The plan back in 2010 was to live a tiny home bus life. So my first ex wife and I bought a 35 foot 1987 International school bus. We were going to live in it and travel as we built it along the way.
The Plan
My parents thought that was kind of ridiculous. I believe the quote was “you can’t just live in a bus.” Watch me I replied. We were going to camp in the bus as we made it a home.
Anyway, my dad needed help with his business. It was an opportunity for us to save a little cash, and dad was going to help me build the bus. He installs mobile and modular homes. And the barn is full of usable recycled and reclaimed materials. It sounded like a reasonable plan.
Life is What Happens While You Make Plans
Six months later my wife decided she didn’t like country life, and set off for more crowded places. I stayed working for dad and at other jobs in the area. I took a couple of short van trips to visit friends.
I stayed in the area, getting married again in 2013. But that ended just a few years later. I started freelancing web design and consulting for small businesses in 2014 as Homestead Digital Media Services. I continued working for dad until 2022. Mom fell and broke her wrist, so I stayed home to help her. I realized the significant difference in my pain levels when not doing construction work.
In 2016, not long after being in a rollover accident, I was having symptoms that were different from my usual pains. Concerned it was related to the accident, I went to the doctor. After x rays and a genetic test, he broke the news that I have Ankylosing Spondylitis, an autoimmune disregulation, that causes arthritis in the spine and joints. I finally had a diagnosis for an affliction I’d lived with for 15 years at that point.
Three years ago I started selling rosebud agate I collect on the ranch. That has evolved into giving guided rockhounding tours, and selling all sorts of rocks and minerals. The audience is steadily growing, and sales are growing but a bit slower.
Mom passed in September 2023 after a battle with cancer. This year I’ve spent a lot of miles on the road for medical appointments related to my disability application, as well as regular appointments. My rheumatologist upgraded my treatment plan. This has been helpful, but I still have pain. She diagnosed Osteoarthritis in my hips
The bus has more than paid for itself as a storage unit.
A New Plan, Same as the Old One
I was asked to make an exit plan to leave the ranch. Dad needs to cut costs as he isn’t working as much. And we both need some space.
What I do have is a bus, and plenty of materials to reclaim for most of a schoolie tiny home conversion. At just shy of 220 square feet of usable living space, bus life still won’t be the smallest apartment I’ve ever lived in.
The idea of living in a bus doesn’t bother me. However, it’s going to be a big project. And while I have materials available here on the ranch, there are some things I’m pondering whether I need or not.
Organizing for Bus Life
The hardest part of starting bus life is determining what I may need for a nomadic life. Space and storage is at a premium. I’m whittling down my mess, and honestly I’m excited to live mostly minimalist anyway.
I’m watching a lot of schoolie tours and build videos on YouTube for inspiration and tips. Tiny home and bus life content were not as common in 2010 as it is now. We did a lot of research, but it’s nothing like the availability of content today. I’m happy about that. There is a plenitude of tips and inspiration on bus building.
I’ve cleaned a lot of stuff out of the bus. And my shed is mostly cleaned out. It just needs to be organized.
I’ve drawn up a first draft of a floor plan, but it’s starting to evolve. I’ve got new crank batteries installed. The next project is to drain some old fuel and replace it with fresh fuel. That will hopefully start next week after the big sale weekend at Willett Creek Agate.
Planning Ahead: Bus Life on a Budget
I’m on a pretty tight budget at this point in my life. The future isn’t looking bright with the strong possibility of new tariffs in 2025. But I’ll keep plugging along. This too shall pass.
One thing I’m interested in is bartering for some of the parts and materials I will need. This includes a generator, solar panels and controllers, an inverter, and appliances. If you have anything and may be interested in trading, please reach out.
I started this post some time ago. I just got back to it. I will be writing and sharing other content here more often. All part of the plan, but a spoonie has to allot energy to the most important projects first. The ones that pay bills.
I hope you’ll keep following along. Happy holidays!!
