I know it has been awhile. (michael)

Hello All, I know it has been awhile. Christi and I have been very, very busy. After building Mrs. Jones, moving out of our house, a 4,500 mile, 9 states tour, we are now in Ramona, CA managing an RV resort for Western Horizon Resorts. While we were in Blue Mesa we were offered the job. Christi and I gave it alot of thought. We love being on the road touring but the "Pass the Hat" plan for our shows could not support the tour. So we took the job. We started on Sept. 21st, 09 and boy are we knee deep in it now. Well, we have done all kinds of jobs in our life time but nothing like this. This is like running a small city. Christi is the General Manager and runs the admin. side of things and is responsable for everything. I am a co-manager and deal with the resort systems and grounds. Thank goodness we have a great staff here to help us. With all this we are still doing shows within 100 miles of here. Every day we learn and then we learn that we need to learn more. One plus is that our son Jared can come down to see us on the weekends. All in all we are having a great time. All the Best, Michael & Christi See our other Blog;http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/

I'm a lazy Man (michael)

I'm a lazy Man

What happens when you get on the road? One seems to fall into a routine of sorts. At home, everything is in place. You know all your surroundings. You have your perma-list of responsibilities and you do the grind without hesitation. The Blah Blah everyday life engulfs you.

But something happens when you hit the road. Things change. The fresh and new sights and sounds stir the adventurer in you. Everything changes. Your senses tune in to a new environment, new people and you have to explore.

I found there are not enough hours in the day. By the time we walk, fish, eat, play poker, golf, sing, shop, meet & greet, show off Mrs. Jones and a hundred other things, it's time for bed. That "honey do" list keeps getting longer and longer and I just get more lazy by the day.

I think it's just that we don't want to miss anything. Why work today when you can put it off until tomorrow? I guess we just joined the procrastinators club.

So what's so bad about that anyway? Why did we hit the road in the 1st place? We wanted to see the great USA and take in all its' wonder. Putting a couple of things off for awhile is not going to hurt anybody! We need some time off.

Then I ask myself," How long is too long?" I don't know. The new has to wear off sometime, right! This can't go on forever. I'm sure boredom is just around the next corner. Then I'll get busy. Yea, that's the ticket, I'll do it then. I'm not lazy at all......Right?

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

Jack and Bea Good (Christi)

Jack And Bea Good (Christi) We've fallen behind in our blogging since we haven't had internet access for about a week. Our experience this past few days, and lack of TV, has inspired me to sit down and blog. We spent the last three days in Denver with our dear friends Jack and Bea Good. (I love her name.) Michael has known them for many years. I've only visited with them about three times in the last five years. The story of Jack and Bea's friendship with Michael started many years ago when Michael was working as the general contractor for Western Horizon Resorts. Michael was working up on a roof and singing, as he often does. A lady came by with her little blind dog and stood listening. When he finished the song he was singing, she asked him if he knew anything by Ray Price. He did and started singing again. This went on for a quite some time. After awhile, the lady said she was on her way to the ice cream social, but if it was OK she would come back later and bring some of her friends to hear him sing. Well, what could he say? Before long she was talking to the Activities Director and he was doing shows in the clubhouse. The Michael Hargis Show was born, thanks to mama Bea Good. I met Jack and Bea about 5 years ago in Puerto Penasco, Mexico. Michael and I had been married only a short time and there was a whole group of his friends meeting down there, so we joined them. We only stayed a few days but had a great time. If you watch Michael and Bea together, you see their connection clearly. These are two souls who love each other dearly. Jack calls it their love affair. She's his biggest fan and he adores her. We learned at this time that Bea had just been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Since then we have seen them twice and have witnessed the slow destructiveness of this disease. We just spent three days with them in Denver. Bea's face lit up when Michael walked into the room and he told her he was going to do a show in her honor. She still tells how she got him that job singing at Blue Mesa so many years ago. As I spent some time with her while Michael and Jack ran errands, I realized how far advanced the disease had gotten since we last saw them. We talked about her grown children as if they were still running around the house making a mess with their toys. She told me about people and places and things that must have happened thirty or forty years ago, but to her it was yesterday. At times she just seems to stare into space. Michael's show was at Jack and Bea's church. We didn't know what to expect, we've never done a show in the part of the church where they actually hold services. Jack wasn't sure if anyone would even show up. About 60 people attended, many of them walking up to Bea, giving her hugs and reintroducing themselves. It truly was a sight to behold. Michael dedicated every song to her, which got pretty funny after awhile. The show was mostly upbeat and at times thoughtful. It spoke to the heart. From where I ran the music, I was able to see Bea's smiles. As I watched Jack lovingly care for Bea, I can't imagine what it must be like to watch the woman he has spent 58 years of his life with just slip away. He takes care of her day in and day out by himself and worries that if he had to put her in a home, it would kill her. That kind of love is rare these days. When you look at the big picture and see what millions of people like Jack and Bea deal with everyday, you realize that truly, you just can't sweat the small stuff. It really is small stuff. No TV? No internet? So what! Michael and I have each other and we are both in good health. We are travelling in the bus we built together. We are seeing beautiful places and Michael is singing and making people smile; if just for an hour. We are visiting old friends and making new ones. We are truly blessed for all that we have and for knowing Jack and Bea Good. We love you Jack and Bea. All the best and don't sweat the small stuff, Michael & Christi See our other Blog;http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/

The "Must Have Tool Kit" for a bus (michael)

I was on the the MAK bus conversion site on-line, Chating and we starting talking about tools. I realized I didn't have a clue as to what should be in a bus tool box. So this AM I posted the question and bam! The respounces started coming in and still coming. So I will up-date this post as needed. Here is the question; What is your "Must have" Over The Road Tool Kit? We are converting our 1987 MCI 102A3 and would like to know what tools you would have on board? We will be on tour for aprox. 2 years+. And where do you stow them? PIC"S PLEASE. We will be making a list. The LIST:Coach-Net road service and a high-limit Visa card. Everything else is optional.Sean Two full sets of combination wrenches from 3/8 to 1-1/4. 1/4, 3/8 & 1/2" socket sets in English 3/8" drive metric sockets, 50' of air hose with tire chucks and a blow nozzle, Multimeter, wiring pliers, side cutters, vice grips, water pump, pliers, needle nose pliers, forceps, Drawer full of screwdrivers from jewellers' to really big, Hot glue gun, soldering kits, hammers, 3/8 cordless drill & a complete drill index, 3/4" drive socket set, 1" impact with tire sockets to fit the bus, 1" breaker bar with a 4 foot snipe, 2 x 20 ton bottle jacks, a variety of C-clamps, staple gun, caulking gun, electronic leak detector, Cat 5 cable tester, 2 really big (like 14") Crescent wrenches, Oil and fuel filter wrenches, 2 1/2 gallon yellow diesel can, filled, crimper and a selection of crimp-on electrical terminals, 5-tool combo kits, (the kit came with a drill, sabre saw, reciprocating saw, mini circular saw, chain saw, and flashlight, right-angle drill, Jack stands & cribbing, big channel locks, A/C guages, Magnifying glass, dremel tool, bullseye glass repair kits, hacksaw, butane torch, step ladder, those little stretchy numbers with the round ball on the end (?), And as we discussed last night, that most versatile tool of all --- the IR thermometer, utility knife, hammer, handheld grinder, heat gun, 5 foot folding ladder also stows under a bunk bed inside, I carry a parts drawer set of various lamps ( marker, turn sig etc), peumatic connectors, Tee's, valves, of various sizes,DOT tubing, 6 amp 12V battery charger, Don't forget the duck tape! (DreamscapeEagle) LOL, up-dates to come. Now I know what to get the bus for X-Mass. All the Best, Michael & Christi See our other Blog;http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/

Laundromat Blues (christi)

Laundromat Blues So here I sit at the local laundromat/carwash combo in Tombstone, Arizona. I found a tablet of neon pink paper in my Jeep console, to record this moment in time. I didn't expect to find myself here for at least two more months. But let me explain my dilemma. (Those of the male persuasion may find this terribly boring, so consider yourself warned.) There I was crunching on my usual breakfast of yogurt and homemade granola, when I noticed a strange smell. Kind of a cross between burning rubber and an electrical malfunction. I actually stopped in mid-sentence (no comments from the men that are still reading, please) and said, "What is that smell?" Before I could get the whole thought out, Michael was flying off the barstool, headed for the washing machine, which was billowing smoke. OK, maybe not billowing but the room was filling with smoke. As Michael unplugged the smoking beast, I opened windows and doors to clear the air of the stench. Fortunately it's a warm Spring morning, so we didn't have to choke and freeze at the same time. It's not like we weren't warned. The washer has been making a loud roaring sound for the last two weeks during the spin cycle. But with bus obsession and all, we just ignored it. I just hoped it could hold out a couple more months. I needed that time to acquire the appropriate laundromat attitude. The laundromat is the only thing I can think of that I don't look forward to about going on the road. I just want to throw in a load of clothes and get on with the other chores of the day. The laudromat requires sorting, packing and loading the laundry into the car. Gathering hangers, detergent and softener. Then there's the quarters. I have actually started saving quarters for our tour. You never can trust the change machines. And you have to have reading material or something else to keep you from the boredom that comes with waiting for the rinse cycle. There's also the other issues: packing 6 loads of laundry into the back of the Jeep, only to get there and have all the machines full with a line of people waiting OR have all the machines full, but no one there to extract their clean clothes. Now, I have been guilty a time or two of that one, but it's still annoying! Basically, it's just the inconvenience of it all. I know, put on my big girl panties and deal with it. And I will. I just wanted some attitude adjustment time. Instead, I was thrown headlong into the laundromat blues. I was lucky today, I was the only one there. And for the next couple of months, I only have to wash the clothes there. I still have a working electric dryer and my favorite solar dryer, commonly known as the clothesline. I'm really going to miss that. I actually find it very relaxing to hang out the clothes and there's nothing like the smell of clothes hung out in our clean Arizona air. I know, corny. But now that I have been thrust into the laundromat life once again, I will accept it with grace, and patience and a good book. Maybe even a glass of wine. After all, it's five-o'clock somewhere. All the Best, Michael & Christi See our other Blog;http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/

Refrigerator, Freebie. Well, almost. (michael)

Refrigerator, Freebie. Well, almost. We got a call from our dear friends Doc and Mary Roach. They asked if we could pick up some appliances from their rental house 30 miles away. We said we could. Then he came back with, "OK, then you can have the refrigerator for the bus." Say What! And you can have the oak cabinet island. $$$CHA-CHING!!! They are just the right color that Christi wants in her kitchen. Another check off my list. The refrigerator will fit through the side window. Not bad for a half days work. We are going to need 4 strong men and a small boy to do it. Lol.

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

Ramp Framing (michael)

Ramp Framing

Its been covered over long enough. Honey picked me up some 2X4's, so I had to use them. I ripped one down to 2X2's. Using big self-tapping screws we fastened the 2X2's to the metal floor supports. We added a 1X6 as a kicker to the front transition/step. 2X4 supports were added every 24 inches. Then 1/2 inch OSB decking affixed with 1.1/2 inch wood screws. Done! Flooring next. All the Best, Michael & Christi See our other Blog;http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/

New Hinge for the Battery Door (michael)

New Hinge for the Battery Door The battery door hinge had the original rubber hinge on it that had failed. I asked around for a new hinge but thought to myself. Hey, I got parts. I looked through the ever growing pile and, Eureka! Stainless hinge. Found it on one of the inside storage compartment doors. I drilled out the rivets. Salvage! I removed the old hinge hardware rivets with a grinder. When I put the door in place we found there was a 3/4-inch gap/void between the top of the door and the frame. We have a piece of angle iron. I have an old bed frame in the garage that should do the trick. We cut it to size and screwed it in place. Then we set the door in place, marked and pre-drilled the fastner holes. Set the door in place and wedge it up to the correct plane. We then applied screws. Wow, thats nice. No more tape holding the door on.

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

"O"nan Geney (michael)

"O"nan Geney An oldie but goodie. This two cylinder job was a gift from the Hendersons here in Tombstone, AZ. It is going striaght to the shop to be re-built. Here is all the power we will ever need. Phil is going to re-build it.

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

Tile, floor (michael)

Tile, bathroom floor. We prep'ed the the perma Base by making sure all screws were counter sunk then we swept the surface clean. We applied Type 1 mastic to the base with a 1/4 inch V grove trowel. We set all full tiles and let dry for 24 hours. Then, using a diamond wet tile saw, we cut all the remaining pieces and set them. We will let the floor dry for 1 week then grout. Next, the shower.

All the Best, Michael & Christi

See our other Blog;http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/

Bathroom Sub-Floor (michael)

Bathroom Sub-Floor

First, place the toilet in the area you want to mount it. Draw an outline of it on the floor. Then look to see that the area is clear of any supports or obstructions under the floor. Then check to see if you have a straight line from the toilet to the black water holding tank. Drill a pilot hole into the floor and re-check. The toilet requires a minimin of a 3-inch waste pipe. Using a 3-1/2 inch hole saw and a strong drill motor, cut your hole. We found this used toilet at the local thrift store. Now we will prep for the tile by decking the floor with 1/2 inch hardiboard. This will be glued with PL400 construction adhesive and screwed in place. We are ready for tile. All the Best, Michael & Christi See our other Blog; http://michaelhargisshow.blogspot.com/

Electrical Wiring, AC (michael)

Electrical Wiring, AC

I started installing the the wiring. It is pretty standard, 20 amp to the ref, micro and the roof air conditioners. 15 amp to all the other receptacles and light switches. Romex 12/2 and 14/2 was used. We will putting the roof airs over the roof exits. We drilled then reamed holes in the frame, set rubber grommets and strung the 12/2 romex. In the Bays, We drilled and added plastic grommets. More as we do it.

All the Best, Michael & Christi Please Comment Below

The Pooper (michael)

The Pooper.

Pooper, Pooper, what to do with the Pooper?

I went to the Net. That is always the 1st step to my research. Most of the time you can find the answer you are looking for in the archives. Sometimes you have to post your question on the Boards and wait for the answer. This topic had a lot of information on it. It told me that it was a long, hard and dirty job. Can we remove the pooper, "yes". But, with all the other things to do, we will leave it for now. We can still use the space though. It will be our walk in closet. I removed the door, handles, the "I'm in here" light and the seat cover. I took a piece of sheet aluminum salvaged from the upper storage compartments. This sheet will be caulked over the hole. The tank is clean but we will put in a small amount of bleach and rinse. Now, Christi can design her walk-in closet. Honey has closet, will travel.

All the Best, Michael & Christi Please Comment Below

Electrical System (michael)

Electrical System I got a call from the thrift store here in Tombstone that they got in some trailer parts, so off I go. Wow, I found some good stuff. One of the things is a 50amp breaker box with a long pig tail. Score! Now, where do I mount it? I search the MAK board, looked around the inside and outside and settled for the driver side back bay mounted on the rear wall. I attached it to the wall with 1/2-inch self-tapping screws. I will run a ground to the frame when I run and mount the wire. All the Best, Michael & Christi Please Comment Below

Plumbing, Shower (michael)

Plumbing, The Shower. We picked a single handle, anti-scald, Moen fixture. It has a nice clean look and is easy to install. Just follow the instructions and you will do fine. If you are not comfortable with plumbing, call a plumber. You don't want this to leak. You will have to rip the wall out to fix it. Not fun! I used 1/2 inch PVC, because we had it. Short runs don't expand and contract like long runs. The long runs, 8' or more, tend to pull apart when using the recommended primer and clear glue. Mostly on the hot water supply line. I found that you can use PVC pipe for both hot and cold supply lines if you use the purple primer and the dark purple HOT glue and let dry for 48 hours. Now, that's for short runs only. Less than 7'. I ran the lines down through the wall plate and floor into the storage compartment. I left them long and will cut them to suit later. Next, plumb the toilet.

All the Best, Michael & Christi Please Comment Below

IS IT HOME YET? (christi)

IS IT HOME YET? (Christi) I've been spending the last couple of days going through stuff. Right now I'm working on our tool trailer. It stores everything we need for the construction business. Needless to say, it's a mess. I know there are neat, organized men out there. My wonderful man is not one of them. His idea of cleaning up a job site is putting everything; tools, half empty caulk tubes and leftover hardware all in one coffee can or nail bucket. Then, if I'm lucky, that container will make it (barely), to just inside the doorway of the tool trailer. That's where I come in. Well, if I ever want to find those parts again. So, the biggest part of this cleaning and sorting project was finding at least 7 of these potluck containers. (I know, I better get used to potlucks.) I was actually surprised that I only had a handful of, "Honey, what is this and can we toss it?" Five years ago, me in a hardware store was like Michael in Victoria's Secret. I've come a long way, baby. But that's another blog. Anyway, as I was sorting and tossing, I heard a lot of sawing and screwing. (Get your mind out of the gutter.) I went to take a peek. Wow! I can see us living here. The walls are defining our living space. It reminds me of when we're building a house. The owners always have the same reaction. The foundation/slab looks small. Then as we start framing walls, it looks bigger and the 'wow factor' kicks in. Then the drywall makes it look smaller again. And as the paint and finishing touches go in, they see their home. As with them, I stand in our compact 40 x 8 foot space and see our place, our space, our home. We're building this for us, for our adventure. The building of it is an adventure in itself. Michael is finding himself in somewhat unfamiliar territory. He finds that he has jumped the gun now and then, and will have to back-track a little, or do something 'after the fact' that will make it a little more difficult than it might have been. Yet, he keeps moving forward, undaunted. I find myself once again amazed at his diligence and patience. Two qualities I lack miserably. I see my man working hard to fulfill his dream to go on the road again and I fall in love with him all over again. Honey, is it home yet? All the Best, Michael & Christi Please Comment Below

The Shower (michael)

The Shower. First. check that there are no supports or cables under were you will be cutting the drain and supply lines. We framed for a 3' x 3' deep well shower and YES, I had to move it over 1 1/2 inches due to a cable! Placed the pan and marked the drain. Moved the pan and cut a 3" hole for the 2" drain pipe. Install the brass drain to the pan, then set the pan. We will be tiling the walls so we affix Dura-rock to the walls up to the ceiling. Set the regulator and shower head. Ready for tile.

All the Best, Michael & Christi Please Comment Below

The BUS Forum (michael)

The BUS Forum. There are lots of forums on the web now. Everything from sewing to sex. If you have an interest, there is a 95% chance you can find somebody talking about it in a forum. If you have read any of our posts, you will see we have a "new to us" bus. I needed to find some information about it. So I went surfing and found some website with good stuff on it. Yea, it was ok, but I needed more. I needed to ask some real questions. Some hard questions. I needed to find the experts. Not just expert sites. I needed to find the guys that wrote that stuff. That good stuff about my bus. As I wrote before, converting is not for the faint of heart. Its down right tough. You must have passion for your bus. I needed to find the people with that same passion. I FOUND THEM! MAK Publishing Bus and Coach Conversions Bulletin Board. Here is the link: http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php Now don't be afraid. When you fill out your request to join, you will get an e-mail that sounds like an armored 10' tall guard at the iron gates shouting, "Who goes there and what do you want here?" Just answer the questions and you will receive your welcome, link and password. You will find that the cold, stern e-mail voice is in reality a kind, knowledgeable and helpful expert that is ready, willing and able to help you. And not just him. There is a whole team of bus fanatics that can't wait to get involved in what ever question you present. I have only been at MAK for 2-3 weeks, but I have been posting, polling, commenting, helping, asking, chatting and making lots of new friends. I am having a blast. So, if you have a bus or are thinking about getting a bus, come on over and sit a spell. Get comfortable. Have some fun, ask some questions and watch the experts work miracles on a daily basis. But, I must warn you! This is addictive. All the Best, Michael & Christi Please Comment Below

The Best of Both Worlds (michael)

The Best of both Worlds. I have been in the RV Community since 1994. My 1st RV was a 1973 Kayot 22/24 class A. What a piece of..... I loved that old wreak. It was my ticket to freedom. Through the years I up graded. A nice Terry travel trailer. Then to a Bounder and the last one was a class A Gulf Stream. I bought a membership and went to all pot lucks, outings and Mexican train get togethers. I have always dreamed of owning a bus. A real bus. But buses are for the rich. Right! They would never except people like us into their world. Not we are bad people, we are quite good acutely. But the bus people live on lakes and golf courses.Right? Now, we are still the same people only now we own a bus. a nice bus. A MCI Tour bus and we are getting to know the bus people. We are finding out that the bus people and the RV people are the same people. They are helpful, friendly and kind. Turns out, we have always been a part of this great big family. Who knew? "Honey? were gonna need another happy hour".

All the Best, Michael & Christi Please Comment Below

Who's your Phil? (michael)

Who's your Phil? After reading more and more on-line about buses, I started to swim in doubt. Just as most, if not, all of you other bus nuts did. I stepped back and looked at this thing in the driveway, ripped apart, sub-project after sub-project opened and scattered about the yard. A grand vehicle that I drove home under its own power only 4 weeks ago now calls to me in my waking hours and in my dreams, "fix me, complete me, take me for a ride". Now I build houses in 3 to 6 months. Remodels in less time than that. Why does this seem so different? So alien? I am doing the same thing. Approaching the project in the same "git'er done" game plan. Then I start to question myself. "Can I do this?" What do I mean? I have to do this! "O, STOP IT"! I know what I need, I'm going to call Phil. You see, we've got a time constraint on our hands. We have to be in a bus, in Blue Mesa, CO for July 4th weekend for a 3 show stand. I need Phil. Phil will get me back in the groove. He knows everything. Phil will show me the way, give me the straight path to go on. But, how will we pay Phil? I don't have the funds for expert help. Ahhh, my old friend barter. Hey Phil, what do you need? How about this and you help me with this? Deal. Wow, Phil came over yesterday and started removing the air conditioning system. I started hearing the old Mighty Mouse song, "Here I come to save the day". Phil took charge. Get this. Cut that. Bring this over to that. I was safe again. Things are moving along at warp speed again. My thinking is back on track. I think we all need a Phil around from time to time. But I don't think Phil knows just how much we need him. Not just his expertise. We need his great attitude and hard charging "lets get it done" and "you can do it" ways. He puts it all back in perspective. I can do this! So, what's your "Phil's" name? Grumpy? Nick? Tom, Dick or Harry? The point is," WE NEED OUR PHILS!" To teach us. To show us the way through the dark. To show us how to become a Phil for someone else. So all you Phil's out there, the next time you get that stupid question, that call in the middle of a rainy night, remember you're the hero now, the go-to guy. When all is wrong in the world, only you, in our eyes, can make it right. And one day we will take that torch and carry it proudly in your honor. Thank you Phil for how you are and all that you do. All the Best, Michael & Christi Please Comment Below