Who's your Phil?(go to guy)

[Singing Land Cruiser]

Who's your Phil? I was blogging and thought I would share.
Who's your Phil? After reading more and more on-line about buses, I started to swim in doubt. Just as most, if not, all of you other bus nuts did. I stepped back and looked at this thing in the driveway, ripped apart, sub-project after sub-project opened and scattered about the yard. A grand vehicle that I drove home under its own power only 4 weeks ago now calls to me in my waking hours and in my dreams, "fix me, complete me, take me for a ride". Now I build houses in 3 to 6 months. Remodels in less time than that. Why does this seem so different? So alien? I am doing the same thing. Approaching the project in the same "git'er done" game plan. Then I start to question myself. "Can I do this?" What do I mean? I have to do this! "O, STOP IT"! I know what I need, I'm going to call Phil. You see, we've got a time constraint on our hands. We have to be in a bus, in Blue Mesa, CO for July 4th weekend for a 3 show stand. I need Phil. Phil will get me back in the groove. He knows everything. Phil will show me the way, give me the straight path to go on. But, how will we pay Phil? I don't have the funds for expert help. Ahhh, my old friend barter. Hey Phil, what do you need? How about this and you help me with this? Deal. Wow, Phil came over yesterday and started removing the air conditioning system. I started hearing the old Mighty Mouse song, "Here I come to save the day". Phil took charge. Get this. Cut that. Bring this over to that. I was safe again. Things are moving along at warp speed again. My thinking is back on track. I think we all need a Phil around from time to time. But I don't think Phil knows just how much we need him. Not just his expertise. We need his great attitude and hard charging "lets get it done" and "you can do it" ways. He puts it all back in perspective. I can do this! So, what's your "Phil's" name? Grumpy? Nick? Tom, Dick or Harry? The point is," WE NEED OUR PHILS!" To teach us. To show us the way through the dark. To show us how to become a Phil for someone else. So all you Phil's out there, the next time you get that stupid question, that call in the middle of a rainy night, remember you're the hero now, the go-to guy. When all is wrong in the world, only you, in our eyes, can make it right. And one day we will take that torch and carry it proudly in your honor. Thank you Phil for how you are and all that you do. All the Best, Michael & Christi

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Michael,

BTDT so, I know how ya feel..  My best advice to give you is to know exactly what your inside will look like before you start anything.

Most of your wasted time may come from Indecision... if you don't have a clear plan. I spent two sloid years on the internet researching

before I even purchaced my bus. And, I have converted 2 busses with my dad prior to my own. Once I baught mine, it was gung ho for

9 solid months which included reskinning the whole exterior first, then all the mechanicals, plumbing, and electrical, and finnally the interior.

The only thing that was not finished on our first trip was the paint job. Thanks to the help of Dmytro and Shawn, two of my employees,

I was able to purchace my bus in Nov, 2004 and take my first family trip with a completed interior Sept of 2005. Paint didn't come until a

year later but, only because I was undecided about the scheme.

I'm ready to do another... maybe an "E"

Good Luck
Nick-