Hello from someone writing a story

[comedy4cast]

Hey, Hi!

My name is Clinton and I do a comedy podcast (or over 15 years now). I do a month-long story every April.

Anyway, this year's story, which is pretty far along in the writing process, involves a character who orders a piece of equipment and receives something they had not expected -- an old school bus converted into what I will describe as a heavy-duty rolling home. I knew people had done it, but I had no idea how many have! You folks are amazing!

As I said, I am pretty far along with a looming deadline, so now that I have suddenly discovered there is an entire culture around this, I am going to scramble to add as many proper skoolie touches as I can. I am hoping you folks would be willing to lend a hand by answering some of my stupid questions.

My hope is to be respectful of your time, knowledge and the skoolie life in general. Does that sound okay? (The moderators can certainly tell me if this is all out of line. No harm. No foul. )

Not sure how many people read the new member welcome section, but I will start off with a few basic questions here and see what happens. Feel free to reply if you can. No need to go too in depth if you don't want to. My podcast is comedy, so I never try to explain everything that happens in the story.

1. Right off the bat, is skoolie the person who works on/lives in the bus? Or is the bus itself "a skoolie"? Or both?

2. By watching some videos, it seems that many people name their bus. Is that very common? And is it usually a "person" name (like Dave or Sasha) or just anything (like The Tank or Traveler)? Or is it all over the place?

3. Is anyone running, as in powering the locomotion, as a hybrid (batteries with a gas/diesel backup)? Does that option even exist?

4. Are there older Year, Makes or Models of school bus that you would envision as being super rugged (as well as being full size)?

Okay. I'll stop there. Answer if you can. I will keep checking back (and thinking of more things that I can possibly try to work into the story at this point)

Thank you so much!!!!

[s2mikon]

You came to the right place to learn of the community. So ask away. We will be more than happy, in fact ecstatic to spew out our knowledge and opinions just like a dairy cow eating bean silage. As to the naming of mine, before it got here I had envisioned a few that I would call it, then while removing the seats, well it received other names that just would not be appropriate. Best of luck to you. I'll watch this thread.

[somewhereinusa]

Originally Posted by comedy4cast

Hey, Hi!






1. Right off the bat, is skoolie the person who works on/lives in the bus? Or is the bus itself "a skoolie"? Or both?



2. By watching some videos, it seems that many people name their bus. Is that very common? And is it usually a "person" name (like Dave or Sasha) or just anything (like The Tank or Traveler)? Or is it all over the place?

3. Is anyone running, as in powering the locomotion, as a hybrid (batteries with a gas/diesel backup)? Does that option even exist?

4. Are there older Year, Makes or Models of school bus that you would envision as being super rugged (as well as being full size)?

1. Both, depending on the person/group you are talking to, could be derogatory

2. All over the place.

3. It's been talked about. Most skoolies are older so the options are fewer. There are, I think some battery powered ones on the market but, I don't know anyone who could afford to buy one. There are propane powered but, finding fuel is a bit of a problem. Most are diesel with many older ones gas. The old gas buses were real gas hogs.

4. Generally speaking I would say they get more rugged as they get older. Then again older get harder to find parts for. Generally speaking most prefer, IMO, late 80's 90's early 00 buses. I think most prefer diesel with mechanical injection.

[BeNimble]

The older Crowns with the loud smoky stinky rugged 2-stroke Detroit Diesel V8s would be a good choice to use for a comedy. Call it Jester... they all have names, all the Koolie Skoolies do.

There are no hybrid or electric Skoolies. You could make up one, that Phil always wants to trade in Jester for Karen the hybrid Skoolie or Tony the Electric one.. Yeah you don't need my help do you. lol

It's comedy not a documentary..right.

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

my jolly roger skoolie can tell some stories?
including family camping.
boy scouts/scouting.
my newer one is getting ready to make its own stories all over the USA.

[Elliot Naess]

I could contribute, but can you afford me?

1. I would say the bus itself is the "skoolie". But the term is so universally vilified outside our own clique that it may be better to avoid it altogether. For your purpose, perhaps consider item 4.

2. Names are all over the map. Mine are Millicent and Albatross, named for a lady and an airplane, respectively.

3. Not that I know of – but you can bet some "mad professor" is trying to build one, somewhere.
That said.... There must be a wealth of humor to be harvested from another "hybrid" technology; Waste Vegetable Oil. Yup, there are a few skoolies wheezing around the country on discarded french fry oil, more or less successfully.

4. One word; Crown. Two words; three axles, ten tires, no waiting.

In other words... "Crown Surprise; the podcast", as opposed to "Skoolie Surprise; the podcast". I just made you a fortune -- regardless my fondness for alliteration.

Now, my own question number 1. What is this "podcast", of which thou speaketh?

[musigenesis]

The bus is a "skoolie". I've been trying to spread "skoolier" (pronounced like sommelier - "skoolie-yay") as the word for someone who is building or has built a skoolie, but it hasn't stuck. To be fair we already have a good word for that: "lunatic".

[rossvtaylor]

Originally Posted by musigenesis

The bus is a "skoolie". I've been trying to spread "skoolier" (pronounced like sommelier - "skoolie-yay") as the word for someone who is building or has built a skoolie, but it hasn't stuck. To be fair we already have a good word for that: "lunatic".

Nice! I love it.

As to names...ours follow a convention of ending in "ie". We have Gillie, an old Gillig. We have Phannie 1 and Phannie 2, both Phantoms...which are made by Gillig, but we didn't want Gillie 2 and 3. We have an old GM, so of course she's Jimmie (yes...she, with a boy's name...don't judge). We have Freddie, the Freightliner. And Borgie, because she came from Borger. And, finally, Missie...the old MCI. Those are the ones we have now and I feel like I'm missing someone...

There is one outlier, BABE. She's our 1950 Dodge school bus. Why the different name? Because we don't expect she'll ever run again. We got her without any axles, driveline, springs...nada...it had all been cut out. So, she's up on blocks and is my wife's art studio and office. BABE is, of course, Best Art Bus Ever.

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by rossvtaylor

As to names...ours follow a convention of ending in "ie".

Huh, I guess I should have named my bus "Rustie 87".

[Meathead]

They say all dog breeds come from the wolf.

All skoolies came from Ken Kesey.




Honorable Mention

This group@ Woodstock.


The Who


And there’s not a soul on this forum that doesn’t envy these guys!



Maybe you could do your podcast from a bus of some sort. In what area do you reside?

Peace.

[comedy4cast]

Thank you. I knew some cars ran on vegetable oil. I never stopped to think someone would do that with a bus.

I don't want to spam the forum with my show. I may be able to send that as part of the
Thanks" reply button I have been using to thank everyone giving input.

[comedy4cast]

I hope I have been keeping track and have sent Thank you messages (via the Thanks button) to everyone who has posted so far. This is great. I will have a few more questions, but want to wait and see what else shows up for these first. You are all amazing. And amazingly welcoming!

[Elliot Naess]

[Elliot Naess]

Aha!



Kernul Kalamity has already ordered his Krown Krawler!
Now Komedy4Kast's very own Mr. Klinton must build it in time for the April episode!

The plot thickens! The diesel gels! The roof raises! And so on and so forth.

https://www.comedy4cast.com/?powerpr...w=3678-podcast


.

[Elliot Naess]

Here is the kind of thing your General Kalamity needs, a twin screw Crown.



The engine is in the middle, below the floor. (You are looking right at the radiator, behind the front wheel.)
Two rear axles, both driving (twin screw, in trucker jargon).
Legendary durability. All full-size 18-wheeler parts.
Still widely recognized "loaf of bread" styling.

[milkmania]

Although my bus started it's life as a military vehicle... I still find home in the Skoolie Culture
https://photos.app.goo.gl/tmJ6s8h94kfqemgt7



If this doesn't gets your toes tapping... I just don't know what to tell ya

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de1aPKXBdAE

[comedy4cast]

I had no idea they had their own music videos, too!

And it's nice to see the former military vehicle still serving.

[comedy4cast]

Yes, indeed. I was looking at some Crowns last night.

[Phatman]

We have our own lingo too !! There is a reason why we are called “THE CRAZIES”

[comedy4cast]

Sure. But amazing, too!