Yesterday the temps never got out of the teens and the wind never got out of the twenties. Basically, we couldn’t even step foot outside of the bus. I can’t even explain how over cold weather we are. I honestly wouldn’t care one bit if we never saw snow or the word windchill again. People that choose to live in this have some bad wiring in their brains. Yes, that includes our families.
We stopped at a motel again for the night. Lots of people have chimed in with ideas for heating the bus, but the point isn’t that we can’t figure out how to heat the inside of the bus, it’s that we can’t heat the outdoors. We left a big propane heater behind after all. We don’t want the kids first experience camping/sleeping in the bus to be one of huddling inside, unable to go out and play, ride bikes, whatever. Man, do I hate being cold.
Anyway, things were looking up first thing this morning with the sun shining and temps climbing. We hit the motel pool one last time and were on the road. A while later, while passing through Muscatine, Iowa, we realized that there was no more snow on the ground. We’d passed through the Arctic Circle at last.
The fun thing about driving around in fifty year old vehicles is that everywhere you go people want to talk about them. Not a gas station stop goes by without a quick chat. While waiting at railroad crossings. Basically any time the bus isn’t in motion. The other day a guy came up to chat. He had one tooth, literally, but he couldn’t hide his smile.
“What year is that, sixty four, five?”
“Six.”
“Hot damn, my buddy had one of these. We used to drive it out to the desert pulling a trailer full of dirt bikes. Damn did we raise some hell.” Something for which I had no doubt by the looks of this character.
His eyes glazed over a bit as his mind drifted off on some memory.
He snapped back to the present. “Hell, I’m sixty-five now myself, those days are past, but I’ll be damned if we didn’t raise some hell in that thing.” And with that he turned and walked away.
I feel sort of bad for blasting right on through Iowa without making a single historical or tourist stop, but it is March. I don’t think I can be faulted for that. We got lost in the megalopolis of Davenport, Iowa. Maybe megalopolis isn’t the right word—tiny city is more accurate. So far in my life I have refused to bow to the pressures of the $99 GPS with turn-by-turn directions spit out to me by some faceless lady. I hold steadfast to my Rand McNally. But even Rand can’t be expected to detail Davenport, Iowa.
We actually spent most of the day on roads I had no intention of being on. I pretty much just picked whichever one had a capital S next to its number. I think we passed over the Mississippi six times. Which I enjoyed simply because I was able to use my Clark Griswold voice so many times. “The ol’ man, the ol’ miss. Deeeeeeep River…” Greatest movie of all time. If you don’t know it then I must ask you to leave now.
Hannibal, Missouri, is where we’ve put down our stake tonight. Our first campground in the bus. The kids first night. There has been a lot of build-up to this moment. We’ve been telling the kids for three months now that this was going to be our new home, and now it finally feels like it.
The kids tore up the playground for a while, had some dinner, and then happily got into their pajamas. Fifteen minutes later, after a couple of books and my sleep-inducing rendition of Please Come to Boston, they were asleep. Perfection.
As for the bus, it’s been great. The alternator is working as it should now. I managed to find that the bug screen on the front of the bus was missing three out of four screws before it went flying off down the road. The toilet is now operational (which isn’t saying much considering it is basically just a pit toilet). And tomorrow morning for the first time we should be able to fill the water tanks and see if we can wash our hands in the sink. Wouldn’t that be something? It’s all gravy after that.
43 Comments on “Warming Up Slowly”
Idyllic, just amazingly idyllic.
Y’all just got a knack for this….
Come back to the Sacramento delta, where you started with the boat! It was 79 degrees here Sunday, and there are plenty of empty RV parks. If you don’t like the water, go to the Santa Cruz area and park in the redwoods. I did that, on my short attempt at RV’ing.
Hey Guys. My family & I would like to wish you the best of luck on your new journey. We have been following you since Lowe was born. Pat your words have been a big inspiration to me personally. This may be a bit off key, but my wife an I are both 40 years old and extremely successful with 3 beautiful children. We own several companies and we deal with abnormal stresses on a daily basis, all self inflicted of course. We are millionaires in the sense of finance but yet admire more about what you guys do than what we are currently doing. I just wanted to reach out and let you know that although we are lurker in a sense, we are living vicariously through your lives. You guys truly have the lives that we want!
THANK YOU!
Wow, Ant! What a thought-provoking comment. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Ant. It’s sometimes nice to hear that reassurance. And hey, if this is what you really want, make it happen. You only get one shot at life.
Glad to see you are back on the road again. Have been following your trip for many years. Keep safe.
Aloha, guys!
Boy can I relate to you being done with cold. I’ll never forget taking Byron back to the Bay Area for the first time one Thanksgiving and having him pick at his polarfleece sleeves as if they were some alien being. It then occured to us he’d never worn long sleeves before. Here we were,like you, where we grew up and it was freezing. This may sound absurd to Minnesotans, and to the Canadians who spend the winter in what they consider the balmy Bat Area, but I realized I was done with cold forever. Like, done. What do I miss? The mountains in winter. If I could go skiing and have the snow stop at the edge of the ski area, I’d be in ecstasy. But that’s it. Nothing else. A good Canadian friend of mine puts it well: Yeah, I’ll leave Maui sometime. In a box. Happy travels down to the warmer climes!! :-).
Mark, your desire for ski slopes where the snow stops can be found in the mountains of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.
Pat and Family, Congrats on the new adventure and thanks for showing all of us lurkers that there are still hopes of our dreams coming true if we want them badly enough. 🙂
I want to be 5 again, and have you guys adopt me ! wishing you happy & safe tavels
Oh Christ, that’s just what we need—a five-year-old. 🙂
Dude, you guys are true AMERICAN’s regardless of the kids birth vert’s, hats off to you and crew as always…. someday…. beers and Juice boxes on us…….. Eric in KCMO
Sorry we haven’t commented in a while… So, is it Mexico again? hmm… if I were a betting man:-) no, don’t tell me… have fun!
We shall see, my friends.
So glad to see you are on the road! I too am soooo over winter (I’m in Chicago). My husband and I are leaving in the fall to start our multi-year trip on motorcycles, so following you guys helps to preserve my sanity until then 😉 Safe travels, maybe we’ll pass you on the road!
When summer rolls around, you can park in our driveway in Dillon, Colorado! GREAT hiking, biking and free concerts on the weekends!! This is our last summer before we go to live on our own boat. We also have a trampoline built in at ground level that the kids will love!! Would love to welcome you!
Sounds great. I can show you my triple twisting axle backflip too.
That I would like to see….and video!! 😀
Hey Ali and Pat, If you need a place to stop in MO you are welcome here in Pacific MO. It is just southwest of St Louis on Hwy 44. It would be great to see you again and meet the kiddos. Easy parking with electricity available. Barbara Stanfill, mom to Brian Stanfill
What did I miss? How did you end up in MO? We flew right on past you today. But we’ll take you up on that offer when the weather warms up again.
Who made the cute curtains in your bus? I’m guessing Pat’s mom…love the fabric. Bus looks great. Good luck in your travels. We’re planning to buy a used RV this spring or early summer and take off as well. I can’t wait!
No, it was actually a friend’s mom who I’ve known since I was probably five years old. She did a great job for us. Good luck on your own getaway.
Hey Pat and Ali,and FAM, your crop tour is looking like a blast, I live in Florida just out side of Orlando,and if y’all come to the sunshine state you are welcome to drop by and have a swim and a BBQ. There is lots of room here as well to park the bus.just a thought. Good luck! Darren
“Yes I think it can be easily done. Just take everything down to Hwy 61.”
When does Ali get to drive the bus??
Whenever she wants. Me and the kids will wait in the parking lot. 🙂
(Adding a smiley face at the end of sentences like those makes it okay.)
Whats on the roof? It looks like you’ve got some stuff tied up there…
That’s our optimism up there. Solar panels and surfboards.
If you had a “Like” button, I would have clicked it! 🙂
We are so excited to see you guys on the road. We are from St Louis and would love to see that bus go by the Arch!
But right now we are in Lima so if you would please just keep driving south and the ship the bus around the Darien – then drive south some more – we would love to meet you guys!
My wife’s family is from Pisco Peru and I think you know that town a bit too well.
Go Bums Go!!!!
LOVE the curtain fabric Ali!!!! 83 in North Texas!
The adventure begins!
Making a run to the sun – very exciting to ride along via cyberspace.
Totally agree about the snow and cold. Who thought up that Christmas/snowman/winter wonderland thing?! Heads will roll! Stop by anytime you want on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, plenty of parking and we have a guest cottage.
Thanks Bob, we’ll gladly take you up on that if we make it up that way.
Oh, we’re also on the Wye River so we can go sailing and eat some crabs. Whenever!
Way to go guys! We look forward to reading new adventures!
Come on down and visit us in sunny Sarasota Fl!
After growing up in Mo., I don’t miss the cold and snow at all. Our kid is rockin’ shorts and sandles to school!
I can tell you are having fun. Your blog is funny.
We just toured Copper Canyon in the great state of Chihuahua. Great roads and I think it would be good fun in the motor home. Saw a couple rv parks in our travels but we were on the train for most of it so there could be even more.
Heading back to the boat now and then north to the Sea. If you bomb on down here, would love to meet up. Heading back to Seattle via Hawaii end of May.
Best,
Marcus
The interior shot of waiting at the railroad crossing is my favorite. Way to capture the moment!
Thank you for putting up pictures of the bus interior. I love to see how you guys have transformed it! The kid beds are awesome. I have four littles of my own, so its fun to see how others travel with kids. This is something I want to do, but you know how excuses are. 🙂 Do you and Ali sleep on the couch, I assume it folds down? Can’t wait to see what your family discovers.
I can’t see seat belts for the adults or car seats for the kids?!!! What’s with that?!
Been watching you for years. Hope to get rid of possessions and hit the road. What do you do about health insurance……? Love the photography……safe travels
Health Insurance? We go to Mexico. 🙂
OK, so I’ve been reading through your blog and watching the kids growing up. What changes! I came to your site through the “Gone with the Wynns” site. As I’ve read I’ve come to feel as though I know you, some, so when I saw the curtains I laughed out loud. They were exactly what I would have expected you to choose! They are exactly what I would love. They were a perfect blend of retro and modern with a little whimsey thrown in for the kids and the kids in you two!
Thanks so much for sharing yourselves with all of us. How gracious!