Mrs. Jones roars to life!

Mrs. Jones roars to life! There is something exciting about the sound of a Detroit Diesel starting up. The hum runs through my body, the hiss of the air system reaching its peak. Mrs. Jones stating, "I'm ready now". We discovered the strange thing that happens when we are parked for an extended period. When another bus rolls by, we get that yearning to get on the road again. I have had the roar in my blood all my life. I've hitchhiked and driven across this country more times then I can remember. The far away places from my 8-3/4 Navy years and later the RVing & touring time. Christi & I had a house in Tombstone, AZ and thought we would never leave it, but the travel bug constantly gnaws at me. So we built Mrs. Jones. What was totally unexpected to me was that the travel bug bit Christi! And her case is much worse than mine. Now we are managing a RV resort in So. Cal. and now our blood boils every time we hear a Detroit Diesel screaming by. The only cure is to batten down the hatches and press the button. Mrs. Jones roars to life! "Honey, it's time to go." Oh wait, she's already strapped in! Here we go. North, South, Beach, Desert? We love our Bus! HUMMMMMMMMMMM. All the Best, Michael & Christi See our other Blog;http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/

2 Weeks till "The Q"Rally

2 Weeks till "The Q"Rally We can't wait!!!!!! 400 buses, 1,000+ Bus Nuts and all the MAK board chatters. We plan on getting to "The Q" on Thursday the 21st. We hope to trek over with some fellow Bus Nuts, Mike & Lisa, aka Loosnut. They would like to take the southern route along US Hwy 8, pick up a bite of Mex food then up the 95 to "The Q". We hope it works out. Until then we will be working on Mrs. Jones. Christi is busy making new curtains and I am scratching my head working under on our non-existent boondocking systems. I need to meet the Yodas of the Bus world! I have a ton of questions and hope they take pity on my ignorance. Did I say "We can't wait!!!!!!" All the Best, Michael & Christi See our other Blog;http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/

Meeting & Greeting (michael)

Meeting & Greeting It is a very strange phenomenon living with a bus around you. Not just the fact that you built it to suit you and your needs and with the turn of a key, or flick of a switch in our case, it will take you to all points of this great continent. I am talking about the strange thing that happens every time we park. People, mostly men, stop and just stare at her. Not Christi, the bus! They just stand there looking up and down at her like they have been pulled back into their past or lost in a dream. Then the haze is gone from their eyes and they are at the door asking about her and reminiscing about the good old days driving for some big tour company. Their eyes light up as I take them through the bus. We talk about the past; theirs and ours, and the hours pass like minutes and before you know it, we are just like old friends. Now, can someone tell me what it is about an old bus? It does not seem to matter what year, make or model of bus you have. People seem to love looking and talking about them. We have made some great friends since we built Mrs. Jones and I am sure that we will make many more. It's a crazy life, but we sure feel safe with 15 tons of metal around us. All the Best, Michael & Christi See our other Blog;http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/

Negative into a Positive (michael)

Negative into a Positive We arrived in Greeley, CO, we had a dark day (a day with no shows) so we wanted to be close to the next show and visit our dear friends Ann and Herb that live there. Greely RV Resort did the trick. I drove into the spot, hit the brake, perfect. Level? Check! Bay doors aligned for utilities? Check! Aligned to concrete slab? Close enough! We are good to go. I did the hook up ritual and removed the toad and Christi did her thing inside the bus. In record time we were ready to go to town. Christi handed me some stuff and out to the toad I went. About 30 secs. later it happened. Christi let out a blood curdling scream! She was on the ground and in pain. I rushed to her side and found that she had mis-judged the last step to the concrete slab and caught the edge of it and heard a crack in her foot and went down. OOPS, not close enough! Long story short, server sprain to her left foot. It appears that she tore the cartilage between her metatarsals. That means 4 to 6 weeks of hopping around. We are thankful it did not break a bone. So Christi was on her back and I had to figure out what was best for her and the show. We need to stay put for her foot to heal. We had called Loveland RV Resort a few days earlier and offered them a show, I found a voice mail from them saying they would love us in Loveland! I called back and booked a 2 show stand with them. Mr. and Mrs. Jones met us at the office. Chuck Jones is the manager for the park system, they have 5 or 6 parks. We checked in and I gave them a complimentary album and went to set up. We got settled in and I got called over to the Jone's house to talk about more shows in the other parks. After listening to the album Chuck stated that our show would be perfect for the lodge in Estes Park, CO in the summer season of 2010. We talked a little more and Chuck said we should go up and look at the resort. We did and it was beautiful! The Lodge, the park and the town was indeed "perfect" for our show. We got back and talked terms and Mr. Jones said we should get a final approval by October 1st. We did the 2 shows at the Loveland RV Resort with great reviews. Then we were off (40 miles) to Terry Bison Ranch for our next gig. I did some more calls in the greater Denver area so we could stay in one place. I received a call from Mr. Jones asking for a meeting. The owner of the resorts want to see us in person. We set it up for the following day. The meeting went well, then took an even better turn for us. They offered us an 8 show stand in their lodge in Estes Park, CO for the month of Aug. 2009. That's next month! When the gods offer you something to help, don't ask! Just take it and be grateful for it, and we did. We are very excited and can't wait to start setting up the new stage. I'll post some picks on the next post. All the Best, Michael & Christi See our other Blog;http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/

Hiking the Blue Mesa (michael)

Hiking the Blue Mesa Christi and I went for our 1st hike this morning and what a place to start! Hiking the Blue Mesa has got to be one of the best in the USA to walk around. It can be as challenging as you wish or as easy as you please. We did the one in the middle, about an hours worth of walking. I told Christi that she could set the work out schedule when we start our new life or I turn fifty. Yes 50 years old! We did pretty good for a couple of almost old farts. LOL. P.S. from Christi: Michael will be 50 this Tuesday, the 7th. Yes, he's already getting mail from AARP! LOL (He laughed at me when I started getting those letters, since I'm older) All the Best, Michael & Christi See our other Blog;http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/

Blue Mesa, CO (michael)

Blue Mesa, CO 240 miles We woke up late, that mountain air is like a drug. We said our good-byes to Bob and off to the GAS STATION we went. Now we were told that the bus got 7.9 mpg. It turns out to be about 6! When we get to some rallies, I'll ask a bus nut to look at it. For now we have to feed the beast! Monarch Pass in CO is a nail biting way to go in a 102 x 40' bus. I don't think I relaxed my stomach until we arrived in Gunnison, CO. On a good note, Christi ooh'ed and ah'ed the whole way through the pass. It was cloudy for most of the trip and rained a little. Our bus is very dirty now. So much for the grand entrance. The toad looks more like a turd. We arrived in WHR Blue Mesa around 4pm. The lake is high and beautiful. The resort is like an old friend. I missed it. I helped build some of the park. We got a great space next to the clubhouse and with a shade tree. Very nice. We are seeing lots of friends. We are home, for 2 weeks anyway then we find another home. Isn’t having a bus fun?All the Best, Michael & Christi See our other Blog;http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/

Stuffed Bus (michael)

Stuffed Bus We lit out of our house in Tombstone on the 1st day of June. Our house was sold and we packed Mrs. Jones to the gills and headed off to St. David for the Shake Down. Then a strange thing happened. As we were parked, it seemed as if Mrs. Jones "Burped" all the stuff all over the camp site. Now that our 2 week stay has come to a end, all that stuff has to go back in! Fortunately I started re-organizing the bins and it looks like it will all fit. It has to fit. It came out of there. I ask myself, "Do we need all this stuff?" We have already gotten rid of so much. Do we have to leave more behind? Can we? At times life does not seem fair, but on the other hand, life is good. Its a good trade. We will give up the grind and some stuff for a new life style in a bus. Wow, Sounds like a win to me! I need this. Honey, is there any room under the bed??? 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/

Floor and A Back Splash for the Lass (michael)

Floor and A Back Splash for the Lass

Well, the back splash was 1st. Dad (Randy Smith) came over to help with Mrs. Jones. I cut the 1/4 inch hardi-board just before he got here. Don't want him sitting around drinking coffee all day! LOL. While Dad worked on the back splash I put up the light fixture and a cabinet in the bathroom. Christi and I talked about flooring last night. We had picked up some laminate flooring for a real good price a few months ago, but when I went to install it in the salon, it would not lock together. It was to go in the kitchen also. No joy on that! So we do have extra tile from our friend George. We only need a little Hardi-board, glue, screws, mastic and some labor. Oh, Dad! Christi ran to the box store for supplies and Dad and I used up what material we had and started to tile the kitchen. Christi also said she would like one of those counter tops that fit over one sink so she could have more usable counter space. So, I made a cardboard template of the sink opening then rough cut the piece of counter top I cut out for the sink. Dad pulled out his router and cut a seat in it then cleaned the edge up with a rasp and belt sander. Good Job Dad!!! Then Dad said, "Can't we put that flooring in the bedroom if we screw it down, its better than nothing!" OK, we can give it a try. Hey, What do you know? It worked. It's not permanent but it will do for now. Christi arrived with more supplies and made us lunch. Bonus! We ate and got back to work. We finished the bedroom floor and then put the rest of the Hardi-board in the kitchen and cleaned up. Good day Dad, Thanks.

Note: Yesterday I piddled around as Christi painted and stained. I just wanted to finish up some almost done projects. So, I installed the 50amp Genny plug, cut and set the closet poles, ground off rivets and screw tips, nailed off the interior wall coverings and drilled the rest of the holes for the plumber to name a few. I have to say that sometimes during a project like this, some days seem like nothing gets done even though you worked hard all day. Just sit back and look at the whole picture. Every little thing you do brings you closer to your goal. Your Dream. I can see mine now, How about you?

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

A Little Work, A Little Play (michael)

A Little Work, A Little Play, A Lot of Mother's Day

Today Mrs. Jones got the rest of her wall coverings courtesy of Jeff, some more paint by Christi, and I, 2 lights and plumbing prep; hang the valve board, affix the water pump and drill the holes for the waste pipes and water supply lines. Christi started sanding the pantry doors and prowls the bus. Now we are off to the Home Depot to get the h2o heater and other supplies. Our son, Jared wants to take Mom out to eat. The plumber may come by and start on the lines. I'll cross my fingers.

Happy Mothers Day to all of you.

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

Propane Compartment (michael)

Propane Compartment

Another thing I was dreading doing to Mrs. Jones is the propane compartment. It's funny to me that I have all this knowledge and experience in building, but somethings I would just rather not do. Like PROPANE COMPARTMENTS. Now just because I don't want to do something, does not mean I don't have to do it. Christi makes me. She said, "An electric stove top costs too much and I would rather have gas". As you men know by now, Mama gets what Mama wants and Mama wants gas. So I said "Fine". I went out to Mrs. Jones, picked up my cell phone and called Jeff. I told him of the wants and needs of Mrs. Jones. He arrived and we went to work. I sent Jeff over to the thrift store with a grinder to remove an LP bottle base for an old trailer, while I pulled all the material we will need out of the salvage pile. Soon we had padded aluminum sheets and aluminum angle stock. Mmmm, salvage. It was pretty easy to do. Don't know what all the fuss was about. We put the base and bottles in the bay below the cook top. We traced the footprint on the floor and found that we could use the floor supports as the top framing. We set the angle aluminum on the bay floor and affixed them with self-tappers. Then the padded aluminum sheet stock for the walls also screwed in place. Then caulked all the seams. Set the base. Cut the drains and placed louvers over them. I found some rubber seals and fit them so the bay door would fit tight when closed. Nice! I will run the line to the cooktop later. Thanks Jeff. What are you doing tomorrow?

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

New Post on the MAK Board (michael)

New Post on the MAK Board

I was on the Boards today and came across this post;

new guy how do you do these?

I am certain I don't know enough to know what I don't know! Some place there must be info on how to convert a bus, what kind of cost to do so, the best kind of bus to use or maybe the concerns and challenges using a particular bus. I am not interested in reinventing the wheel on every decision to be made. What are the values of these buses before and after? I know tough question. I see many advertised/ebay never see any selling prices? Just a start. Go ahead and answer these and those questions I have not thought of yet. many thanks

I went to work and could not stop thinking about this question. I remember when I was asking this question just 5 months ago before we got Mrs. Jones.

My Answer:

Well, bja1234,

First, welcome to the madness. I say that because that is what was said to me. New Years Eve/ New Years 2009 I couldn't sleep after a show. I got on the net and LSS "I want a Bus. Well, I got one and my wife and I are converting it. We don't have money But, we do have exp. in building and are working. That said, I believe that getting a bus has brought immense joy into our lives. The sense of accomplishment, meeting great people and working side by side with the one I love is priceless. We are Blogging the story of our "Change of Life, Bus, Event" Here is the link; http://singinglandcruiser.blogspot.com/ . We have sold our house and hitting the road. All the Best, M&C

It's funny that sometimes it takes someone to ask a question out of the Blue for you to realize just how happy you are!

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

Bathroom Tile Grout (michael)

Bathroom Tile Grout

Dad is at it again! Randy Smith came back to finish the bathroom tile job. He bought a big bag of goodies for Mrs. Jones (the Bus), IE: sand colored grout, sealer along with all the tools to do the job. I have to say" They don't make them like him anymore". He dove right in and in 5hrs. he was done with the shower AND he did the floor too. He stated that he needed to have the Boss sign off on the work, So he went and got Christi. No! not me, Christi! She gave it her blessing. Then dad packed up this tools, cleaned up and refused money for the supplies he brought. I think Mrs. Jones is in love. What a guy!

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

Tiling the Shower (michael)

Tiling the Shower Today, the shower got its skin. Beautiful tile. My dear adopted dad, Randy Smith provided the laying skills and I made all the cuts. Wow, it sure looks good. Christi is grinning ear to ear. Dad says "piece of cake". I'll call him to come grout it and help me with the wood flooring. Thanks Dad.

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

Painting, Priming (michael)

Painting, Priming.

Christi started priming all the bare bead board in the bus. She used Killz 2 and we think it looks great. She will be painting the walls in off white and lite earth tones. Nice job.

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