I love my bus, I also love being alone in the woods on some back road for a few days to a week or more. I've spent some of my surplus free time looking at national and state forest lands in Google Earth for possible spots to stay. I'm following forest and logging roads to clearings and wondering "Could I get there? And if so, could I turn around?
I figure, these roads were once used for 80,000lb logging trucks, so why not little ol me at 34,000 lbs. Sounds like you should carry some good bottle jacks, long pieces of carpet, boards, etc for self extraction.
I'm curious if you guys have done much of it.
Your bus was made to run on asphalt, not logging roads.
Hi Shawn,
Under normal circumstances, options for boondocking in the national and state forests is an option. I recently took a look at new restrictions and there are many. So, call the ranger station where you are considering going to get the real status.
When I got my bus the PO basically said stay on tarmac, off the dirt. At a minimus, make that a critical question you ask yourself before steering into the dirt. Even if the dirt looks very solid, once you hit the shoulder all bets off and that applies 100% where the bus is all off the road, and that is the case, you can't leave the bus on the road.
I can tell you from my short life as a busnut that solid dirt is not solid dirt. I've parked the bus on solid dirt and after some time, a few days to a few weeks, that the bus slowly sinks. Even putting the buys on 2x12 plans, you can see some bowing.
I've put it in some tight spots and back country NFS campsites that have been some of the best. I'm most worried about that last mile down a less traveled road.
https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/a6a99a25-9149-4d35-a7c1-1ee0c4d350a7 I'd put this on my tombstone "I don't care what anything was designed to do. I care about what it can do."
@windtrader, oh yea, this is after 2 nights at Charles Lindbergh state park. We were in the no hookups section of the park made for not 40 foot coaches, but we stuck it back there. I was worried about getting out, I love my traction tires on the duals.
I can guarentee you, the busnuts who came before us had much larger testicals and sense of adventure than any of us internet surfing wetnaps can claim to...
If going off into the wild with a highway coach was easy, or advisable, there would be a tradition for us to follow, and in no way would it be "new" ...
I would swap a locking diff axle into a schoolie and hike the fuel tank up a bit for this purpose.
Hard surfaces for highway coaches.
Happy coaching!
Buswarrior
LOL 1/2 the highways in Idaho are unpaved logging roads ,the one going from Cascade to Yellow Pine is all dirt same with the one from Garden Valley to Idaho City I been over those many times over the years not a problem for me, I will see how the Country Coach handles those this summer
Might be time to nix the leveling valves and install that individual height control system you always wanted ....
Also a portable electric winch (and a damn strong one) might be a good thing to have. Surf some 4X4 sites to fashion an anchor that digs in the dirt.
After all, did the buses of yesteryear not always travel on gravel/unimproved roads? I 'member as a kid riding in the back of a Greyhound out to the farm in Saskatchewan and most, if not all, roads in Saskatchewan were dirt roads (mud in the rain).
Wonder what the charge is for towing from way out in the woods? Also, much easier to get middle of belly hung up on a hump. Go for it though. We enjoy stranded stories.
Last time I got stuck, I was in a state park in my site and I couldn't even find a tow company to come. Got myself out with a bottle jack and some boards in the end.
I appreciate the words of caution. Like most things in my life I'll need to learn the hard way, I'll be careful. I've pretty much done things my own way my entire life, better not stop now, people might get the wrong idea.
I was going to start with some places like this https://goo.gl/maps/Lkr8LARN98G438YW6 (see satellite view) then go from there.
Its remarkable what they will go through but take it easy until you know what is bad and what is not. Soft ground is a no go - it can be soft because its wet or soft because its powder dry - either way its bad news and it takes really big things to get you out. You've got all the comforts of home. If you can get in and out of those remote spots they can be absolutely wonderful.
Here's one for you:
I don't do dirt roads. Even if you don't get struck, it will rattle you interior apart. When the road is a washboard road, you'll think your on the road to Hell. I lost a rear wheel fender once on a washboard road.
Beyond clearance problems, you do not have 4 wheel drive or even positraction. With the weight involved, and the potential for getting hung up, your chances of getting stuck go way up. Stay on firm level ground and tow a 4 wheel drive behind you for exploring. :o
Go for it, and use your judgement about what's too soft, too tight, etc. you won't know till you get there if it's doable or not.
And as for serious off reading, it is not advisable, but the bus I took my engine out of, (bluebird ltc-40) there was mud jammed, I repeat jammed, I.e. forced up under neath the bus, obviously someone had completely bottomed out the rear end in mud. 3/8" steel pieces complete obliterated and a huge patch in the oil pan. So yes, I think busses can handle some pretty weird stuff.
On a mci I think you can dump the tag? ???
That would give it an considerable advantage over an eagle in some situations.
I love my Salmon,Steelhead and trout fishing in Idaho so I been in places I should not have gone lol one time I had to backout over 7 miles and switch backs are not fun backing down I found out, but it was still worth it
Fair warning to the novice reader...
Luvrbus is one of the last of those pre-internet, well endowed pioneers, who taught himself to internet.
You'll need to mix a bit of protein powder into your avacado toast to keep up...
Happpy coaching!
Buswarrior
Oh yeah, think very carefully about your bus being a "one wheel drive" vehicle before venturing off the pavement. Yes it's 2 tires but still...
And if that's your plan, you might want to buy up some surplus hydraulic cylinders and a hydropak or two and build your own set of on-board deep extraction hydraulic jacks. (I've done that for leveling jacks and it really isn't that difficult or expensive.) Maybe go for the widest tread you can find and fit under the bus to lighten your footprint also. Maybe something like Cement mixer tires for instance, especially on the front.
Out west the ground tends to be considerably more solid and stable for the most part (avoid sand at all costs). In the east it will be more of a challenge due to more moisture primarily. That big winch sounds like a capital idea. Plenty of room in the spare tire well. Might want to put a second one on the rear.
Jim
When starting to get stuck, spinning rear wheels like to go down, not forward, especially if front wheels are on soft ground.
when I got stuck on my drive way in Florida and called for a tow from my tow service the first question to me was are you less then 100 ' from the road ?
but that said we have a cottage on a private road north of Huntsville Canada and the road is crap but I go in and out every week end and although there is only about 1 " of clearance between mirrors and trees I have never got stuck ( yet ) and this is on a dirt crappy road . I go slow and my wife follows me with her eyes closed as every time she thinks I will ditch it because it is that close .
after I get to our drive way and pull in and set up the "camp site " is right on the lake ( 12 ' from the water ) and from the front window of the coach all you can see is lake and trees , so it is worth the drive to have the view and the quiet time
if you go prepared and are smart about it there are some amazing sights to camp in if you can make it . just watch the weather reports when you are in there
dave
Dave, I'd love to see a photo of that epic spot.... and maybe that driveway traversing :-)
pic
https://photos.app.goo.gl/a4RAmaDs4EwBxAzr9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/fdKiLBkz2q7aQgFo9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/dqWfzGQRgLN175Ex9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/tFkhgVwmVfTr2xEj8
pic
road looks huge but its not . to make any of the corners I have to turn as wide as I can and just miss the mirrors with the trees .
you can see our dog if you look close
https://photos.app.goo.gl/FQhip7GQmj2yQkqj7
dave
I would just trim a few trees to increase the chances of your mirrors surviving, you've got a great place to go to. It reminds me of the quiet lakes in Northern New Hampshire. ;)
Great pics. I was hoping to some some bus shots in there, such a tease.
when we first bought the property the " guy " that owns the "road " as he called it told me I could fix the road as much as I wanted if I pay for it . so I dropped $5 k into it with about 30 tri axel loads of 1" stone , put 4 culvert drainage pipes in it and widened it to 12' wide and his wife gave me crap for cutting down the trees to do that ?
so now my wife and I use a hand poll saw in the spring before they come up to there cottage to stop all the branch's from scratching the coach . what a pain in the but that is and yes there have been discussions with my lawyer about it . I have a deeded legal right of way to use it but he is in control of maintaining it at no cost to me and the one guy past me and he has done nothing in the 6 years we have been there .
the first day I started to cut the trees out of the way you could not get my polaris 4x4 down it with out scratch's from the branch's
but we both keep to our own and he never bothers us so it is very quiet
https://photos.app.goo.gl/HdPXNdgHPutx6snV7
we park the coach to the right of the cottage and have been renoing the cottage as we feel like it when we are there . it was at first to be a reno job and sell it but because it is so private and quiet we have been taking our sweet time at it
dave
coach pics
https://photos.app.goo.gl/9LbsNHhE45qHSE9ZA
https://photos.app.goo.gl/k6ZCPc65rEhtQswEA
crappy phone pics
dave
Someday I want to do something similar. Find a parcel of land, make it private RV campground for myself. Maybe build a bricks and sticks place over a few years.
my wife calls me cheap ! because I have her help me with renos on cottages so we can "camp " on site and use the coach to stay in and as a home base for tools needed . but because we reno the cottages we end up making a but load of $$$ when we sell them and because I am cheap we camp for free . we are on our second cottage in Florida as we finished the first one and sold it and have just bought a new to us cottage and will reno it as we enjoy the winter weather down south .
it works great for us and no I do not work her to hard
dave
I like it.
I'll need to file this idea away for when the kids finally leave.
The challenge/trouble with maintaining a driveway/road in the wilderness...
Cleaning it up too much attracts the "oh i thought this was a road" crowd...
As snug and overgrown as possible via the sightlines at the entrance end...
And the snowmobilers are worse for heading down "trails" they thought they read on a map...
Trespassers and property rights, the never ending conflict.
Nice pics, sledhead!
Happy coaching!
Buswarrior
If you like getting into challenging situations so you can spend the day trying to get out, then just drive down any dirt road you come across. If not, scout the road with your 4 wheel drive toad before you bring your bus on it. We live one mile off pavement. The dirt roads here are combined sand and some clay. It gets packed down really hard. I do take the bus in and out on this road. It is a well maintained dirt road though. We have a neighborhood road association that takes care of it. A guy with a tractor scrapes the road after a rain and fills in new holes. If not for that, this road would become problematic and absolutely require 4 wheel drive. Even so, after a really heavy rain, it becomes too muddy. And after a long drought could become too sandy. There are signs on many road here that warn you that the county does not maintain the road, and you drive on it at your own risk. Even with our road being maintained, I always consider that first mile out and the last mile in as the worst part of the trip because of all the rattling and shaking.
I know the Clifford says having to back up 7 miles was worth it, but I question whether he would drive into it again knowing that that was going to be needed. We have even gone into National Forest campgrounds that booked sites for us that they claimed could accommodate our 35 footer. It was true that the campsite was big enough except that there was really no way to turn around and therefore required backing out through winding, narrow forest roads. Looking back, I would say it was worth it, but I would not do it again. Just think how happy you'll be when making a close turn on such a road a friendly boulder leans up and kisses the bottom of a bay door.
If those are mostly the places you want to go, a skoolie with good clearance and multi wheel drive would be preferable.
Scouting ahead is always part of my plan.
I'm thinking of planning a truck camping trip to scout out some spots including the road in, turning around area, etc. Thinking of documenting it all to share with others. I imagine 1-2 out of 10 spots I've identified might work.
Our primary Florida residence is a 1/4 mile off the paved road. Until the power company came in last year and trimmed back lots of trees from the power grid - sometimes after a rain we couldn't get the bus in or out due to low hanging trees let alone the 4x4 path off pavement. We like it. Its off the beaten path & really a nice place to be ESPECIALLY NOW... Ironically our other place in Alaska is a lot closer to town but still really laid back. We'd like to dual resident there in summer but couldn't this year if we wanted to...
Strange times.
Clifford,,the only way to go to Yellowpine is by dropping into Johnson Creek airport with the airplane,, then drive the 4 miles with the airport loaner car... BTDT dozens of times.>>>Dan ( The harminica contest is a hoot!)
Quote from: Utahclaimjumper on April 23, 2020, 04:22:52 AM
Clifford,,the only way to go to Yellowpine is by dropping into Johnson Creek airport with the airplane,, then drive the 4 miles with the airport loaner car... BTDT dozens of times.>>>Dan ( The harminica contest is a hoot!)
Yep it is shame they no longer have the harmonica contest anylonger ,but the fiddlers contest is still going strong in Weiser
The wife and I have flown into Johnson Creek many many times for camping and attended the contest from the very first one,, and 4 more until we got disgusted with the under age kids being drunk and rowdy.. The last time I was there was as the director of Maintenance for a helicopter company on a 28 day contract for fire fighting as a result of 11 concurrent fires in the area..>>>Dan