TRUST in greatness bus build

[NinjaMom]

Hello, I am the mom of #hotbloodedninja who purchased a 2006 Chevrolet 5 window bus to convert. His life was cut short at only 29 years of age in an accident. I picked up where he left off and have put blood, sweat and tears into completing the conversion of his dreams over the past 2.5 years. I now want to enjoy the fruits of my labor as he would have wanted and put this incredible skoolie on the road and enjoy as much as I can of this beautiful land. I am in the south and would appreciate any route suggestions that others have taken towards the West. I am new to this as a retiree and grandma but excited to get on the road. Also looking for any suggestions for a heavy duty cover or carport (sizes for each) to protect the bus during the winter months. I do not have a garage or carport currently but an interested to know and/or see what you do to cover your bus. Looking forward to this new journey in life!

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

sorry cant help with a cover but
welcome.

[1dmpo]

Just think about things you want to see. Places you want to visit. Have you seen things on TV that you thought were interesting? Seen things on FB that looked like something you might want to visit? So just get in the bus and go. Stay off the Interstate as much as possible. Enjoy the slower two lane roads and all the interesting things you will just happen upon when you're not on the fast paced interstate. Have fun. I'm sorry for your loss. Honor your son by enjoying the ride!

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by 1dmpo

Just think about things you want to see. Places you want to visit. Have you seen things on TV that you thought were interesting? Seen things on FB that looked like something you might want to visit? So just get in the bus and go. Stay off the Interstate as much as possible. Enjoy the slower two lane roads and all the interesting things you will just happen upon when you're not on the fast paced interstate. Have fun. I'm sorry for your loss. Honor your son by enjoying the ride!

buiying a bus taught me How to road-trip...


growing up my dad was all about getting there, we would trek from ohio to the west (colorado,utah, ali,nevada, idaho, etc) in our scout... mom N dad would take turns and we didnt stop for nothing... dad didnt even like to make pee stops... we would usually start off at night so us kids would sleep through the first 300 or 400 miles (speed limtis were 55 nationwide)...


so when I came of age this is how I thought you were supposed to road trip... I heard tell of many many people talking about fun road trips and i always thought they were stressful and boring.. so often id just fly someplace..



my first bus came about really as i was always a bus geek in school.. and having family frinds that sold busses and family who were in school transportation. the idea of having my own bus always was somethign cool in my mind..


I got one.. yet never did much with it.. it spent the vast majority of its time inside a garage lonely.. till a couple dufuses trying to fire up their old hotrod started a fire which damaged it enough the insurance company wrote it off... ths got my interest in busses peaked again so I got another one (DEV bus i call it)..I turned it into a mobile office and tech developent rig...



I started out on its first journey after getting it.. the intention was to drive it straight from tampa to columbus (ohio)... I got on the road and realized after a couple hours in the heat and the freeway id need to stop for a break... so i did and I found this cool little place to eat..(dozens of times I travelled to florida never knew it was there)....



I overnighted near the georgia line and got a lot of work done sitting on the patio watching cool cars from a nearby car meet drive by...


I found a new coffee shop in the morning inside the georgia line... a few hours later about the middle of georgia the bus broke down.. I limped into a gas station next to a hotel...



as it turns out i had to wait for parts to arrive to fix the bus so I stayed at the hotel.. and met some really cool people.. they had just opened a bar and the bartender lady was learning how to tend bar.. the hotel GM even offered her truck if I needed to go get parts.. I helped the hotel with a couple issues on their phone system.. got a lot of work done hanging out at the hotel..



the bus got fixed and I was off again.. it was really hot and so I stopped to cool off and then began to realize why people took road trips...


once i got home (other than knowing I just install A/C right away and get new tires)... I began doing my office conversion to the bus and fixing stuff... and driving it.... I made quite a few trips that summer from columbus to st pete and other parts of florida for work projects.. each time i veered off of I 75 and took other new places id never seen.. I really got to where i didnt care how many miles i did in a day or how long it took... i can work anywhere.. so when my phone rang form work with an issue.. it was an opportunity to stop in the next town, find a new coffee shop and do work stuff while enjoying new coffee and walk around..



as it turns out most of my friends share my enthusiasm for road trips.. we caravan in our cool vintage busses and we stop all over the place and make new memories... no more "holding it" because dad said we need to make time.. no more driving sleepy because i must make a certain town.. no more passing by a billboard pointing to something that perks my interest because im "late"... ive found that when I needto be someplace quick (like a work project) i just fly(airports do have their own charm and vibe).. and when I have real time.. I road trip and enjoy...

[LargeMargeInBaja]

cadillackid makes several excellent points.
.
We carry our head and galley, so little reason to blast straight through toward some alleged goal.
That starts to sound like 'checking boxes' off some arbitrary list.
.
I see this each time I visit the IRV2 forums.
These Type AA [sic] Energizer© personalities then whine about fuel consumption at 80mph/130kph...
..."But I set the cruise control!"
And they belly-ache about their tires coming apart.
Their subsequent posts complain about the tow company drivers.
.
Cripes.
.
From your starting point to Way Out West?
I would plan on meandering for a few months.
No rush.
.
.
An aside:
Anytime I think I should get in a rush, I lay down for a nap until that absurd urge goes away.

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by LargeMargeInBaja

cadillackid makes several excellent points.
.
We carry our head and galley, so little reason to blast straight through toward some alleged goal.
That starts to sound like 'checking boxes' off some arbitrary list.
.
I see this each time I visit the IRV2 forums.
These Type AA [sic] Energizer© personalities then whine about fuel consumption at 80mph/130kph...
..."But I set the cruise control!"
And they belly-ache about their tires coming apart.
Their subsequent posts complain about the tow company drivers.
.
Cripes.
.
From your starting point to Way Out West?
I would plan on meandering for a few months.
No rush.
.
.
An aside:
Anytime I think I should get in a rush, I lay down for a nap until that absurd urge goes away.

the relaxed mentality also helps if you do happen to travel through cities and come upon a traffic jam... I know when a city is coming.. take a pee break before... if i get stuck in traffic who cares... im a car guy so it gives me time to see all the different cars... im not freaked out by the slkow traffic.. granted its not my fav but i dont get crazed by it...

[turf]

condolences and congrats.

finishing (or getting to useable) a build is a huge accomplishment!!!

lolol, i am Cadillac's dad.... metaphorically speaking..... i travel with purpose.

my reasoning for building a bus was that so others in my life had a place to pee while i drive. no surprise i ended up single.

im in a similar boat..... retiring, with bus, don't want to be here for the winter, but not sure where im heading. so many options its easy to do nothing.

keep your westward travels south this winter. i wouldnt head anywhere north of i40 until march or so.

what kind of storage cover are you looking for? winter storage at home or ??? the sun takes its toll for sure!


good luck!

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by turf

condolences and congrats.

finishing (or getting to useable) a build is a huge accomplishment!!!

lolol, i am Cadillac's dad.... metaphorically speaking..... i travel with purpose.

my reasoning for building a bus was that so others in my life had a place to pee while i drive. no surprise i ended up single.

im in a similar boat..... retiring, with bus, don't want to be here for the winter, but not sure where im heading. so many options its easy to do nothing.

keep your westward travels south this winter. i wouldnt head anywhere north of i40 until march or so.

what kind of storage cover are you looking for? winter storage at home or ??? the sun takes its toll for sure!


good luck!

they should cover the tires at a minimum.. helps with rot.. although in cases of rears they can be flipped inner / outer if non-directional tires every few years but easier to cover them

[Kentucky Dreaming]

I love road tripping and watching the world go by as I chill.


But absolutely keep your tires, steering & brakes in top notch condition!!!!

[nikitis]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

the relaxed mentality also helps if you do happen to travel through cities and come upon a traffic jam... I know when a city is coming.. take a pee break before... if i get stuck in traffic who cares... im a car guy so it gives me time to see all the different cars... im not freaked out by the slkow traffic.. granted its not my fav but i dont get crazed by it...

That's the problem. Kiddos and wife all want to stop all the time everywhere, even when you just decide to get goin because you realize you need to make it to a certain stop before nightfall but know you'll never make it when interrupted by the 9 year old stating "I gotta pee". This is how your Dad felt and you were the kid.

Now you are tripping alone without interruption, free as a bird. Can choose your own time to stop or go. This is the main reason I took 1000 mile trip alone to Flordia last weekend so I can just think about the bus should it break down on me and not worry about the families needs. But I promise you if you had kids and a wife that state of Zen you're in once you get going on the road, within an hour, will be popped REAL quick by them.

That being said, I still wish to trip with the family and will make multiple stops and even expect it, but you aren't as free as when doing it alone.

[747mech]

If your travels ever get you to north Ft. Worth Texas you have a safe place to park. I'm in the process of a conversion/ roof raise on a 40 foot Blue bird