A pause in the process...

Part of the reason for doing this website (other than I enjoy it) is to share what I'm learning and to give a realistic idea of what's involved...in other words, what's happening in the 'Real World'.  In my real world what's happening is Life...it affects us all!  So, other things (other than the bus) come up...like, I'm running out of money.  The likelihood is that if you had enough money in the first place to go buy a ready-to-go motorhome you'd have probably done so; most of us (not all of course) are working an a budget and in some cases a rather limited one.  Time is sometimes an issue; spouses, children, parents, siblings, long lost cousins and friends all need some of your time...time that you have to give up on working on the conversion.  I don't sweat it; I don't have an overwhelming need to finish the bus on any particular date.  On the other hand, I don't want to get so blasé about it that I get in the habit of not working on the bus and let the project slide into oblivion.

Also, even after all the work of trying to get the floorplan 'just so' we're having thoughts on alternative layouts.  I never intended to have strict plans; mostly a good set or 'working drawings' that I could use as a guide.  However, once you start to deviate significantly (like the kitchen's going to the other side or to the rear, etc you need to stop and think about what you're doing since it affects so many other things (like wiring and plumbing and balance).

Our major issue is we're trying to project into the future how we'll be using the bus conversion.  For some this is going to be a no-brainer; it's a camper for right now and I just want to get it done!  Or for others it's a party-on-wheels, tailgating, or bicycle sag wagon kind of thing.  For us (and others I'm sure) it's going to be our rolling home for many years; it may not be our only home (although it will be for a while) but still, we're going to spend extended periods in the bus and it has to meet the needs of the folks quite literally living in it.  This gets all kinds of complicated some times and encompasses all parts of one's life in trying to make seemingly simple decisions.  For instance...what are we going to tow has become a major question; it's affecting even how the layout in the bus will work.  Why?  Because one of the ways we're going to earn money on the road is with our art work.  The need to have workspace in the bus is a big part of what dictated the layout you've seen on the site here.  But, what if we towed a cargo-style trailer that was our workshop instead of trying to get it all in the bus?  Then I wouldn't necessarily need all that space I set aside in the floorplan for the work area.

Part of all this is wrapped up in your own philosophy and thoughts about what you want to do.  I don't want to set up in some gorgeous location only to have to break camp and put everything away just to make a shopping or sightseeing trip.  That means we'll tow another vehicle; for us that's our '98 Jeep Wrangler, which affects the decision about towing a 'workshop' trailer.  In the end, I've decided to go with the trailer and set it up so the Jeep can be loaded inside.  Storage in the trailer will be constructed above the Jeep's hood and wherever else I can get it.  Once the Jeep is unloaded the empty space will become our work area and there will be some fold-down tables on the inside of the trailer.  Since Shelley paints and I don't want to have to unload the Jeep every time she wants to work, I'll keep the workspace I had originally designed into the floorplan; it will just have more storage that planed and the driver's side work table may become more of a dresser/closet/storage area than a 'work' area.

It didn't take all that long to type the last few paragraphs about the changing floorplan but it took weeks to run through all the scenarios; learning more about available trailers, learning about the costs involved and analyzing just how towing a trailer behind the bus will impact our intended use and stopping places.  And whether or not we are willing to pay the price; monetarily and convenience-wise.

 

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