To the Beach and Back... No Buses

Glennman · August 12, 2021, 01:05:43 PM

My wife and I went to the beach this last week. I have what I call "busdar", as I could spot a converted bus (or any bus waiting for a conversion) parking next to an old barn from thousands of feet. However, during our trip to the beach this last week (about 250 miles one way), I did not see one converted bus anywhere, on the road, off the road, or in the park where we stayed.

Are we becoming a dying breed?

windtrader · August 12, 2021, 02:47:26 PM

Typical experience too. Rarely see any non-revenue bus running down the road. Not sure where you travel but out west coast, they are nearly extinct if based on what is running down the road. I think this summer on the I5 and I80, saw one or two at the most. There are plenty of buses out here but not many on the road.

chessie4905 · August 12, 2021, 05:18:00 PM

We have put on about 10,000 miles this summer travelling the US, including a visit with Cliff and Sonja. Have seen four conversions so far, and two of them were at the FMCA convention in Gillette WY. They just arent out there. Tons of top end s&s though.

richard5933 · August 12, 2021, 05:34:59 PM

On our trip to NM this summer we saw about half dozen buses between Wisconsin and NM. Didn't get to chat with any of the owners, but they were out there.

dtcerrato · August 12, 2021, 06:16:54 PM

Hat is off to all you traveling bus nuts. Our boonie ponderosa is too comfortable to be traveling YET IMHO. We missed AK this year. If the same happens next year we will ferry it up & leave it there. We hate flying too but non-stop Orlando to Fairbanks may just be worth it...

uncle ned · August 13, 2021, 12:46:28 PM

If you plan on seeing Huggy. You better be off the inter-state.

We run the blue roads. and see the real USA.

.
To old and contrary to put up with the traffic.

Lenoir NC to Manhattan Kansas 3 weeks and no inter-state

uncle ned

uncle ned

pabusnut · August 13, 2021, 01:43:05 PM

Ned,

On all my maps, the 'blue roads' are rivers!
That must be some conversion!

Steve

dtcerrato · August 13, 2021, 02:44:15 PM

Go uncle Ned!
What's all the rush about?

Tedsoldbus · August 13, 2021, 03:57:19 PM

Just waiting for it to not be 100 almost everywhere. And selfishly anxious for all the children to be back in the correctional facilities. I think this year most are going back to classes instead of doing school work from a computer - in a 5th wheel - in the campgrounds....

chessie4905 · August 15, 2021, 09:32:37 PM

Well, we finally exited Ca. Are now in Oregon via US101. Seen two Prevosts, an MC7 sitting at a yard and several skoolies, non of them really decent looking, but seem to be filling the bill. Also, seems many commercial establishments are using them for river rafting operations. Big temperature shock, near Carson city, Nv. on Wednesday 106 degrees and Trinidad, CA, 57 this morning. The smoke has been pretty intense in CA. We were rerouted on two different occasions off rt36, and off rt44. Boy, there is a lot of burned acreage, we went through. Some from last year. Passed many fire fighting equipment and local fire trucks.

Glennman · August 16, 2021, 12:15:57 PM

Quote from: windtrader on August 12, 2021, 02:47:26 PM
Typical experience too. Rarely see any non-revenue bus running down the road. Not sure where you travel but out west coast, they are nearly extinct if based on what is running down the road. I think this summer on the I5 and I80, saw one or two at the most. There are plenty of buses out here but not many on the road.

My travels are from Yakima WA to Ocean Shores or...

Highway 12 to I-5, through Aberdeen, and on to the coast. We have taken that route many times, and it just seems like we used to see a lot more buses. We would typically head southwest to the Oregon Coast, and plan to later this year, but not yet. I love seeing converted buses, but just haven't seem much of that.

chessie4905 · August 16, 2021, 03:37:52 PM

$4.50 + per gallon for diesel in CA, and $4.00+ up along coast doesn't help at 6 to 8 mpg.

Melbo · August 16, 2021, 04:25:50 PM

We have traveled over 6000 miles since the first of the year and have seen maybe 2 at the most. A couple of eagles. Not very many on the road these days. We did an express run to St Louis and back. None on the interstates. We did about 3000 miles on two lane back roads and didn't see any there. Of the two we did see one was parked and one was in Albuquerque as we were leaving town.

Melbo

lvmci · August 16, 2021, 06:33:53 PM

We were in CO, NM, AZ, NV and CA last 2 months, saw a few in RV parks, several in LV, a few in Taos and Santa Fe, and a couple in Monterery, Bakersfield and San Diego and on US101 and I-5. Everything was south of Reno. Lots of EXPENSIVE 45' motorhomes...

chessie4905 · August 16, 2021, 08:05:44 PM

Saw a beautiful 45ft Prevost yesterday in just into Or on 101.