Just a few observations

[chazwood]

Having just returned from our first official  "Steel Tent" weekend, I would like to make a few observations for those of you that are contemplating something similar. (you salty road worn pro's ....bare with.)

Just because those unused empty dashboard openings next to your speedo are the perfect size for your coke can ....they do not make a good cup holder. While they may work fine for those long, straight, stretches of Kansas I-70,  expect to cut the can in half, with the steering wheel, when any turns are necessary. Very messy.

Do not go to walmart and guess as to how much food you think you'll need for the weekend.  To save a little space, try to plan each meal. (no.... you will not eat 12 loaves of bread in two days.....or 36 cans of chunky soup....All you really need is plenty of sodapop and lots of microwave popcorn.)


Do not go to Home Depot, buy the freshest railroad ties you can find, cut them to length for ramps and stow them anywhere in your bus. It will take you days to figure out what that smell is. (even after you dump them on the ground and leave them behind in the RV park, next to the flower bed, ((like they were meant to be there)) , your bay will continue to smell like an old telephone pole.)


Six electric blankets on high, draw more electricity than you might think. Check to see if your extention cord feels like a hot marshmallow.

If you cut a trap door in the floor so the little ones can sleep down in the Bay, (smuggler's hold) and you plan to leave the trap door open all night and you have a few sleepwalkers in the family.......sleep light. (whew!that was close)


Popcorn does absorb lots of liquid, but it does not work as good as kitty litter and peeing into the half full bowl, instead of walking to the bathroom on a cold night, is gross.


You do not need a 60 inch plasma TV in the bus. Your kids will be too close to the screen and will go cross-eyed trying to watch. (And surround sound, turned up high enough to shake the bus will probably annoy the neighbors.)


And finally; try to remember that while standing on the ground next to your bus at home, true, you really can't see much inside, but at the park, your neighbor will be eye level in his own giant RV, a scant 20ft away........ Yes........... you need curtains.





Thanks

Chazwood.

[JohnEd]

Popcorn as an absorbant

Lov ya Chaz

[dparker]

Chaz,

I just hope foxworthy does not find you ... he may have a whole new category --

you know you are probably the reason that some RV parks turn buses away -- lol

keep um coming - yours are the first the things I look foward too.....

dp

[PP]

OHH the memories LOL 

[skipn]

Chazwood


   BUT did you have FUN............a little lighter spring in your step
chest puffed out........like ya I'm bad

Sounds like life is good no matter what was learned at least you had the
oportunity to experience something new.

Thanks for sharing
Skip

[chazwood]

Fun   ? Are you kidding?      I'm hooked!   


Many friends and relatives are asking what it feels like to drive this bus......This is what I tell them.

Find a comfy lazy boy chair and place it in front of the largest picture window in your house......now........get out your keys and start your house. Drive it down the road.


Note: If this is your first time driving , your elevated heart rate and rubber knees are normal . However, please also note: you are not going as fast as you think you are , pull over periodically .......you're holding up traffic.

[HighTechRedneck]

.... like ya I'm bad

Here's a little theme music to go with that.

Fun   ? Are you kidding?      I'm hooked!   

My sister asked what it felt like to drive this bus......This is what I told her.

Find a comfy lazy boy chair and place it in front of the largest picture window in your house......now........start your house, and drive it down the road.

Note: If this is your first time, the elevated heart rate and rubber knees are normal . However, please pull over periodically .......you're holding up traffic.

I'm glad you got out and had the fun already.  We full time in ours and I never tire of the feeling.

Only this theme music is more my size.

[Barn Owl]

Great post!... Great attitude!... Great lesson!...

One's bus does not have to be perfect to have fun with it, get it out and us it.

Those first "roughing it" trips will make for some awesome memories, maybe even the best. 

Absolutely inspiring.

Thanks for the laugh,

Laryn

[cody]

Don't you love the looks you get when you ease into a park with the big detroit rumbling lol, thats the best part.

[chazwood]

At this point (with my current, new-found-driving-skills) I would say the looks I get would be categorized as "fear". I guess "easing" a 40 foot bus is something I need to practise.


Especially when turning left at an intersection......I don't know what all these people's problem is, but I've never seen so many folk in the turn lane backing up in a panic in my life. You'd think I was going to run them over or something.

[cody]

Carefully cultivate to ability to produce a crazed look and white knuckles, it'll help clear a path when ever you need the extra turning room lol. A high pitched hysterical laugh helps at times too lol.

[jackhartjr]

Chazwood...PLEASE do what we did and are doing.
In our S&S I started a 'Log' as soon as we bought it.  We log the dates of trips, where we went, strange or funny things that happen(ed), etc.  It is fun to look back at those trips now.

For our Scenicruiser Dianne is making a scrapbook for it.  The way she is doing it, it is as if the bus was talking.  For example it statrts out, "I am a PD-4501 Scenicruiser bus, I was born at the GMC Truck and Bus Plant in Pontiac MI on (The day it came off the assembly line), I am number 945 of 1,001 built.  I was sold the the Eastern Greyhound Lines... "           Then she has a photo of the GMC Assembly plant, one of the bus new, the Final Assembly Record, and so on...

It (The bus) talks about being sold to Newton's Bus Lines, then to Oakalanta Sugar Mills and to the last owner before us.  Photos of all!

Then...check this out...it says, "After 25 years of sitting in the sun rusting away...a man came to see me today and talked to my owner about buying me and finishing my conversion...
It is a cool book.  She will add to it as we finish it.

Jack

[chazwood]

Chazwood...PLEASE do what we did and are doing.
In our S&S I started a 'Log' as soon as we bought it.  We log the dates of trips, where we went, strange or funny things that happen(ed), etc.  It is fun to look back at those trips now.

For our Scenicruiser Dianne is making a scrapbook for it.  The way she is doing it, it is as if the bus was talking.  For example it statrts out, "I am a PD-4501 Scenicruiser bus, I was born at the GMC Truck and Bus Plant in Pontiac MI on (The day it came off the assembly line), I am number 945 of 1,001 built.  I was sold the the Eastern Greyhound Lines... "           Then she has a photo of the GMC Assembly plant, one of the bus new, the Final Assembly Record, and so on...

It (The bus) talks about being sold to Newton's Bus Lines, then to Oakalanta Sugar Mills and to the last owner before us.  Photos of all!

Then...check this out...it says, "After 25 years of sitting in the sun rusting away...a man came to see me today and talked to my owner about buying me and finishing my conversion...
It is a cool book.  She will add to it as we finish it.

Jack

I like it   

[Kwajdiver]

I believe we all remember our first,,,,,    Trip that is.....!   It was 6am, I was flying down I-75 at 65mph. Every truck in the state was seeing how close they could get to me, they could sense the fear.
Felt like they were running 190.  I'm still pulling the finger nails out of the steering wheel.    Now have driven all halfway around the county, I can relaxy and drive that house.

Chazwood, they WILL get out of your way....  Have fun....!

Bill

Tampa Bay......

[Songman]

Thanks for sharing this, Chazwood. My wife doesn't want to steel tent.  I'm hoping to show her how fun it is just to go off somewhere in the bus, even if it is not complete. She got a kick out of some of your points.