BEEN HERE BEFORE

boxcarOkie · July 24, 2013, 02:29:43 AM

One member of the tribe announced this week he was bailing out and packing it in, that his bus was for sale. Might even go so far as to say, that most of us would sell out and move on, if the market was right, that would be a pretty good guess.

Most of us will never see diesel under $3 per gallon in our lifetimes. Most of us have too much invested in our coaches to ever realize anything close to a profit. Most of us, if we were smart, would have seen this coming and never got into it to begin with.

Life has a real bad habit of repeating itself. It occurred to me today, "that I am right back where it was that I started, and I have been down this road before." I find myself wishing for something that I do not have, for that elusive thing, that will fill the gap in my spirit and bring me a small measure of happiness.

Six or seven years ago, before my leap into the bus community and bus ownership, this is where I was.

Sitting in my favorite chair ... Often late at night, I would pour over the ad's of buses for sale, search the internet in vain for that elusive prize, wonder what it would be like to not only own one of these beauties, but to drive one on a road trip.

Now I am somewhat jaded in that respect, I know what it entails, I know what it costs, I know in the end, the price one must pay in order to live this fantasy. This is as they say ... Is not my first rodeo. Way I figure it now, it is costing me about a buck a mile, could be more.

We all know, it isn't that easy to find a workable dream these days, and the majority of us, will never even come close to experiencing the fulfillment it represents. So we pine away the days, and the weeks, hoping for a change in our status, which quite frankly, most of the time, doesn't materialize. Because of Big Oil, I am getting less bang for my dollar. That is life.

Not that long ago, I was talking to a friend of mine about his trips, his coach, what it is that he likes what he dislikes (Larry who owns, maintains and drives a Newell Coach). He told me that after an extended trip in his coach, that when he did get home, he wanted to park it and not even look at it for a period of two to three weeks.

That he was most of the time ... he was "sick of it."

Which is where I seem to be at times myself. I don't believe a road trip is the answer, it goes much deeper than that. A road trip, for the most part, is one reason I find myself here where I am. Having my fair share of road trips, breakdowns, resource depletion and disappointments, I have discovered that some times it has taken away from my quality of life, not added to it.

And as some have mentioned here, "it has gotten rather expensive making road trips in a 36,000 hard charger, that just loves fuel." Much like my friend ... I find for the most part ... there are times, I am sick of this bus, but I am not selling it.

Motels and airfare don't cut it with me, I like sleeping in a bed that I know no one else has slept in, sitting on a poop-shooter that has not been used by anyone else. I don't need to be anywhere in a hurry, and here lately an airliner isn't the safest place to be. Most of all, I like having all of my stuff there where I want or need it.

So I am not bailing out of what took so much of my time and energy to build just because fuel is rising. It is for lack of a better word, a dichotomy, you see: "My bus is my treasure in life, sadly it isn't worth anything if you try to sell it, and it is too valuable to sell." I am holding on to my old hoopie and the kids can deal with it at the Estate Sale *.

BCO - CTA

* And "No Dave, I don't know exactly when that will be, but you are on the list."

muldoonman · July 24, 2013, 05:34:46 AM

Know what your talking about. Diesel though the roof, heck everything getting higher. When you start hanging out with your bus, nothings cheap, even if you do the work yourself, Which I don't. Heck as I type this I have Ole Griffith off the board here headed down to my place to check AC system out for a 3 day weekend run with the Granddaughter. "Life Is Grand" if you have a pocket full of moola. And my pockets are emptying pretty fast with this Prevost. Anybody wanna trade a few cows for a gallon or two! Hee Yaw!
Take Care.

Dave5Cs · July 24, 2013, 08:24:16 AM

So we had about 2500.00 save for our inverter and I break a tooth the other day. So dumb me is thinking no problem when I got a root canal and crown put on the last time 5 years ago it was about 800.00. Well I don't know what happened but they will be trying to fit that inverter into my mouth plus will need another 500.00 for the cables I guess.
Man have things gone up.

Dave5Cs

Boomer · July 24, 2013, 08:44:36 AM

Know what you are talking about Don. And some of us are dumb enough to own multiple buses. I look at it as a hobby and I enjoy working on them, building them, maybe more than driving them. I would wager you feel that way too from the looks of your pictures. Look at the bright side, you could be into boating or aviation. I owned and operated commercial helicopters in another lifetime and could never afford to take a personal pleasure flight in one. Our buses seem cheap when I think back on annual inspections that cost 10-50K. Somebody on here mentioned that it could very well be that having a bus to live in and move to a better place when the big depresson hits (and it's coming) might be a good thing. Maybe we start a commune of busnuts to survive??, lol.

LowTide · July 24, 2013, 01:21:23 PM

We are new coach owners and do plan to live aboard our MCI7 full time once we finish making some changes. Since we got her, we sold our home, cars and sold off allot of junk (LOL), we downsized to a even smaller home and are getting ready to get rid of even more junk while we keep working on the coach. I have to say, we are excited and a bit nervous because this is all new territory for us.

On another note, fuel cost certainly is front center at the moment. I remember the trip home From Maryland to Arizona (when we purchased the coach) like it was yesterday and when I think of each time we filled up, we didn't even care because this was a the trip of a lifetime for us and we were having the time of our lives. I am sure everyone here can relate to that feeling when you drove your baby home.......
If I remember right, we were paying around $4.00- $4.10 a gallon. I guess we just have to grin and bare it or stay longer at locations with shorter trips between stops. There is no reason for it to cost so much, oh wait, there is....GREED............................

I am sure in years to come we may feel the same way as some do now, but for now our coach will be our home in the near future and The road will be our front porch. I know there will be expenses that will be hard to stomach and some that we never expected but I guess that is the cost of having one of these........we have a lot to learn.

What was I thinking.........LOL

All the best
Mike

Cary and Don · July 24, 2013, 04:46:18 PM

Agree with Boxcarokie. We realized how much we loved our bus life when we drove to Texas to get the Eagle. It had been a long time since we drove someplace. The ratty Motel Eight, $78 for one night. Watching tv from the uncomfortable bed. The strange smell of the room. Eating at Denny's twice a day. Lugging in the bags every night. The repacking the next morning. No place to take a break on the road during the day. It was a VERY long four day drive. Diesel is going up, but Motel Eight was named that because the rooms used to be $8.88 a night in 1974.

Don and Cary

Ed Hackenbruch · July 24, 2013, 04:53:18 PM

Mike, you will be surprised by how many people are fulltiming in buses and rvs. You might want to Google Nick Russell and his Gypsy Journal paper. He is a good source of info on the rv lifestyle,...he has written books and has links to other folk's books and has a daily blog that he writes. There are a lot of little things that you can do to keep costs down, you just need to learn about them.

qayqayt · July 24, 2013, 05:38:15 PM

When I go, I'd like to be buried in my bus. That's what I think I'll get back from my investment. Just stick me in the drivers seat with the radio on.

boxcarOkie · July 25, 2013, 02:10:04 AM

When I go, I want to go like Grandpa.

Eyes closed, at peace with the world.

Not like all those screaming people in the backseat!

BCO-CTA

LowTide · July 25, 2013, 01:23:42 PM

Quote from: Ed Hackenbruch on July 24, 2013, 04:53:18 PM
Mike, you will be surprised by how many people are fulltiming in buses and rvs. You might want to Google Nick Russell and his Gypsy Journal paper. He is a good source of info on the rv lifestyle,...he has written books and has links to other folk's books and has a daily blog that he writes. There are a lot of little things that you can do to keep costs down, you just need to learn about them.

Thanks ED, I know about his site and have got tons of good information from his writings and plan to put them to good use, also have him bookmarked too

Can't wait to get rid the final things we have, cash in the 401K (before the government decides to freeze all 401K's) and live a better/simpler life style if that is possible.....ya can't take it with you and we have no one to leave it to

All the best
Mike

BRUISER · July 25, 2013, 02:01:10 PM

To each his own

Everyone here has a different story.. some have been at this for a long time, some have not..
For me I have 2 years under my belt and after sleeping in hotels, bed campers, modified campers etc.. having a bus that myself and the family can take on trips ( wife, 2 kids- 3 and 5, and 1 dog) we love it.. Even with the cost of fuel and all expenses to keep it running or fit it.. to me it is worth it..I aim to take 10 trips a year or more.. So far we have taken 5 this year and all have been worth it..

I grew up in the back seat of a car traveling with my parents from home show to home show or marketing convention etc.. and I have great memories doing it.. I want my kids to experience travel and seeing the US and have fun doing it..

When I first looked into the bus idea I thought man I am 35 and I can do it now or I can wait and do it when I retire etc.. I am very glad I am doing it now.. mainly because I can do stuff myself like fix it work on it etc.. Plus my son loves "helping me" and that is so cool..

so to each his own, enjoy the ride and as long as I can pay for the fuel I will keep adding miles to my odometer..my goal is to flip the million mark on my dash.. only 30,000 more to go

Ken C

Kevinmc5 · July 25, 2013, 04:01:17 PM

Sometimes, the wife and I think about selling our bus, but only because we can't seem to get any time off. The bus just sits there. This weekend we are finely just going to drive for a few hours and come home just to let the bus be happy for a day. Then it will be right back to work for us.

Kevin & Traci

luvrbus · July 25, 2013, 04:58:48 PM

Hang on to Mike there is a old saying about money 1/2 you got right, my grandad would tell people when they would ask him or tell him why worry about money "you can't with you when you die" his reply was always "you sure as hell are not going any place with out it "

I ask him one time how he was going divide his money among his kids he told me it wasn't a problem my will explains it all ,I asked how he said it reads "being of sound mind and body I spent it" took me years to figure that one out

I know this ot but each of us look at life and money different the older I get the less I care about money for me it is family,friends,health and happiness

Geoff · July 25, 2013, 05:16:32 PM

I guess I could change the tune of this thread:

I love my bus conversion and it is pure pleasure to drive it, camp in it, and I did all the conversion work.

Sorry if you guys feel shorted.

What did Clint Eastwood say "A man has t know his limits" ??

--Geoff

LowTide · July 26, 2013, 10:42:14 AM

Quote from: luvrbus on July 25, 2013, 04:58:48 PM
Hang on to Mike there is a old saying about money 1/2 you got right, my grandad would tell people when they would ask him or tell him why worry about money "you can't with you when you die" his reply was always "you sure as hell are not going any place with out it "

I ask him one time how he was going divide his money among his kids he told me it wasn't a problem my will explains it all ,I asked how he said it reads "being of sound mind and body I spent it" took me years to figure that one out

I know this ot but each of us look at life and money different the older I get the less I care about money for me it is family,friends,health and happiness

Yep, you are right, the things that seemed so important to me in the past hold little meaning.....I think you hit the nail on the head, health, happiness, friends and Family

We are out to enjoy the rest of our days while we can and being on the road seems to be a good way to achieve it.

Cliff, will you be available tomorrow, I want to give you a call?

Thanks
Mike