I wish the story had shown more of the bus.

And your goat is smaller than many dogs (and is probably quieter and poops smaller)... what's the big deal that the neighbors disapprove of?

[EastCoastCB]

In central to northern FL, that is BIG news!
Around this time of year the local yokels start to watch for "rainbow family" folks who are traveling down here to Buck Lake for the annual love-in. It usually makes the news, too.
Around here is considered the retirement capital of the east coast. Every other house is occupied by old farts. One thing I've learned is that squares and old farts are the natural enemies of bus folk.

[dan-fox]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Around here is considered the retirement capital of the east coast. Every other house is occupied by old farts. One thing I've learned is that squares and old farts are the natural enemies of bus folk.

That's a little strange. It's my impression that a good number of folks on this forum ARE old farts!

At 62, I resemble that remark.

[EastCoastCB]

The old farts I'm referring to are herded into the Villages and are a general menace to the rest of us in central Fl.

scenes like this are common here^


When rainbows start drifting into town, the locals take notice!

[EastCoastCB]

This one is too funny

[REDD]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

In central to northern FL, that is BIG news!
Around this time of year the local yokels start to watch for "rainbow family" folks who are traveling down here to Buck Lake for the annual love-in. It usually makes the news, too.
Around here is considered the retirement capital of the east coast. Every other house is occupied by old farts. One thing I've learned is that squares and old farts are the natural enemies of bus folk.

You have most of our old farts...they call 'em "snow birds". Head out from the great white north to the sunny skies of Florida, have fun with that, lol.