BCM Community

Like Clifford said we don't all agree on how we do things!!! we state our case.  dis agree   and love our hobby.  That's why we are all nuts.  $$$$$ have allot to do with it.  Safety is most important!!  A challenge do be differant is somewhat a mo divator in my case ???   With  respect to all.   Bob

So true Bob!

Another thing is what is good enough for me might not be good enough for others.   I just want the basics, not all the bells and whistles!  O and the $$$ has alot to do with it. ;D

Good post like is your usual, Bob.

For starters, I originally was looking at doing a skoolie. But after thousands of Mexican miles (as in very bumpy!) in the skoolie hauling loads of kids around Mexico, on this forum I learned the value of air suspension. Now, if I was going to be doing off-roads, maybe the skoolie WOULD be better.

And we ended up with an awesome (in my opinion) highway coach. Now I am gutting it, and getting ready for my build. And I want to build something that will last me a decade or two, and then refresh it and let my son and grandsons have it.

For us, money is usually scarcer than chicken teeth. Plus I am in central old Mexico, so RV furnishings are not commonly available. So I have been doing my planning for over 14 months, and learning a whole lot from all the people on this awesome forum.

Even those few who are at times very opinionated have made me re-evaluate my choices and sometimes arrive at different conclusions.

So once again: Thanks to everyone of you who makes my busnut experience awesome!


 

Quote from: robertglines1 on July 14, 2011, 08:44:34 AM
Like Clifford said we don't all agree on how we do things!!! we state our case.  dis agree   and love our hobby.  That's why we are all nuts.  $$$$$ have allot to do with it.  Safety is most important!!  A challenge do be differant is somewhat a mo divator in my case ???   With  respect to all.   Bob

Too bad we can get the general population to apply this philosophy to to all aspects of life...


.

What do you mean, different strokes?

There are only two strokes and four strokes. ;)

Quote from: Len Silva on July 15, 2011, 09:53:57 AM
What do you mean, different strokes?

There are only two strokes and four strokes. ;)

No trust me thar are defenitily more than 2 or 4 strokes thar are a lot of folks that are odd numbered!
;D  BK  ;D

Is this a medical question? ;D

This points to one of the old discussions about whether size matters.  We have a 35 foot bus, and I felt that was right for us in the hope that we would use public parks like Forest Service, etc.  Up until now, we really haven't done much of that; we went pole to pole for the most part.  On this trip, we have been using the National Forests and find that even 35 foot is pushing the limit.  We were up in Mammoth several days ago.  According to the list that the Forest Service gave us, the campground we went to had sights to accommodate 35's, 40' and even 45's.  Well, they may have had spots that were deep enough, but there was not way a large bus could maneuver around the park!  We found a spot to stay in, but when it cam time to leave, we had to back out the way we got in.  We could not fit around their loop nor turn around.  Another campground we looked at was at Convict Lake.  The place is really beautiful, but we could not find a site.  We had to travel the entire loop to get out of the place, and there were some spots that were pretty touchy.  I think that this type of camping is doable with a 40+ footer, but it would be more difficult.  Dispersed camping (just finding your own place on public land) is probably a good option.

Speaking of that, I just did a search for dispersed camping in the area of Travantine Hot Springs near Bridgeport, Ca., and Sean's blog was one of the first things to come up on Google. 
We tried the dispersed thing right by one of the Whitmore Hot Springs.  I think it was wonderful except for the cars, probably kids coming by the springs until late at night.

Size and strokes--did we cover everything?

this off topic of strokes, but he two 35x102's I've had have mostly been able to maneuver in the small parks... with the help of the toad before hand. i have never had much problem, just a bit pre planning, having the road cleared, etc., just like when driving for my dads trucking company with a load of something. And its easier for me to park a wal mart with a 35. Wife said last week she wants a dedicated sewing/craft room... does this mean i gotta get a neoplan or something? I hope not. love the short single axles

Boy! Listening to you guys sure makes a person seriously consider being set up for boondockin in a pinch! I know I have come across some parks in Pismo Beach that I could not get into but the actual space would have fit my bus. However, if the place were empty enough that I could do a multiple point turn, using other spaces for maneuvering THEN I would probably have been able to get in! Since I have never been set up for a toad, I had to actually use my two legs to walk around first before ever pulling in to any site or park... especially at night.

There is a LOT to be said about being original in doing our own coaches (and part of the reason we all do this and love it so) but they have to be usable too. Im okay with cooking on a campfire, no electric or running water and really ruffin it in a steel tent....... but my family is not, being set up for boondockin or power pole is the way to go for us.

Quote from: Lin on July 16, 2011, 02:16:10 PM
This points to one of the old discussions about whether size matters.  We have a 35 foot bus, and I felt that was right for us in the hope that we would use public parks like Forest Service, etc.  Up until now, we really haven't done much of that; we went pole to pole for the most part.  On this trip, we have been using the National Forests and find that even 35 foot is pushing the limit.  We were up in Mammoth several days ago.  According to the list that the Forest Service gave us, the campground we went to had sights to accommodate 35's, 40' and even 45's.  Well, they may have had spots that were deep enough, but there was not way a large bus could maneuver around the park!  We found a spot to stay in, but when it cam time to leave, we had to back out the way we got in.  We could not fit around their loop nor turn around.  Another campground we looked at was at Convict Lake.  The place is really beautiful, but we could not find a site.  We had to travel the entire loop to get out of the place, and there were some spots that were pretty touchy.  I think that this type of camping is doable with a 40+ footer, but it would be more difficult.  Dispersed camping (just finding your own place on public land) is probably a good option.

Speaking of that, I just did a search for dispersed camping in the area of Travantine Hot Springs near Bridgeport, Ca., and Sean's blog was one of the first things to come up on Google.  
We tried the dispersed thing right by one of the Whitmore Hot Springs.  I think it was wonderful except for the cars, probably kids coming by the springs until late at night.

Size and strokes--did we cover everything?

Daddy's Hobby is a 40 footer and now with a trailer, 65', so you know what that means.  All of which you speak of is just a short jump and hop up the road from Kamperbrat in Ridgecrest, it is an interesting area of the Golden State.

We usually stay in the Bishop area (jumping off point for Jousha Trees and Death Valley) and did that for a base camp, then we move up the mountains towards Mammoth.  Some days drove out south of town and watched the handgliders making lazy circles in the sky, nice drive up to the jumping off point.  You can stay at the Indian Casino at the northend of town too.  There is an interesting RR museum there, short line from back in the gold rush days.

Leaving Bishop and heading to Mammoth is a hard pull.  Long haul up the hill eh?  

They say that Mammoth is getting active again, and there could be some activity in the near future, but the skiers don't care, as long as they get a good base.  We also stayed in Lee Vining, nice little campground ton the backdoor to Yosemite, again, using the RV Park as a base.  Mono Lake, Bodie and Tioga Pass in that part of the Sierra's.

At Bridgeport we found a Baptist Church and they allowed us to use their parking lot and the local grocery store has an owner that will allow short stays in his lot too.  June lake is there, and it is a short hop over to Convict Lake from Bridgeport.  There is also a shortcut over to Bay Area and Yosemite also, but it is not recommended for bus or truck traffic.


We had the same problem at Convict Lake that you had, kind of skinny and hard to get around, in August, it was loaded with people.  Next time you watch "The Way The West Was Won" at the beginning of the movie, when Jimmy Stewart supposedly takes off down river with his load of fur's, he is pushing off from the banks of Convict Lake.

Nice area.  If you want a little taste of it, here is a link:  

http://boxcarokie.com/2008/07/23/convict-lake/ (http://boxcarokie.com/2008/07/23/convict-lake/)

BCO

And if anyone is zippin up to there, you absolutely must stop in for some suntea or I feel pouty! You can dump, charge (30 and 50 amp) and water fill here if you need to! But the parking spot is dirt and it is a dirt road for about a mile back to my place. The dirt is compacted real good and solid unless it rains like when Len was here lol

A couple of years ago we came down 395 headed to Yuma and got into Bridgeport way after dark. Don't usually drive that late and had planned on stopping earlier but it didn't work out that way. Pulled into a small campground on the lake just for the nite. Got up the next morning and found out that the lake was almost dry.....it was down to about 5%.  While drinking coffee and looking at the map i found out that we were close to Bodie. Instead of going on with our trip we stayed an extra day and took the jeep up to Bodie. What a great place!!  Some day i would like to spend more time up along 395. It was fall when we were there and getting pretty cold at nite, had snow on the ground at the passes, but nice during the days.