Its " WOW " been a year!

Its " WOW " been a year!

A little over a year ago on new years eve/day I got the idea to hit the road and go on tour again. We have come along way since then. This time last year we were making arrangements to bring home Mrs. Jones. We have learned so much and we still have a lot to learn! Building a Bus Conversion in 90 days has its good points and bad points. Just to touch on this, the good thing was that we got to use the bus for touring right away without missing out any comforts of home, Like our large TV, king size bed, full size refer and lazy boy couch. The bad thing was/is that we are not set up that good for Boon docking, mostly the TV reception, inverter for power and we don't have high capacity holding tanks. Oh, and we happen to have the generator from hell, 120db's. OUCH! We moved out of our house into the bus and got on the road on June 1st, 2009. We have put 8,000 miles and explored the western united states. We have done a bunch of shows at FMCA rallies, fairs, clubs, theaters and RV resorts. We have meet some fantastic people from all over the world at the shows and on the http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php, Bus Boards. Christi and I are now in CA for the next 2.5 months, then were head off to CO for a 4 month stand in Estes Park.

If we had it all to do again, I don't know if I would change much. Christi probably would have cracked the whip a little more to get more done. All in all I think we did pretty good. It beats the crap out of the bus sitting in the yard rotting away and that knot in your gut when you look at it!

It has been a real adventure learning to drive this beast. Now when ever Christi hears a Detroit Diesel fire up, she start putting things away and securing the inside of Mrs. Jones!?! I think she turning into a Real Bus Nut!

All the Best, Michael & Christi See our other Blog;http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/

RV'ing 101 anyone?

RV'ing 101 anyone? Have you had the pleasure of this type of RV'er? We manage a RV resort here in Ramona, CA (San Diego). We get new RV owners that spend big bucks for an RV and get no training from the dealer how to set up all the systems and much less, DRIVE IT! They show up at the gate and demand that "WE" do it all for them. They hold their keys out and say they have been on the road for 3 days an something smells like sewer!!!???!!! Then they get all red faced mad when we offer to help but only instruct them what to do. Now we own a bus conversion and we are still learning. We ask for help from the "Bus Yodas" but we do the work, you have to, to learn. I find this very odd that anybody would buy one of these RV's and not ask for training or pay for a class! RV'ing 101 anyone? We will always help out everyone that comes to our resort but you have to do the work or maybe you need to go back to tent camping and use the comfort station. Hey, this Ranting stuff feels pretty good!?! I would love to hear BOTN's take on this. He is a fellow blog'er, Busnut and good friend. You can read his blog @ http://travellingwithgeorge.blogspot.com/ . Good stuff! All the Best, Michael & Christi See our other Blog;http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/

KUDOS to DALLAS (michael)

Hello All, I just want to say "THANK YOU" to a fellow Bus Nut. THANK YOU DALLAS! You helped Christi and I with our conversion of a charter bus into Mrs. Jones. The advice you gave freely to us not only saved us thousands of dollars, your expertise enabled us to complete this task on a "MUST" 90 day time line. Christi and I didn't know a thing about buses when we started, but with the kindness given to us by the people of this website, Nick,Cody,Larry,Tom,bill,Scott Paulx3,BOTN,Sean,HTredneck,mike,Buswarrior, I could go on and all the other "Bus Yodas", you know who you are, we are learning.

A specal heart felt thanks goes to Dallas. You above all helped change our life forever and gave us the confidence to do, what seemed, the impossible. We are proud to call you our friend. There are not many opportunities in ones life to make a profound difference in anothers'. If you are not here, what is the next guy to do? All we know is that we feel we couldn't have done it without Dallas. All the Best to you sir, Michael & Christi Hargis and Mrs. Jones

And Cat, Dallas's wife answered in a Personal Message: I just saw your post and read it to Dallas. He said "cool" which for him is a mouthful. I watched his face as I read and I could tell he was very touched. Thank you for taking the time to post that. It meant a lot to us both. I am really hoping he will be willing to come back to the board soon.Cat

All the Best, Michael & Christi See our other Blog;http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/

A Dozen Days (michael)

A Dozen Days Mrs. Jones has been in service for 12 days now and she is doing famously. We have had some leaks, the kitchen sink strainer basket and drain line. They were a quick fix. I have to shorten a drain line because it rubs a bay door and I moved the incoming fresh water line 3/4 inches to miss a bay door support among other things. We kept popping an electric breaker on the park pedestal but, we moved to a new spot and it stopped. We still have some trim to do, grout the kitchen floor and organize the bays a little better. No Joy on the 2 side windows Larry Hall had in his toy box, they were out of an MC9 and are shorter then ones from a A3. We have to keep looking. Did get some cabinet doors though. We are having a blast full-timing. What a life style. Of course it can't always be like this, could it? All the Best, Michael & Christi See our other Blog;http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/

One More Day (michael)

One More Day! No pictures. Some how the camera stopped working. O well. Lets see, the battery pak is wired and the inverter is installed, part or the 12v lights are in and working, all the plumbing is done, our personal goods are getting into their new home along with the TV and food. Tomorrow is the day. We will finish packing with one more trip to the thrift store. Wow, one more day. All the Best, Michael & Christi See our other Blog;http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/

The Big Stuff Goes Through The Window (michael)

The Big Stuff Goes Through The Window Thank goodness for friends. Brother Larry Bowers, Ray, Jeff and Loyd came over to load the big stuff. I prepped the Ole' girl early. Took out the side window and removed the front door to the house. The guys showed up and took all of 20 mins to get the couch and the refrigerator through the window and in place.

Just fit.

Nice fit.

Tight fit.

Its all working out.

2 days left. Christi started nesting. Long day comming on Sunday.

All the Best, Michael & Christi See our other Blog;http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/

Roof Air (michael)

Roof Air I was going to wait on the roof air for a week or so But, I took Christi on a "show off" drive and she said that the air had to be next. So I said to myself, Why don't I install the roof air next! And I did.

I didn't know what I was doing. I never installed one before.

I just solved one problem and took it one step at a time. It took about 4 hours in all. The cold air flowed on the 1st try. A little trim and paint then on to the next task.

Here is the Batt. bank and inverter that I have yet to hook up. Still reading on this one.

And the 20 gal. elec. water heater.

My $20.00 yard sale tool box. I can unmount the box, put the wheels and have a roll around work table.

My good friend and brother Mason Larry Bowers gave us a 33 gal. air compressor. Very nice. Thank you Bear.

Look what we've done to our bathroom. Our singing land cruiser is coming to life.

Another view.

More plumbing

A little table to travel with.

Christi still caulking and painting.

Only 4 days left till we move in and go to our 1st park.

All the Best, Michael & Christi See our other Blog;http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/

Mrs. Jones is Now a RV (michael)

Mrs. Jones is Now an RV Me and Mrs. Jones had a thing going on today. We went to town, just her and I. We danced down the byways of Tombstone to Sierra Vista. I took her to get some new class, well classification that is. We went to the Motor Vehicle Division of AZ to get her inspection. It was great. The inspector and the manager came out for the grand tour. Oohs's & Aah's. I was so proud of her. She passed with no problems. Then the inspector told me that she was not registered and I needed to get her a tag before I hit the road. $83 bucks later (cheap date) we were a legal Bus Conversion and/or RV. Then I took her to Wally World to buy her something nice. OK, it was white water hose and sewer pipe. Hey, when you got to go, you got to go and we got to GO! All the Best, Michael & Christi See our other Blog;http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/

Chunch Time (michael)

Crunch Time

So many things to do and we are running out of time. The house is sold, more like, passed on. Down to 1 car. 1 more trip left to the thrift store. 1 to the recycling center. Yard sales are over. Conversion inspection on Weds. Mean while, the plumber is plumbing, we are trimming, painting, fabricating, wiring, installing, tiling, flooring and well, you get the picture. There is a lot that we know how to do and we are finding that there is a lot we don't know. But on the bright side, we are learning more with every passing day. Oh, the passing day thing, we are down to just 8 days before "Shake Down". Things are coming along well. I would like to have a little more done like the roof airs. But, all in all things are well. A good thing is we have a 30 day shake down. The whole month of June to tweak Mrs. Jones. We will need it.

All the Best, Michael & Christi See our other Blog;http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/

Got Windows? FedX Opps! (michael)

Got Windows? FedX Opps! Mrs. Jones got a big pak of windows on Thursday. Doug Olson of Langley, OK is converting his 1992 MCI 102C3, 6V92, HT740 and was kind to donated 5 side windows so Mrs. Jones can get her grove back. I could not wait to put them in. We picked them up from Tombstone Hardware & Feed. They have a forklift to unload the 350 lbs required by the handler. Mr. West, owner of the hardware store stated the FedX lady was mis-handling the package while putting it on a pallet. Doug did a great job of packing But, I could see that the bottom frame was out of place. We got them home and I got after it. Unpacked the 1st window, Perfect! Fit like a glove. Mrs. Jones cried for more. 2nd & 3rd were very nice too. Then came the bad news, windows 4 & 5 are broken! Rats! Ok, so there was wood sheeting on top and bottom, shrink wrap in over kill mode, windows were in their frames and signs that clearly stated "Glass, Handle with care". I guess some people just don't like glass! Well the cracked windows are better then nothing so I put them in also. I put the good ones on the drivers side so at least one side of the bus looks good. Christi call the FedX claims dept. and they sent forms fill out and hoops to jump through. After 49 years I still don't understand why we get punished for other peoples mistakes? Somethings never change. Christi, I & Mrs. Jones want to thank the Olsons for all their help and kindness. We owe them a big one.

In with good and out with the bad.

My balancing act.

A little to the right.

Ha!

Now thats a nice view!

All the Best, Michael & Christi See our other Blog;http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/

Start Modifications for Roof Airs (michael)

Start Modifications for Roof Airs Phil stopped by on Sat. He said he had some pressing things to do so he could not help out today. But he did bring a new face to play with Mrs. Jones. Pat Mulvena is a gen. contractor in Tucson, AZ. Phil told him that if he could come down and work with us, we would have a barbecue or a picnic or something. Phil dumped Pat off and sped off like we had the swine flu. I asked Pat what he would like to do and he said "Lets start modifications for the roof airs". So we got into it. The roof airs are used, but they are all that was in the budget. We had some problem solving to do. I have never installed a roof air before and by the end of the day, I still haven't. Pat did a great job converting the emergency hatches to hold the airs. We cut holes for the air flow. Removed the fiberglass insulation and the locking mechanism. Then we filled the void with foam. We put them back in place and we will install the airs on another day. We also installed new motor mounts on the temp. Coleman genny. Thank you Pat for all your help. I would work with you anytime. Sorry about the barbecue.

All the Best, Michael & Christi See our other Blog;http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/

Mr. Halls Toys & Parts for Mrs. Jones (michael)

Mr. Halls Toys & Parts for Mrs. Jones While the Toad was getting hooked up on Thursday we took Phil's van and made a trip to the Hall's ranch for some bus parts. Carol and Larry Hall hosted the GM rally we sang at in March. We didn't have our camera with us at that time, but we did this time. All I can say is "a boy and his toys". This guy has the toy box to keep them in. The Halls have an old mining property that has an old maintenance building on it. Here are some pics of his toys: Larry said he may scrap out this scenic cruiser. Very Sad! Larry & Carol sold us some bus parts that we really needed. Thank you so much. All the Best, Michael & Christi See our other Blog;http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/