Top 8 Unglamorous Aspects of Bus Life — Something More Project

Originally posted Oct 17th, 2019

Bus life is the THING these days! We joined the movement and I obvi encourage all ya'll to join the movement. There have been so many GREAT things about converting a sKool(ie) bus, BUT (always a butT) through the process, we are also learning about the less practical, not as shiny, sort of inconvenient things about traveling around in a bus.

But first, look at our beautiful interior!!! GO RUBY! We crammed so much the week leading up to our road trip - within the 2 night before take off, we installed the sink, the countertops, finished the plumbing & got running water, and completed the solar panel circuit. WOAH!

Here goes our list of the Top 8 most (UN)glamorous aspects of #buslife:

Budget - it seems like it'd be extremely budget friendly...and for those who have fully moved into a bus, I believe it could be budget-friendly. BUT for those who are just looking for a road trip vehicle....there may be better options if budget is a #1 concern. In our 2 week trip, over ~2,200 miles, we spent ~$900 in fuel alone! BANANAS, but true bananas! Ruby also only has a 20 gallon tank, so HELLOOOO Kwik Trips & Holidays & a lot of other dinkers because beggars can't be chooser when you're in the middle of a NOwhere. WHOOF! Also, if you are thinking of campground camping (vs random side streets & rest stops), we averaged about $30/night & that was pretty much all national & state parks. Not bad, but if you do that for 30 days every month, that's NINE HUNDRED $$. Not really that much cheaper than our current mortgage...but that's just what the books show. Experiences are tough to put value on :) Fuel stop #21 on the trip!

2. Privacy isn't a thing; you pee, poop, and fart together. Get cozy, peeps; this is your home, and your home is a measly 160sq ft (& no, I didn't miss 2 zeros...in fact, not even 1 zero...) We did rig up a shower rod with a curtain that we could move around for a changing room as our bus doesn't have curtains on the windows yet, so at least our booty wasn't WOWZing anyone. :p

3. When it rains or is poopy outside, you still ONLY have 160sq feet of space...good thing we LIVE for cribbage, 2-player Catan, and other made up card games. #getcreative See our rainy day feast below -->

4. Screen-less - there are solutions to this one as to most of these, but without screens on the windows and doors, you have a choice to make between having bugs&noise VS a nice breeze. Bugs really only flock when you have the lights on which beware of...screens are definitely on order.

5. Do we live in a tin can? Why yes, you mostly do. The bus temps change pretty dramatically and on cue with the temps outside (esp when we don't have an AC/heat unit yet). If it's nice out, it's nice in. If it's muggy-sweat-your balls-off out, it's muggy-sweat-your-balls-off in. :D You get the picture.

6. Although not THAT old, Ruby was clearly abused by some middle schoolers in the hot&heavy days of her career; Ruby's dash LOVESSS to go blank or freeze right when we were climbing a hill on a hot day. Ruby's dash also loves to go blank or freeze right as a police man pulls us over and asks if we knew how fast we were going...why NO sir, our dash is broken. :p #offthehook JK - that second one didn't happen. Who would pull over a retired sKool bus? Remember we max out at 58mph...hardly even speeding in the middle of the city next to a crosswalk for kids during sKool hours, sir. Just chillin -->

7. Oh yeah, in case you haven't picked up on this yet or the inconvenience of it, Ruby maxes at 58mph. Start looking forward to the nothing-ness of Wyoming, or be ready to toss and catch a lot of popcorn, white cheddar Smartfood, of course. #zing

8. We have yet to find a clever way to bring the chickies on the road with us!! If you have any suggestions better than putting the coop on top of the roof, hit.me.up.PEOPLE.

These are just a few things to consider before you trade in your skateboard or drone or new MJ sneakers for a rusted out sKool bus; I recommend the plunge & I recommend giving it little thought & just doing it. Because you can come up with excuses not to do everything, so STOP.MAKING.EXCUSES. about whatever you want in life. Maybe it's a new boyfriend? Maybe it's a puppy? Maybe it's simply some take-out Sunday night sushi because you killed the day...or didn't, but still are CRAVING sushi? Go for it! I dare you (*just talked myself into ordering sushi*).

BOOM. Words of the great Ruby-n-stein herself. Peace, love & go chase waterfalls,

Jen <3