hankbutitta

Frank god dammit I know it's you.

edit: You know damn well I talk dirty to my food, and now because you've asked me that while I'm legally required under AMA oath to tell the truth, so does everyone else. Thanks.

Probably.

I've got about 12k in the bus, and 4 months of full-time work, plus plenty of hours/weeks/months here and there doing research, maintenance and improvements. It's still not possible to live in it full time, and I'm not sure the midwest is somewhere I'd do that even if I had better heating and plumbing. It's pretty cold here. And I hate the cold.

The major advantage to using a bus as a starting point is that it is that you have a relatively blank slate that moves itself around. And you can reliably find them for cheap. For someone comfortable with construction this offers a ton of flexibility, and a lot of embodied energy (already has floor, walls, ceiling, windows, doors,). It's not for everyone, but I think it has more potential than many existing RV's.

However, I do see them as a bit extreme. The headroom isn't great, and many people don't want to be in such a transient space indefinitely. I picture the bus being the perfect transitional space for young people who refuse to pay rent, but still want a bit of flexibility (want to try a new city? go for it.) To me it's not a permanent situation, but what is these days?

I laughed! And then cried. The bus needs a checkup :/

That sounds like one hell of a trip!

The bus got around 10mpg, which isn't terrible when you consider you're splitting it a handful of ways, and you're never paying for hotels or lodging.

We made it 5,000 miles without any real trouble. It was looked at by a CAT dealer before we left, and they gave it the green light. Sadly, when it was parked last fall it was difficult to start, it probably needs a checkup (hasn't been moved this year. been using it as a cabin). That said, diesels are typically long lasting if they're maintained. Should run many hundreds of thousands of miles.

4 people could live in the bus for 3 months, but it's going to take a lot of patience and cooperation. After the first couple of weeks, you'll get over the lack of privacy. It doesn't even phase you anymore. But as the weeks wear on small things about each others personalities will get under your skin. If you're going to travel together that long, I think taking personal time is essential. Stay in every once in a while when your friends go out. Take a day to explore by yourself. If you survive the trip intact you'll come out the other side like family, having shared an experience your other friends can never really understand.

$3-4k is probably doable, especially if you can take it easy on the eating out and drinking at bars (adds up quick when every day is a party). But if you have a strict budget, make sure to lay that all out ahead of time.

Showering is easy at campgrounds, and between the four of you there are probably friends and family you can visit all over the states. Don't underestimate the value of a hot shower, a private toilet, and a home-cooked meal. Use this as an excuse to visit people all over!

As for tips, we winged most of it, but one of the biggest challenges was parking. If you're working with a vehicle as long as ours, make sure campsites you're staying at have RV sites, and see if your friends in the cities can secure you parking in front of their place (hooking up an extension cord into their house can be a huge help if you're running off battery power.)

Best of luck on your adventure man!