There just isn’t a whole lot going on around here right now. It sort of feels like we now live here and are suburban parents. Ouest is going to a reading class each day, and while she is there I work next door in the Starbucks, which is about as All-American suburban dad as you can get these days. Meanwhile Ali and Lowe are off driving to Target to get cat litter and groceries for dinner that night. But hey, it’s mid-July and I’d just as soon be here hanging with family as I would be out fighting for reservations weeks in advance at the National Parks.
Come on frog, you can trust me. I’m a four-year-old boy.
Ouest has now talked to Grammy on the phone more times than I have in the past couple of years. It’s so nice having somebody in the family willing to talk on a phone.
Installing the driver’s side gas tank. The custom made tank straps did not actually fit, so I had to do some Bumfuzzle style adjustments that included new holes, ten inch bolts, and many washers. But it’s up there, and it isn’t going anywhere, and we’ve just doubled our fuel capacity from 18 to 36 gallons. At 14.2 mpg, that’s a hefty 510 miles. We haven’t had range like that since the catamaran days.
Lowe asked me for a quarter. Actually Ouest asked him for a quarter to buy something from her “store.” I gave him a penny and he took it back to her. A minute later he was back, explaining to me that that was a penny, not a quarter. Ouest needs a quarter.
Some things never change.
The rack is on—a long-time Bum friend who works for the company hooked us up nicely, and with no strings attached. Only a few finishing touches remain, including the big one, putting the tent up there. However, we’re waiting a few days before we do that. If you look closely you can see that the truck sinks about three inches from front to rear. The suspension is pretty well shot. So we’re getting that fixed up in a few days, which will lift that rear end back up, and also make it capable of handling a 210 pound tent, a cargo area full of gear, and the four of us.
The only hose I didn’t replace was the filler neck. Mainly because it looked as if it would be a major pain in the butt. When I tried to fill up the tank the gas just went pouring out onto the ground and it became pretty clear I wasn’t going to get off the hook so easily. I had to drill out four bolts, but in the end it wasn’t too difficult, and we now have—officially—two tanks. Now I need to change out the filler hose on the other side. It leaks too.
We sort of become homebodies when we visit family. We find it really easy to slip into the mentality that everything seems like it’ll require too much effort. We become rather uninspired, and uninspiring. Today we broke out a bit and took the kids to the beach. We are in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, after all. It was fun enough, but man, lakes are no replacement for ocean, that’s for sure.
49 Comments on “International Outfitting”
Wow, I have only been to lake Michigan so really don’t know, but it made the pacific feel like a warm bathtub. Tough kids you got.
I guess with the roofrack your mpg will decrease further. And the weight of two full fuel tanks will reduce it again. Please don’t be annoyed by this European’s question, but seriously, How do you feel about the amount of fuel your travels will use in this vehicle which doesn’t even provide overnight accommodation?
It will use less fuel than heating and cooling a typical 3000 square foot suburban house and hauling the kids to soccer practice and the mall in a Prius. It appears to me that the Bums have a pretty small carbon footprint compared to the average family, even though they drive some fuel hogs.
Well, there are worldwide averages, as well as US averages. I live in England in a small terraced house with very small fuel bills, but my transport, a 2003 VW T4 campervan which has done 294,000 miles, manages 40-42mpg and a tank full of diesel will take me 720 miles, but then are US liquid gallons the same as UK gallons?
I’m fairly happy with our family’s footprint. In the past 16 years (from the time we moved to Chicago to now) we’ve driven 130,000 miles. That’s 8,125 miles per year. I’m already overestimating, but I’ll still go ahead and round it up to 9,000 miles per year. We’ve motored a boat maybe 20,000 miles. You’ve driven your VW 22,600 miles per year. So apparently the European mentality is that if you get better mileage you can just drive as much as you want. This despite the fact that the UK is 2.5% the size of the U.S.
We lived in Chicago three blocks from work for three and a half years. We’ve lived 100% off-grid at least 5 years in total. We’ve bunked up with family another year. And we’ve lived in tiny spaces, buying and consuming as little as we can for 16 years. We’ve owned a handful of computers, no televisions, and no phones. We wear our clothes until they’ve got holes in them or until our flip flops blow out. We’ve bought our food from local markets hundreds upon hundreds of times.
We could spend all day defending our carbon footprint, but there will always be someone more green to claim their own superiority. Just look, you’ve got a home, and you drive a crap ton of miles, but yet you still claim you’re superior.
And hey, I did just mention in this post, and others before it, that we’re putting a roof top tent on the roof, so it will have overnight accommodation as well.
You need to add a like button to the next iteration of the blog. This reply was fantastic!
Yours is my favourite blog and I several times a year I do, and will continue to, recommend it to Facebook friends and others, but I think you’re too sensitive at times to what might seem to you like criticism. I don’t think I have claimed any sort of superiority, other than better mpg – no other sort of superiority at all. But I will make again the point that was missed, or ignored, that we all live on one planet and comparisons in which US or UK footprints are considered in isolation while excluding those of other very much less greedy nations, are of questionable validity. And the fact remains, you could have chosen a similarly sized but very very very much more efficient vehicle than you did, but you chose not to.
And I notice someone referred to an average 3000 sq ft house, but ours is less than half of that. Oh, and the diet, that’s vegan, so no-one’s demolishing rainforests to grow food to feed to animals we have no need to eat, nor to exploit in any way. This is by far and a way the most effective way for anyone to reduce their carbon footprint, so much so that personal transport becomes almost irrelevant by comparison.
I think the superiority I felt you were implying came from asking me not to be annoyed by “this European’s question.” I felt the simple fact that you felt the need to qualify yourself as a European, as opposed to simply a citizen of the planet, sort of stunk of superiority.
Fact is, I’m not annoyed by this question. We feel we do a pretty good job overall. We could choose a minivan similar to yours, but for me, that would eliminate the adventurous and exciting spirit of this family adventure. It would eliminate thousands of interactions with locals that we have simply because our vehicles are so unique. So, while this may very well contribute to a larger carbon footprint for our travels, it’s a trade I’m willing to make.
Anyway, I’m not annoyed, or mad, or sensitive, I am happy with where we are at, and hope that everyone else can feel the same way about their own carbon footprint.
Great response again. I would also add that by keeping an older vehicle on the road and in service you are doing far better from a carbon footprint perspective than a newer vehicle with better gas mileage. Gas mileage is important, but so is the massive energy and natural resources required to build a vehicle.
At first, your comment about “working at the Starbuck’s next door” had me envisioning you in a green apron making lattes but then I came to my senses and realized you were more likely just using their wifi to do some work online. Whew!
Me too! For a split second I envisioned stepping up to the counter to order only to look up & exclaim, “Bumfuzzle?!” 😉
Do you have any idea how long it would take them to train me? I have no idea the difference between a latte and a cappuccino. I seriously doubt I’d make it past the initial job interview. If I did get hired I’d promptly get fired for saying to a customer, “Seriously, you’re going to buy your four-year-old that drink? Have you heard of water?”
Plus, they’d make you shave off the stash.
To lose the ‘stache would be blasphemy.
Once again, thank you for sharing your amazing, adventurous life with all of us! Putting yourself out there is so very generous of you and your family! Cannot wait to see where you take us! Am anxious to hear all about your rooftop tent and how you chose it! Goal zero is partnering with a very cool light weight pop up type of camper that might be worth a look see?
Another bff you’ve never met…..yet
Hey Bums. It’s got to be annoying to have to defend yourselves in the carbon footprint conversation, when you are so clearly conservationists, but it could do some good, I think. Sometimes doubters just need things explained to them point-by-point. And you seem to love charts and numbers. 🙂
So is there a breakdown on your website (like you did for the dollars spent per month)? That is, exactly how much gas have you used in the past 16 years. You mentioned the miles in the comments, but there have been many vehicles with different mpg of course.
I’m sure it’s way less than the average Joe American. The way you live contributes to our world enormously.
Regards,
Beth
With respect to Miles Newman’s comment and Team Bumfuzzle’s response thereto, the panel of unbiased judges has closely considered both arguments and has rendered its verdict:
Game, set, and match. Team Bumfuzzle wins handily. Their overall environmental footprint over the past decade plus is clearly much smaller than that of one who owns both a house and an RV.
That said, the judges commend Mr. Newman for choosing a fuel efficient vehicle to use in the pursuit of his 294 thousand miles plus of on-road adventuring in countries with a highly developed transportation infrastructure. The judges further observe that Mr. Newman has compared apples to oranges and has rendered his verdict in kumquats, as the majority of the travels of Team Bumfuzzles have been in countries where road jolting would have reduced Mr. Newman’s on-road vehicle to a collection of spare parts travelling in a loose formation.
Finally, the judges find the spirit of adventure of both Team Bumfuzzle and Mr. Newman to be most commendable and they wish both parties all the best going forward.
Sincerely,
The Judges
Pat, you, Ali and the kids are idols to some of us. You do not need to defend your way of life. Some of us only wish we could just blast past that 9-5 job and head south with the top down to catch up with you guys for tacos and beer. You’re doing it right.
Not really place to debate carbon footprints… If more people lived like (Bumfuzzle), the future surely would be brighter- regardless of the vehicle being driven.
@Miles, someone that cycles everywhere could have the same debate with you. It’s a broad spectrum.
Boy, you guys are getting just mean. It’s now become intimidating for anyone to ever politely ask a question on this blog,
Hi Christine, you can always send an email instead of leaving a comment. You will get a Minnesota-nice email from me. Most of these comments are in good fun only.
We’re fulltime RVers of 5.5 years with a gasser truck that gets 7-10 MPG. When I mention that anywhere online I invariably get a similar response about our carbon footprint. People seem to gloss over us living as a family of 4 in 300 square feet for 5.5 years, staying with the weather so usually we’re not spinning AC or a furnace all day, and living a minimalistic lifestyle. It’s easy to get myopic about fuel consumption but it has to be considered in the full context of a lifestyle.
And ultimately? “He had a small carbon footprint” isn’t the epitaph I’m aiming for.
I think that the problem with most Europeans is that they do not understand the size of the US (and Australia where I live) and do not realise that to get anywhere we need to drive a lot further and in places, it is a long way between fuel stops. Last year we sailed for six months of the year and our fuel consumption for our yacht was far less than what we would have used based at home in Sydney. Take into the fact that we only connected to electricity for about 14 days (of which most was when doing work on the boat at a marine repair place), our footprint was very small.
Even though your new car uses quite a lot of fuel, as you will not be travelling far per day (based on your previous exploits), your overall usage will be quite low.
Starbucks. I’m old enough to remember when coffee was just coffee. Same with a phone.
And the older I get I find liberation is telling others whom find fault with my lifestyle to stuff it.
Carbon footprint? That kind of worry only exists in a world of luxury. People have forgotten how good they have it and have lost all sense of the true reality between needs and wants.
Bums, it’s refreshing to see people living life as they see fit without caving into the pressure to conform to the majority construct. Keep up the good living!
I like the cream color on your International. I’ve been eye-balling a 66ish Jeep Super Wagoneer as a fun minivan alternative. My wife is totally onboard if it means we can have more kiddos to fill it up. I can’t remember, do you guys nickname your various sets of wheels?
The RV was christened by the kids, “Papa’s Blue Bus.” I’m not sure how that came about. I suppose because for a couple months I was working each morning on it. “Where’s Papa?” “He’s working on the blue bus.” Thus, Papa’s Blue Bus.
The kids just gave the Travelall a name a couple weeks ago, too. “Plátano.” Came up with that one on their own as well. What’s Spanish for banana? Plátano.
As for the Wagoneer, it’s an awesome minivan alternative. I was eyeballing those trucks as well. Fill that thing up with kids.
I enjoyed Mr Newman’s comments, Bumfuzzle’s reply, Mr Rodger Morris THE JUDGE’s reply and Michael Boyink’s reply. Mr Newman, you make some good points. We North Americans do tend to live life too large compared to the entire rest of the world. But Bumfuzzle are hero’s to me and probably have the lowest carbon foot print of any North American I know. ALL of us in developed nations could probably do better but I think we should all try to encourage each other rather than as Michael Boyink so eloquently observes “It’s easy to get myopic about fuel consumption but it has to be considered in the full context of a lifestyle.” Such wise words Michael.
The judges wish to note for the record that a British Imperial Gallon is equivalent to about 1.2 USA Liquid Gallons.
Thus, 42 miles per Imperial Gallon is roughly 35 miles per USA Liquid Gallon (There is in fact a USA Dry Gallon).
That said, the judges wish to note that 35mpg is still an impressive fuel mileage for a recreational vehicle of any description. However, fuel mileage in isolation does not tell the whole story. As an example, the Pan American Highway is far, far rougher in many places than European highways.
The Team Bumfuzzle decision to drive the Pan American Highway with a 1958 Volkswagen microbus, with its ubiquitous parts and “shade tree” maintenance availability was arguably far sounder from a practical logistical standpoint than driving a 2004 diesel “caravan” with limited available parts and maintenance. This is also true of the Travco motor home, as engine, drive train, electrical system, and brake system parts for it are widely available in Mexico.
As to the assertion of the moral superiority of a Vegan diet, the judges wish to note that this is arguably a religious decision on a par with a Jain’s practice of the principle of “ahimsa”, wherein he or she wears a veil to avoid inhaling flies…
The judges hope that their comments were taken by all concerned in the lighthearted and humorous way in which they were offered.
Sincerely,
The Judges
The drama and humor of the comments section of this blog are quite entertaining. I commend you all.
Quite. I’m just glad we can all get along.
(and as a (sadly soon to be ex) European vegetarian who cycles 40 miles to work but also rips it up on a loud Harley and a 1964 vw bus, I wouldn’t know which side to take)
Thank you for the entertainment. I’m sitting here in a hospital room with my youngest daughter who is recovering from major surgery. It kind of puts the whole thing and these discussions in perspective for me for sure. Talk about an adventure! I think if we all just listen to one another, love one another and respect each others’ choices without being to judgey a little bit more, then the world would be a better place. Maybe that sounds hippy dippy, but it works for me. Thank you Bumfuzzle for all your great photos and honest dialogue. There are plenty of ways to lead a life of adventure. It sure is fun reading about your family and your perspective.
Thanks, Susie. Not hippy dippy at all. Or maybe we’re getting a little hippy dippy ourselves.
Hope all is well and your daughter recovers quickly.
Thanks Pat! She’s doing great, and came home last night much sooner than expected. She’s a tough little 8 y.o. cookie. Looking forward to following your travels in that fantastic truckster.
Glad to hear it!
I’d have no problem wearing a (figurative) green apron for short stints along the road if I were solo-ing. Book material…
I drive 2 vehicles …. 1 a small eco type 1600 cc 4 seat Daihatsu … yes it uses less petrol running round town with just me in it, but put 4 real humans and a bit of gear in it and drive a ways at highway speeds up and down hilly N.Z. and it is a thirsty pig. It has been recalled for lots of broken plastic bits in the engine bay and is horrible on tyres when loaded.
The other is an old 1993 Toyota 4×4. It uses twice the fuel and looks big/ugly/old to some…. but the fuel usage remains virtually constant loaded or unloaded, it carries 4 times the load and never breaks down. Its never been recalled to fix underengineered lightweight plastic bits either! As for carbon footprint, I honestly think the Toyo wins hands down !! It is the ultimate in recyling … 20 + yrs old and still going strong, no sign of it dying for atleast another 20 yrs, and when it does apart from the washer bottle, seats and dash trim its all 100 recyclable steel, not pertochemical using plastics. The Daihatsu on the other hand will need replacing/updating every 5-6 years and is full of horrible plastics.
Funnily enough it turns out that all the euro economy cars cant hit the fabled euro6 standard for carbon emission emissions either, look the the recent fuss with VW and Audi over their playing with the computers to fudge the result.
Honest simple old cars win every time!!! 😉
I travel in are worth T2000 with a Jeep Wrangler on the deck. I tow a 42 ft 5th wheel. We are full time rvr’s. We get about 6-7 mpg on the road. Why do I do it? Because I can and I have the finances to support it. When I am through with Chemo therapy we plan on taking a cruise or overseas vacation every year. Once again because I can. I gave our Prius to the kids and replace it with the Jeep Wrangler. Why? Because I have always wanted a jeep. I had the money to pay cash for a new jeep with warranty. We enjoy our life. I also enjoy reading the adventures of you and your family. Keep the posts coming.
That is Kenworth t2000
THIS is what you need:
http://www.doubleback.co.uk/ 😉
Wow! That doubleback is interesting! Has anyone taken a close look at them and what do they think of the vehicle?
Hey Pat….All this talk about carbon footprints and superiority makes me realize I’m inferior all! I make the biggest carbon footprint of all that is… the 767 I fly to Europe and back every week, spewing noxious exhaust and, of course, mind-altering chemtrails, plus the full-size V-8 pickup I drive are sure to be killing the planet. Gotta make a living though.
I think your adventure in the Suburban looks awesome Pat, as your adventures always are.
Brett
Need to figure the massive energy it takes to create a newer vehicle, compared to the minor ‘energy’ involved in fixing up an older vehicle.
They say the energy to produce a vehicle is 22% of its overall carbon footprint. So while it is a big deal, it isn’t the full story either.
It was a fantastic reply! ??
Hey…Get Off my Lawn……..:}
R..r..r…
Sure wish I might of seen a jack stand or “other” solid support while you were under the truck… never trust any jack on it’s own….that’s for NASCAR.
The truck wasn’t jacked up, the gas tank was.
Pat- have enjoyed Bumfuzzle for years- from Wisc- check out Box Canyon blog- only other blog i follow- enjoy your new adventure—- Walden Creek RV steve