La Tortuga...updated 05-03-15

[bansil]

Going to spend the day cleaning(muddy foot prints) in bus and then start to decorate for the 23rd....I think it will be a 1st!
We are doing the BMS light display in the BUS!

Got to attach lights and decorate a tree

[bansil]

This holiday season revolved around our bus La Tortuga and family/friends

We used the bus as a Motel and escape pod for the long holiday season 22nd thru 26th...very nice to have our own space

The 24th started at 5 am it was 14*, so I broke out my

engine heated and plugged it in (i do have a block heater,

in a box in the bus lol)







Started by taking the "women folk" to spend the day at the

spa.

9am, 9 women, 9 bottles of champagne....bless the staff on

duty!

That went smooth, went home started to prep/cook waiting for

the phone call to come get them....remember Doug...do not

forget ear plugs!

so lets back up a day and have fun, the real reason anybody

has a bus, yes I could of rented a 65 foot long hummer and a

driver.......were is the fun there?

So I decorated the ole girl




yup icicle lights all around, easy install after buying 4

boxes of these:




so we arrived and parked in dads driveway




We loaded up everyone and headed to the Bristol Motor Speedway!!!!! we had I think 14 maybe 12 dunno



Lots of cool lights and lots of traffic...thankfully we were

not in a car and I was actually able to get up and walk

around... A.K.A. babysit lol






pretty shots




oh ugh yup those are shots from the roof, I had a 4 foot

tall pink tree and 3 elves sitting on top,,,feet thru the

hatch and tree behind hatch...of course they had wine in

solo cups (no glass...think safety.. )

the Holiday music was playing and I think they got as many

pictures from the kids as everything else

Here are 2 getting attacked by a Dinosaur!!!! awesome wifey on right in pink




secret spy pic from front hatch




before going into track the ladies had to take a break,

picture from restroom



we next headed towards the track

into the belly of the beast!





under the stands on the front stretch, this is where you buy

beer and food during race!!! it was a very tight left hander






we drove around and then onto other side of the track

this was very steep and tight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, on to the track



worlds fastest banked short course

infield where Santa stayed while in Bristol




turn 4



start/finish line



cranking the wheel hard and deciding if we will stop and see

Santa in Christmasville ( I was doing atleast 10 mph)



getting ready to exit track; hard right hander up a steep

bank



no worries the track folk stopped a few cars, moved the

plastic poles and walla.....2200 rpm and full boost!





wow that was interesting




Lisa helping to level bus afterwards




I will leave you with one last picture....

snuggled up tight with a glass of Cab Franc on Christmas

eve...Skoolie style



hope you enjoyed the story

[sdwarf36]

""hope you enjoyed the story""

Wheres that big thumbs up smiley when you need it?

[roach711]

Cool trip! Love the lights.

[bansil]

so after our last trip, wifey decided a usable toilet inside is needed on long road trips and since a porta potti didn't cut it .... we went for porcelain home style

also we din't have enough room when parked to have clothes out, so more counter top space for our storage totes to be at usable level was needed....
still no need for an indoor tub, sauna, Jacuzzi or shower.....YET

so here is were we are right now

-15*f for 3 days and winds at -25*f didn't do the driveway good at all

I have been parking bus here for 2 years never had an issue,

I got in her on friday to work and was like...I'm leaning!

She sank about 6 inches, this is the board she was sitting on



I got back jacked up on some fibergating and mushed mud back into place






slimy mess



So I started to remodel the bedroom area (it did have a 5 shelf storage area...it's on other side, where bikes where, since they have never been out of bus on last 6 trips....I made wardrobe room)



the top comes off by the back door and our outside cafe style table is stored with 2 bar stools

start of table




and the cover/ clothes table when parked; a couple hinges and an old curtain.....and........opened and walla'



still more to do, I havent posted updates lately

[mosdottir]

Originally Posted by bansil

No more getting squashed by the back door or tieing open!

What a great idea!!! Will have to come up with something like this. I am always get hit with the door.

[bansil]

Esp. Helpful when you realize the ac will go through the window on passenger side back

[mosdottir]

After having read this ENTIRE series, I know now what we have been doing wrong. NO WINE!

Seriously, fantastic epic adventures. Sure have enjoyed reading this.

The pictures of your Glamping trips kill me. We used to go to Morrow Mtn in NC when we lived there.

Brat

[Diesel Dan]

Party on dude!

[bansil]

Originally Posted by Diesel Dan

Party on dude!

Dugh
And bare foot....the sparkling bubbly is the beach drink.....remember to have fun....and there is and always be wine....its a lot safer than water....and you can with it while drinking it

[roach711]

Originally Posted by bansil

-15*f for 3 days and winds at -25*f didn't do the driveway good at all

HOLY CRAP! That's colder than it's been up here in the Great White North. If we decide to become snowbirds it looks like we'll have to go a bit farther south than Tennessee.

How's the tank toilet working out? Enquiring minds want to know!

[bansil]

Originally Posted by roach711

How's the tank toilet working out? Enquiring minds want to know!

It sits good

I haven't run plumbing yet, I ran into a slight issue with my tanks (plastic barrels) that I need to figure out

[bansil]

okay finally nice enough to finish some more trim, sand the stuff I poly-ied last year and poly some more...walls do not feel like 25 grit sand paper anymore....I had to me careful walking by w/o a shirt on

I painted the wardrobe, it was way to nasty from 2 years of use



installed more shelf board/cell phone, game and crap holders





replaced broken wood dowel with painted conduit


headen back out for another and hopefully final coat

[roach711]

Originally Posted by bansil

9am, 9 women, 9 bottles of champagne....bless the staff on duty!

You forgot the 9mm.

[bansil]

Originally Posted by roach711

You forgot the 9mm.

Nope, browning HP was on duty

[texasrednek]

I'm with you Bansil, I have driven anything you can imagine I was in the army for 12 years so I drove all the m1's, Bradley's, 113A1-A3 (my favorite btw loved using lateral bars on the A1), 577's, Cranes of all sizes, 88 and 88 hercules variant, heck I got pulled over by the MP's for speeding in a 10k RT articulating fork lift! I was a machinist so I had a 348 that was a little under a page and a half. I still look forward to driving my own bus more than any of that. I just cant wait to have my family piled in there going some where interesting.....I will have to settle for living vicariously through all these build threads

[bansil]

So I actually got out yesterday and checked the bus battery and house one, hydrometer gave a good bubbles, added a little water to bus battery
Solar had both sitting at 13.79 and half a turn later she was purring away, first start since Christmas trip, actually mud bog move

Also, I removed the Christmas lights .....ahhh...ahhhh... This is my front porch

Plan is to piddle with her for next few weeks and take her to a campground 10 min from center so I can stay there next round oftreatment

Once out of this chair, I will go and sweep.....big task for me

The inside is trashed were I moved everything to start toilet install...

EDITED because some pinko, commie, douche bag with Google and or the goveeenmeentt wants to finish my sentences.....argh

[bansil]

I put everything back together and moved Her to the camp ground....around may 25th....

Brought her home around July 3rd I think and started taking everything back out, cleaning and general unpacking........
.
.
.
.

So it's been awhile, have taken the bedroom area apart for bathroom install after living in her for 6 weeks or so at Grand father mnt campground, this past spring/early summer


I am now working on the electrical area, upgrading solar and house batteries (pics to come this weekend)

and I have a chandelier for dining room!!!! I just have to take it apart, paint and bedazzle it with jewels

[lornaschinske]

Upgrades for a fulltime residence? Come on! You know you wanna!

[bansil]

Oh I have no issues with it...Lisa? ugh yup, big time grounded to ground issues

she said we can go anywhere for 3 weeks, but we have to come home on the 4th week