Bus Ralleys

[mikeH8H-649]

Good Idea Bruce just give me a call and I will come and get it out of your way and I won't even charge you for the trouble(what are friends for right)Mike

[D+C4106]

All of this talk about NOT going has me wondering how I can rearrange  things to make it this year!!   Arcadia,  that is,  but it is 1164 miles and may require salt driving,   unless....! !    Denis

[RJ]

Chaz & Brian -

It has GOT to be less expensive for you guys to fly down to Tampa/Orlando (especially Orlando) and stay at the Holiday Inn Express in Arcadia for a couple of days than it would be to drive. 

Fly out Friday AM, fly home Sunday PM

Coordinate your flight arrivals, and you guys could share a rental car, maybe even split the room cost.

I'm flying in from CA.  Would love to drive, but only have a week vacation, not enough time to round-trip by land.  Same as I did for Bussin' 2004 three years ago.

Well worth the $$$$$$ - bring your camera, 'cause your brain will be fried from all the coaches. . .

So what if you can't bring your bus - your experience will be well worth the expense, and the motivation will be priceless!!

Go for it!!

[Ednj]

I think that I should just give my bus away before I have to spend more money on fuel or it rusts away because of the salt they use on the roads here

If I didnt have to cut out the rust and replace steel, This would have been a peice of cake.

[brojcol]

I HATE ALL OF YOU!!!

I have to work and cannot attend the bus rally in paradise.  Who wouldn't want to spend a week in FL, oogling the ladies (and by that, I mean the buses, of course.)

But, if I really wanted to go, and I don't have a bus anymore, I would just fly down, enjoy the week, and bivouac in a motel.  But, watch out for bedbugs.

Jimmy

[JackConrad]

We are still on "Paula's Retirement Trip" until November 13 or 14, so I do not know how maqy Bussin' 2007 reservations are waiting for us at home, but we are estimating 150-175 coaches this year. For any planning to fly to the rally, the Ft. Myersw airport is the closest and easiest to get to from Arcadia.  Here are the motels in Arcadia.  The Holiday Inn is the closest to the rally site.  Jack


                                                                                                                                                                                   Best Western                                  Economy Inn
504 S Brevard Ave (US 17)            324 S. Brevard Ave. (US 17)
Arcadia, Florida 34266                   Arcadia, Florida 34266
(863) 494-4884                               (863) 494-2915


Holiday Inn Express
2709 SR 70 SE  (Next to WalMart)
Arcadia, Florida 34266
(863) 494-5900

[buswarrior]

Salt won't harm your bus.

That travel trailer would have rusted out in the desert because of how it was made, not because of a little salt spray.

4 days to go 1667 miles?

You gotta develop the hunger, man!

That is a 2 and a half day trip, if Arcadia is the destination.

I'll have some cold, fresh from Canada beer for you.

And the seminars, and the buses to look at, and the people to talk to....

Get on the plane, get in the bus, drive the car, whatever, but get down there to Aracadia.

This message sponsored by Molson Canadian.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[bruceknee]

I'll risk the salt and spend the money on fuel for one of those cold beers!

[Christyhicks]

Well, I think we need to convince Chaz to come to the rally!  I mean, seriously, have you guys seen his website?  OMG !  His house is awesome and I guarantee you, he will put us all to shame when he gets that bus done!   

Yeah, it hurts our feelings to spend money on fuel too. .. but gosh, if I don't use it, I might as well sell it.  The way I look at it, we don't spend our money in the directions that many other people do. . . I don't buy $200 purses or $400 jeans, we quit golfing years ago, we don't hunt, . . .all that stuff costs money, so we spend ours on diesel!

Now, time can indeed be a factor when it comes to picking a rally, but we decided that we deserved a vacation, and what's better than Florida in the middle of Winter?  It's really not that expensive to fly, so sometimes, it's worth leaving the bus at home and flying in for a long distance rally if you don't have the time to drive.  It's really fun to look at converted busses and after you've looked at a bunch, you have a really good idea of the direction you want to go with your own.  Plus, you get soooooo many good ideas and will find yourself slapping your temple saying, "Why didn't I think of that!?!"

I think the thing that reassures me the most is finding out that many people have spent 5 or 6 or more years converting their busses, often using them during the proccess, so I've learned not to pressure myself on completing ours within a specific time frame.  I also like seeing busses a year later, and seeing the progress or changes someone's made.

Having said all this, I have to confess that we will be coming in TempBus, that boring old factory conversion, , so we won't be able to point and say, "we did this" very often, ha ha.  Oh, well, that'll give you all something to talk about when we do finally get BigBus converted and on the road. . .not that I don't usually give you all something to talk about every darn time we take a trip!

So, the big question is. .. will Chaz grace us with his presense in Arcadia and, well, we'll we have another "doggone adventure", or will it be smooth sailing all the way?  Care to take bets?

[belfert]

Salt won't harm your bus.

That travel trailer would have rusted out in the desert because of how it was made, not because of a little salt spray.

4 days to go 1667 miles?

Arcadia is 1667 miles one way for me.  The four days is two days there and two days back.  I figure driving 12 to 14 hours each day since it would only be me by myself.

Brian Elfert

[Devin & Amy]

GRRRRRR!

Brian, put up or shutup.

Ace come get me so I can ride in your bus, I'm close to B-ham, I'll pay for the fuel. My bus has to stay here to be worked out of for the next two months. Besides yours goes faster than mine.

I WANNA GO!!!
Devin

P.S. I had salt on my supper last night "in the bus". will this harm my bus??

[Ace]

Are you serious?

I go to Montgomery all the time so I know the way all to well!

Why not just rent you a car and make the 9 hour trip. It's a pleasant drive and the weather is great!

It would definitely be cheaper than me coming there and you buying the fuel and besides, "Bud", occupies that seat now so you would have to be considered cargo!

Payloads cost more to transport! 

Ace

[belfert]

GRRRRRR!

Brian, put up or shutup.

Hmm.  It looks like it might be time to delete my account again and not look back this time.

Someone questioned why it would take 4 days to travel 1667 miles and I explained that was one way mileage only.

Brian Elfert

[RJ]

Hmm.  It looks like it might be time to delete my account again and not look back this time.

Brian -

A better suggestion:  Shift into "lurk" mode, and just read the threads w/o responding.  Do it over morning coffee, then go about your business for the day.

HTH. . .

[Homegrowndiesel]

Hey Chaz,

Glad to see YOUR post & topic. I see you got alot more than you asked for ,,,  ;DA personal invitation from THE man, Jack Conrad, alot of insite to  "TheNutHouse" (does anyone have a copyright on that one?), and alot of good advise.

Arcadia was my first. Heck I was a newbie up untill a couple of days ago and This will be our 4th? year to Arcadia and we bought the bus in 99. After reading about everyones busses and so undecided on which way to go on our conversion, Arcadia was such a motivating factor that we HAD to go. There were 200 busses!! I think we toured them all. Wow I learned alot from people who had been there and done that. I had to redo some stuff that I thought was the "best" way to do it, but soon saw the various options and others designs. (whats the saying about Flattery)

See you there

Bill

ps
We will have to talk about WVO sometime.