Best bus color for boondocking?

MollyCMo said:
Lol I'd be happy with either...or both! :biggrin:
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Factory-Direct-Sale-High-Quality-Antomatic-Log-Splitter-Machine-Made-in-China.jpg
 
Tango said:
Is there a woman anywhere who is NOT fond of "Tiffany" blue? Most can spot those little boxes from two blocks away.
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I'm more excited by the prospect of tiny boxes than whatever color they are...:whistling:
On-topic though, looking at a nice beige or off-white, with wood-grain vinyls maybe for the woody look.
 
My wife was worried about our bus blending in with the RV styles in the campgrounds so I told her I want royal blue with red ribbons in the wave patterns over the wheel wells just like the big RV or hunter green with red pinstripes on the rub rails.
My opinion?
The best paint to get is farm implement paint but you are stuck with there colors.
Already have a 77 ford truck that is ford blue and want a darker green than JD?
I do want a white roof with elastomeric beads?
 
I think I know what you were thinking. You want to express yourself but maybe not draw attention if you spend the night in the parking lot of a closed restaurant.
I plan to have a magnetic sign made with something benign like “New England Community Bla bla bla”
or “XYZ Youth Orchestra”. You know, cover up the peace signs and cannibis stickers[emoji14][emoji2957][emoji13]
 
MollyCMo said:
Thanks for the replies. I must have read some inaccurate info on what boondocking is...back to the classroom :smile:
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Well, boondocking can mean a lot of things. There is boondocking on government land, which is dry camping in "dispersed camping areas," in other words, open space that is unorganized as opposed to a set up campground. There is boondocking in Walmart parking lots, rest areas, and the like. But then there's boondocking in populated areas, which some people call "stealth camping." This last one is the only type of boondocking where standing out is going to be a real problem.

To boondock on BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land or LTVA (Long Term Visitor Area on various public lands), it makes no difference what you're driving or what color it is. If you're boondocking in other parking areas, such as store parking lots, highway rest stops, industrial areas that are closed for the night, boat ramps, etc., as long as they are not posted as "No Overnight Parking" it is also not a big deal to be driving a lime green school bus. If overnight parking is NOT allowed, it's probably not going to matter what you're driving because any big vehicle is going to get a door knock from security. This goes for government owned land where it's posted no camping. However...

If your intention is to spend a lot of time in cities, to be honest, you probably don't want a skoolie. It's hard to be stealth in a school bus. Shuttle bus, maybe, but most people who plan on living in a vehicle in a city or traveling primarily from heavily populated area to heavily populated area either have a van, a step van, or a box truck, because these vehicles are basically invisible. And they're pretty much always white.

I'm not saying you can't stealth it up in a skoolie, but it's definitely harder. You need really good blackout material on your windows so your presence is undetectable. You need to not snore, at least not loudly, and you can't bring a bark-y dog along. In some cities, it is legal to sleep in your car, and in others, it very much isn't. I would suggest NOT sleeping in your car in the ones where it's not legal. And of course, not sleeping in your car in cute little neighborhoods in the middle of private homes.

If you're thinking about boondocking on private land, as in the back acre of somebody's farm, just... don't.

So... basically... the color really only matters if you're trying for stealth camping on a consistent basis, and even then, no matter what color you paint it, a retired, privately owned school bus LOOKS like exactly what it is, no matter if it's beige or metallic hot pink. Some places are going to be vigilant and shut you out while others are not. But then, that's true even of mainstream, high cost campgrounds, many of which will not allow those unsightly hippie-filled buses into their family oriented parks. You were bold enough to buy a skoolie - why step back now? Make it your own and paint it any way you want. Just know your options may be a more limited, not by the color but by the very nature of a skoolie.
 
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firebuild said:
Well, boondocking can mean a lot of things. There is boondocking on government land, which is dry camping in "dispersed camping areas," in other words, open space that is unorganized as opposed to a set up campground. There is boondocking in Walmart parking lots, rest areas, and the like. But then there's boondocking in populated areas, which some people call "stealth camping." This last one is the only type of boondocking where standing out is going to be a real problem.

To boondock on BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land or LTVA (Long Term Visitor Area on various public lands), it makes no difference what you're driving or what color it is. If you're boondocking in other parking areas, such as store parking lots, highway rest stops, industrial areas that are closed for the night, boat ramps, etc., as long as they are not posted as "No Overnight Parking" it is also not a big deal to be driving a lime green school bus. If overnight parking is NOT allowed, it's probably not going to matter what you're driving because any big vehicle is going to get a door knock from security. This goes for government owned land where it's posted no camping. However...

If your intention is to spend a lot of time in cities, to be honest, you probably don't want a skoolie. It's hard to be stealth in a school bus. Shuttle bus, maybe, but most people who plan on living in a vehicle in a city or traveling primarily from heavily populated area to heavily populated area either have a van, a step van, or a box truck, because these vehicles are basically invisible. And they're pretty much always white.

I'm not saying you can't stealth it up in a skoolie, but it's definitely harder. You need really good blackout material on your windows so your presence is undetectable. You need to not snore, at least not loudly, and you can't bring a bark-y dog along. In some cities, it is legal to sleep in your car, and in others, it very much isn't. I would suggest NOT sleeping in your car in the ones where it's not legal. And of course, not sleeping in your car in cute little neighborhoods in the middle of private homes.

If you're thinking about boondocking on private land, as in the back acre of somebody's farm, just... don't.

So... basically... the color really only matters if you're trying for stealth camping on a consistent basis, and even then, no matter what color you paint it, a retired, privately owned school bus LOOKS like exactly what it is, no matter if it's beige or metallic hot pink. Some places are going to be vigilant and shut you out while others are not. But then, that's true even of mainstream, high cost campgrounds, many of which will not allow those unsightly hippie-filled buses into their family oriented parks. You were bold enough to buy a skoolie - why step back now? Make it your own and paint it any way you want. Just know your options may be a more limited, not by the color but by the very nature of a skoolie.
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Thanks...but you must not have read my earlier post on this thread where I said I must have got bad info about boondocking. I’m not going to try and park in someone’s back yard (c’mon). I’m not trying to hang out mostly in cities. And I’m definitely not backing down from the “bold” move to buy a Skoolie.

I posted this question because someone on another forum told me boondocking was legal but frowned upon so you didn’t want to draw attention to yourself. Now I know that’s not true so this post is no longer relevant.

Thanks anyways for the long reply...
 
MollyCMo said:
Thanks...but you must not have read my earlier post on this thread where I said I must have got bad info about boondocking.
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Actually, I did read that and it's why I posted this. I guess I was unclear about what bad info you got, and if you were under the impression it was illegal or difficult in some way I figured whoever gave you that bad info must be talking about stealth situations where it's on the shady side, because why else would blending in be an issue? I'm still not really clear what YOU mean when you say boondocking; if it's just dry camping, then who would be "frowning upon" it? I didn't mean it to come off as condescending, just trying to provide info. Not knowing what your plans are (full timer, weekend camper, living in a vehicle to chase jobs), I just thought I'd cover all the bases.

Good luck to you in your color decision!
 
MollyCMo said:
Thanks...but you must not have read my earlier post on this thread where I said I must have got bad info about boondocking. I’m not going to try and park in someone’s back yard (c’mon). I’m not trying to hang out mostly in cities. And I’m definitely not backing down from the “bold” move to buy a Skoolie.

I posted this question because someone on another forum told me boondocking was legal but frowned upon so you didn’t want to draw attention to yourself. Now I know that’s not true so this post is no longer relevant.

Thanks anyways for the long reply...
Click to expand...

Someone "boondocked" in my town for way too long and now no privately owned buses are allowed to park more than an hour in the city limits.
 
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