My work has asked me to go to CA for a 6 week project. for what they are paying I can't afford to stay at a hotel so it looks like I am taking the bus or not going. How friendly is CA Authorities to visitors driving a 63 MCI with a 8V71, pulling a trailer? Im assuming that CA is kinda strict and I don't want to loose my house for a 6 week project.
Thank You
Dominic
If it is converted into a motorhome, then you're exempt from all smog laws. If it is still a seated bus, then no you cannot bring the bus into California. Good Luck, TomC
I drive my 1967 Eagle into CA all of the time (sans trailer) with no problem and have been doing it for over 12 years. Where will you be working? LA area? Are you looking for an RV park? Several people on here have been staying in parks in the LA area with bus conversions if you need ideas.
67 MCI 5A
I live in Nashville, and Reside in my 5A in Big Spring TX for work at the moment, Will update as I move around.
According to his tag line he lives in his bus. If it is registered as a motorhome, no problem. Come on in and enjoy beautiful California (away from the big cities that is). The central coastal area is beautiful where we live.
Are you going to SoCal, central, Bay area or northern CA? lvmci...
The location will be Fontana CA. Nothing is in stone at the moment but if I do go Yes I will be staying in a trailer park someplace close to Fontana. I believe it is east of LA.
If I remember correctly, there's an Elks lodge in Fontana. Pretty good hookups. California metro areas are kind of scarce for RV accommodations at affordable prices.
The affordable price for lodging is the only thing holding me up from going. The hotel rates were around 175 a night, and thats a definite no go. So depending on the RV slot cost for 6 weeks will depend on if I go.
It's been years but we stayed multiple times in a Regional park called Featherly in Riverside CA just off the 91 freeway. It's a two week stay limit. We liked it as a staging area in & out of that great SoCal megalopolis.
Hi Dominic, in Van Nuys there is Balboa RV park, it was $55 a nite, might be more in Fontana, San Bernardino that area closer to that part of the basin, at $25 a night with full hookups is at Antelope Vally Fairgrounds, in Lancaster, clean, but just a parking lot, lvmci...
Another question is I have a Side by Side, would it be worth the time and energy to bring it? is there anyplace to ride in the area or would it be a waste to bring it out there?
Most mountain fire roads are for registered vehicles only. But if you are willing to tow it over the pass the high dessert offers many miles of ohv trails.
Matt
Fontana is where Leisure Coachworks is located. They do RV and bus renovations. If you call Jon Goldstein, the owner, he may be able to guide you as to where to stay. It is not the best neighborhood to live in, but I would not worry about living in a bus out there. Also remember, the Elks Club, generally has a 2 week limit in many places. I would find a suitable RV park out there instead if you go. Also, if you need anything repaired on your bus, he provides free hookups.
https://leisurecw.com/
I have a street legal SxS I run around with here in Prescott AZ, but can only use off-road in CA. The people I know in the LA area have to trailer their SxS for long distances to be able to ride them.
Mine is SXS is registered OHV in TN, but I have a feeling I will have a lot of free time on my hands while I am there.
The bus is in decent shape, and runs great. I guess the next hurtle is finding a camp ground.
The area your talking about is called the inland empire by the locals, here are some RV parks from a Google search, what kind of job do you work? The other big question in SoCal is if they enforce the 10 year rule, sometimes they'll ask to send a picture, sometimes they say no conversions period. The county parks don't segregate against bus conversions, neither does Balboa, lvmci...
I watch paint dry on pipeline pipes. Yes its a real job, and I get paid to do it. I need to go to a coating mill and watch the pipe get coated. I was notified the other day of my new 6 week adventure. I have been running like a chicken with my head cut off to get everything together. I wish the coating mill had a location to park with facilities. I would just park there.
The bus doesn't look bad. It is showing its age a little but what do you expect for a 67. The conversion was done sometime in the late 80's possibly early 90's. I am trying to update it a little at a time.
That part of the IE is in San Bernadino county. If you are willing to commute, Riverside county is less than 20min to the south and LA county is less than 30min to the west. You could stay in Hesperia 30 min to the north, there are many ohv areas for your SxS between there and Barstow. This is a great time of year to offroad in the dessert.
Matt
Bus is running, air pressure is up, oil pressure is good, and temp is good. I have a few loose ends to take care of tomorrow then I will be heading out.
Another option rather than taking the bus is find a bed via AirBnB. I bet you can find a room quite reasonable and avoid all the potential problems with finding a reasonable place to stay in SoCal. i am certain you can find a nice room for a whole lot less than $175 a day.
My own experience is no housing is reasonable in SoCal, lvmci...
True statement of everything in the great state. But getting lower rates that far east is a more "reasonable" than being west and near the water. Lots of rooms under $30 a night. for month of March on airbnb (https://www.airbnb.com/s/San-Bernardino--CA--United-States/homes?checkin=2019-03-01&checkout=2019-03-15&adults=1&children=0&infants=0&place_id=ChIJ87j94n1Tw4ARjcKHjHjGZyg&query=San%20Bernardino%2C%20CA%2C%20United%20States&click_referer=t%3ASEE_ALL%7Csid%3A096ebe38-1572-4b5b-b835-6be8147a74c8%7Cst%3ALANDING_PAGE_MARQUEE&title_type=NONE&refinement_paths%5B%5D=%2Fhomes&allow_override%5B%5D=&s_tag=b3c4jbmY)
I have a dog that travels with me making renting a room difficult at time. That is part of why I brought the bus.
I did find an RV Resort that will give a free week if I listen their sales pitch then another 20 days to use when ever I want. Hopefully they will let me use them all at once while I'm here. Little do they know that they are fighting a loosing battle. I haven't been to LA in 10 years. So a membership for a resort that I will only visit once every 10 years is going to be a hard sale. It would be different if they had a resort in Big Spring Texas.
But I can Boondock if I need to. I did scope out a few places to park. I do love having a self contained bus.
In Acton, CA of the 14hwy, there is a large thousand trails park called Encore, just south of Acton that rents spots, with hookups. Further west on that road is a KOA, but there wasn't good cell reception there several years ago, they are both in North LA county, on the other side of the fwy is the Californian RV park, they stopped accepting bus conversions in the 1990s, lvmci...
I reside 10 miles south of Acton ... you do not want to try a commute to Fontana CA .
It's 75 -80 miles one way , during "the commute" 2 hrs minimum. If it rains
You'll never get there . Want to be ahead of the commute , start at 3:30 am
Be back by 3:30 pm .. find a parking /rv spot close to Fontana . . Close is 10 miles or
less . Could still take 20-30 minutes. Just reality.