Full-Time Couple in a Short Bus
- Thread starter zelseman
- Start date
zelseman
Observer
We have a bunch of images to post to catch up on actual progress, but we went with square curtains over the windows that are grometted and are attached by small hooks. Inside the curtain is a sheet of reflectX. So far it has kept the heat and the light in. Time will tell if it helps at all in the summer.
Apologies for the mess, but you get the idea.
Everything that identifies the bus as a school bus has been removed with the exception of the yellow. It is getting taken care of soon!
I had heard that a fair bit before getting my hands on it and it has really surprised me. I have used Cummins, Ford 7.3 & 6.0, and Duramax diesels and although it doesn't have just a ton of power, it does fine for what we need.
The first shakedown trip was cold. You could get it warm inside and feel the heat escaping through the windows from the outside. Since adding the curtains and caulking most of the windows, it is much more tolerable.
You are not kidding. We are trying to cover all of the metal for just that reason. The roof/ceiling is the only area that we just can't afford (money and time) to cover. The floor and most of the walls/windows are insulated and are performing well so far.
ben2go
Adventurer
The roof should be insulated with fiberglass bats about 1 to 1.5 inches deep. It helps to add a half inch foil faced foam board to keep heat in and coat the roof with Kool Seal to help keep summer heat out. Kool Seal also helps seal and waterproof the roof. Two good coats would work well. It would take about two gallons. It can be purchased through most home improventment stores. Price varies.
Link for reference.
https://www.amazon.com/Kool-Seal-El...cl-20&linkId=1ee7901d357e64f3f3bc470c94aa977a
Link for reference.
https://www.amazon.com/Kool-Seal-El...cl-20&linkId=1ee7901d357e64f3f3bc470c94aa977a
zelseman
Observer
We painted the roof with Henry's Elastomeric Paint when we installed the fantastic fan up top. It does make a noticeable difference in temp. I am almost 6'4" tall, so we opted to leave the ceiling along on the inside. When we build the next one, I will more than likely try to raise the roof a few inches.
ben2go
Adventurer
:iagree: :bigok:
zelseman
Observer
Small update, big difference.
I had previously rushed through part of the flooring job near the captains chair due to not having any more plywood and my wife having the truck that I use to buy said plywood. So I used scraps and pieced it together. It wasn't perfect, but it worked for the time being.
I finally went back and redid that floor section and it is much better. The previous section would obviously bow and give when you walked on certain parts. The new piece is much better and I have a bunch of odd shaped scraps to use for something else.
We have installed our inverter, batteries, and wired up the 300 watts of solar panels. Everything seems to be working really well and provides plenty of juice when we need it.
In the last picture you can see the eternabond tape that we used on the seams of the roof and the Henrys elastomeric that we rolled on the roof.
I had previously rushed through part of the flooring job near the captains chair due to not having any more plywood and my wife having the truck that I use to buy said plywood. So I used scraps and pieced it together. It wasn't perfect, but it worked for the time being.
I finally went back and redid that floor section and it is much better. The previous section would obviously bow and give when you walked on certain parts. The new piece is much better and I have a bunch of odd shaped scraps to use for something else.
We have installed our inverter, batteries, and wired up the 300 watts of solar panels. Everything seems to be working really well and provides plenty of juice when we need it.
In the last picture you can see the eternabond tape that we used on the seams of the roof and the Henrys elastomeric that we rolled on the roof.
Kingsize24
Well-known member
Very nice! Enjoy it! Have fun for as long as possible. The daily grind is brutal.
WangosTango
New member
Love the bus! Spent most of two years in a VW campmobile. Are you guys heading west?South?North?
zelseman
Observer
Now that Expo West is over, I am going to try to keep this thread more up to date.
We left Oklahoma in April and travelled West on I-40. We stopped in Texas for a cliche visit to Cadillac Ranch and camping in a rest stop along the Interstate.
The next day we drove pretty much straight through and stopped in Tres Piedres for a solid nights sleep under the stars. The campsite for this night can be found here!
We got up and hit the road again as we have seen most of northern Texas and New Mexico as we have grown up in Oklahoma our whole lives. Things really started to get interesting when we drove into Southwestern Colorado and through Durango. The rear drawer that we had built in the back for our gear and miscellaneous junk broke the slider that we used because it was too heavy. We documented some of that process on the YouTubes.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>
We are trying to commit some time to the YouTube channel, but it is new and very time consuming. All of our travels can be seen on our website Okienomads.
We left Oklahoma in April and travelled West on I-40. We stopped in Texas for a cliche visit to Cadillac Ranch and camping in a rest stop along the Interstate.
The next day we drove pretty much straight through and stopped in Tres Piedres for a solid nights sleep under the stars. The campsite for this night can be found here!
We got up and hit the road again as we have seen most of northern Texas and New Mexico as we have grown up in Oklahoma our whole lives. Things really started to get interesting when we drove into Southwestern Colorado and through Durango. The rear drawer that we had built in the back for our gear and miscellaneous junk broke the slider that we used because it was too heavy. We documented some of that process on the YouTubes.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>
We are trying to commit some time to the YouTube channel, but it is new and very time consuming. All of our travels can be seen on our website Okienomads.
zelseman
Observer
We jetted through Texas, New Mexico and Colorado to experience as much time in Utah before it got hot. This was a first for my wife and I both. She had seen Moab, but nothing else. We planned to travel from Moab through the southern half of the state and hit all that Canyon Country had to offer.
First up was Moab. It was painful to be in the Mecca of offloading and not have a 4x4 to explore the thousands of trails. We made due with what we had and found some pretty sweet BLM and FS campsites.
We visited Arches and Canyonlands and spend considerable time on the mountain bike trails that surround this area. You could literally spend a lifetime here and not see it all. We even got out of town and camped at Castleton Tower Trailhead. Castleton is famous for climbing and it was fun to be there for a while.
If you have never been to Moab, you really should. It is a beautiful place.
We wrote up a little blog post of our time in Moab and the different campsites that we found HERE. Moab is seriously one of the coolest off road destinations that I have ever seen and I can't wait to get back in a more capable vehicle.
First up was Moab. It was painful to be in the Mecca of offloading and not have a 4x4 to explore the thousands of trails. We made due with what we had and found some pretty sweet BLM and FS campsites.
We visited Arches and Canyonlands and spend considerable time on the mountain bike trails that surround this area. You could literally spend a lifetime here and not see it all. We even got out of town and camped at Castleton Tower Trailhead. Castleton is famous for climbing and it was fun to be there for a while.
If you have never been to Moab, you really should. It is a beautiful place.
We wrote up a little blog post of our time in Moab and the different campsites that we found HERE. Moab is seriously one of the coolest off road destinations that I have ever seen and I can't wait to get back in a more capable vehicle.
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zelseman
Observer
Thanks! We decided last minute on the gunship grey since it was super cheap on Amazon. We hope to keep this thread alive with pictures and video, but if we are a little behind, most of our adventures make it to our website at www.okienomads.com.The interior looks good as does the new blue paint outside. I hope you enjoy your bus as you travel around and gain new experiences. Please keep us posted with lots of pics from your trip. Cheers, Chilli..
We plan to. I have worked 5 years in a corporate finance job and my wife has put in a few in non-profit accounting. We are tired of the idea of working all of our prime to retire when we are old and decrepit.
The plan...is very loose. We just left Flagstaff, AZ after volunteering at Expo West (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED). We are in San Diego right now visiting a friend, then we will be off the Joshua Tree, Death Valley, and Yosemite. After that, we plan to thru-hike the Tahoe Rim Trail in mid-summer and travel through Oregon, Washington, and parts of British Columbia. Depending on funding, we might either do a loop through the plains and into the Northeast for Fall or turn South and travel to Baja for the winter. Lots of options and a lot of time between now and then.