Dispersed Camping in a Bus

[neoneddy]

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.

[Ed Hackenbruch]

Your bus was made to run on asphalt, not logging roads.

[windtrader]

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.

[neoneddy]

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."

[neoneddy]

@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.

[buswarrior]

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

[luvrbus]

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 

[Jim Eh.]

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).

[chessie4905]

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.

[neoneddy]

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.

[bobofthenorth]

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:

[Geoff]

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.

[DoubleEagle]

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.

[6805eagleguy]

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.

[luvrbus]

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