Meeting & Greeting It is a very strange phenomenon living with a bus around you. Not just the fact that you built it to suit you and your needs and with the turn of a key, or flick of a switch in our case, it will take you to all points of this great continent. I am talking about the strange thing that happens every time we park. People, mostly men, stop and just stare at her. Not Christi, the bus! They just stand there looking up and down at her like they have been pulled back into their past or lost in a dream. Then the haze is gone from their eyes and they are at the door asking about her and reminiscing about the good old days driving for some big tour company. Their eyes light up as I take them through the bus. We talk about the past; theirs and ours, and the hours pass like minutes and before you know it, we are just like old friends.
Now, can someone tell me what it is about an old bus? It does not seem to matter what year, make or model of bus you have. People seem to love looking and talking about them. We have made some great friends since we built Mrs. Jones and I am sure that we will make many more. It's a crazy life, but we sure feel safe with 30 tons (OK, Maybe 15) of metal around us. All the Best, Michael & Christi
What I like are the looks you get as you roll into a campground with the detroit rumbling, your right tho, something about a bus really brings people around to check it out.
We had the same experience when we picked up our two buses this year and what Cody says is true, no matter make or year. The last one was a gentleman in El Paso TX in an RV Park, he said "huh! this looks really solid, not like the ones around here".
My favorite thing is when we are stopped at a stoplight and someone runs over to my window and knocks and says "does this thing run"? This has happened so many times! LOL In our 1948 transit we were in a truck stop eating and came out to find a man taking pictures of the bus. He owned a brand new $600,000 motorhome and wanted to trade us, even, for the bus. His wife put her foot down and she clearly didn't like the old bus. The next day the man followed us to the fuel pumps and took even more pictures. I love meeting people and telling them the story of our bus and travels. We have met some of the nicest people since we started living in it.
The first year we traveled in our bus, we would be parked somewhere, mostly at Walmart for work,and, right off the bat, we would get cars driving slowly around us, looking in, and I would ask, what the heck are they looking at, and hubby would smile and say, they are just looking at the bus. At night, people would do that when the guys were inside the store working, and it would freak me out. Now, I am use to it. Funny, back then it had an awesome paint job on it. Now, it is needing paint, but, they still come, they still look, still talk and take pictures. ;D I have to say, I am going to miss the old bus, but I am excited to get into the new one.
Michael,
If you have 30 tons of metal around you, you guys must have added a lot of marble or granite! ::)
We also have the looky loos, it's fun to see their reaction when I tell them it's just over 41 years old. They most always say, "I've wanted one of those all my life", I always say, "So what's stopping you". I think they intimidated by it's shear size, but they still have "That Look".
It's a fun way to meet people, one couple that was here had a older SS, traveling from New Hampshire to the Gulf Coast of Texas. He was amazed when I gave him the tour, I'm sure he's still talking about it.
It's a good life!
Paul
Now, can someone tell me what it is about an old bus? It does not seem to matter what year, make or model of bus you have. People seem to love looking and talking about them.
"Be ye not the first to try the latest, nor the last to cast the old aside." You don't need new to be happy, and an old bus has something that most motorhomes do not have, and that is "character." It might be that most people simply cannot afford one, but at the same time want one? That usually works for me, I am used to the orbiting automobiles in the parking lot or the kodak moment in a rest area or Flyin J.
With a set of tires going for $3 or $4k, $600-$800 to top one off at the local truckstop watering hole, almost $500 for oil and filters, it could get a little intimidating to the average Joe. But then again, there is the feeling you get when you open up the front door, and the guy looks at you and sez ........... "Jeeze, do you want me to take my shoes off?"
That is always a rush.
Watch those right-handers.
BoxcarOkie.
Hardly a trip goes by that we don't get the usual collection of stares, inquisitive visitors, and folks checking her out. One of the more unusual times happened after we pulled into a larger campground one afternoon. We had gotten set up, the awning was out, and I was getting ready to grill steaks on the BBQ.
A gentleman walks up to me and asks "Did you pull into the campground around 3:20?" I answered "Yeah, that sounds about right." He goes on to tell me that he was in the swimming pool at the time, and from where he was he couldn't see the entrance driveway. He said he recognized the sound of the 2 stroke DD immediately, and it was like music to his ears. Later, when he got back from the pool, he told his wife he was going for a walk. He spent 20 minutes walking around the campground hunting for something that would have that engine.
We chatted for a while and I gave him an inside tour. I probably should have started the engine for him, but didn't think about it at the time. Whether rolling down the road or parked, we always get LOOKS from folks. This was the only time I can recall where somebody tracked us down based on the engine SOUND.
Sometimes it's comical, we had pulled up to a stop light in columbus ohio after leaving a bluegrass festival, a car full of teenagers pulled up beside us and one kid asked if we had anyone famous on board, I told him I could get fired for saying but we had the Swedish Bikini team on board, next thing I saw was about 6 faces pressed to the car windows lol.
I had this happen to me 3X this past trip to Fla & back. I stop by the fast food place, and enter with all the help looking at me, and then ask when all the passengers will unload ??
Sorry, just me this trip. Hey, Do the driver's still eat free ???
Sometimes, if they perceive a large enough group. We have even gotten free tickets, or coupons for the driver, if we are at a attraction....Magnetic hill comes to mind (very unimpressive).
God bless,
John
Quote from: JackConrad on October 26, 2009, 01:17:15 PM
Quote from: Gary '79 5C on October 26, 2009, 12:18:56 PM
Hey, Do the driver's still eat free ???
Well, do they?
I've been ask ask a few times, how many people you have in there...???? Sorry only two..... ;D
Bill
In Honolulu
on the way to Tampa
Jack,
Hey the Driver Does eat free, but with the company of (40) paying friends... No, I paid, and not much, as I am not eating as much.
Jack, Sorry my schedule did not permit a visit as I traveled, Again, past Arcadia without stopping. I had something at home I needed to attend to.
However Say Hey to BMO later this week, when he is in Arcadia.
Hope you are feeling well again.
Gary
Sometimes the Driver does eat free. We get asked out for dinner at least 2 times a month just to talk BUS. ;D
When we first got our 4104 in 1985 I took the family down to Long Beach, CA to see the Queen Mary and the Spruce Goose. The exterior of the bus looked very original except for roof air conditioners. We pulled up to the parking lot gate and the attendant said, "Buses are free". I tried to tell her that this was a private coach, but she insisted, "buses are free". So, I didn't argue! Pulled in and enjoyed free parking. Buses are free!!