Living in a bus-odd real story.

[hunter63]

At "The Place" our cabin, across the river and down stream a bit is a guy that lives in an old bus.

Has a donkey, a goat, and did have a dog, but he gave the dog away.
Has a bicycle and a cart for the donkey.
No elect, no water, (other than the river), and I don't know what he uses for facilities?
Been there for a long time, and most people just kinda leave him be.
We all talk about it, but this guy has been doing it for a long time, living in a survival life style.
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The bus got flooded out a couple of years ago, washed out a lot of his stuff, water up past the windows.
So he moved across the road, had a shelter built out of a straw pile over a frame, some canvas etc.
Live in the straw shelter for the winter, or now a couple of winters.

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Well he's back in the bus now.
So now the story really starts.

My old camper, 1963 16' Shasta has been parked on the bottom of the hill, and we stayed in it for about 13-14 years before we built the cabin.
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Doesn't leak, inside still old looking but nice.
I tried to sell it for $400 bucks, and everybody wanted a "restored camper", so everyone kinda turned up their noses at it.

Soooooo.....putting two and two together, and getting 5, I offered the camper to the bus guy, free.
So he says OK, but still wants to tear out the furnace and put in a wood stove.

Anyway, one of my projects was to pump up the tires, flat and weather checked, pull it out in the open, and get it ready to roll.

First wheel broke off three lugs, so had to pull the drum and the elect brake disc and replace the lugs.
Second wheel came off OK.
Bought 2-$10 used tires , got them mounted and was ready to roll.

Yesterday, pulled it up the hill, over to his place, and parked it on a wide spot of road shoulder, leveled it out blocked it up. (oh yeah forgot that the truck stuck for a while in 4 wheel low, but finally came out.)
And down the road I went.
I guess I didn't realize what a problem giving away a Free camper, would be!
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I guess we will see if the county gives him bad time on where it's parked, and as the land is for sale where he has been living, where it will end up?

[Camp10]

Very nice of you Hunter! I have found that making friends like that can be a very good thing when you cant be there to watch the place yourself!

[Ken]

+1, Hunter. Real decent of you, my friend!

And Camp? How right you are!

[hunter63]

Thanks!
OK boys, added the pic's.

You know, some time it really pizzes me off hearing guy heming and hawing, so I just give stuff away to a good home.
Then they ask, what did you do with that so and so, and it tickles me to have given it away to some one that wants it!

[welderguy]

Very nice gesture , You a good man Hunter

[crashdive123]

Great gesture H63. I'm sure your karma will be shining bright.

[Justin Case]

Thank you for thinking of that guy you have a good Heart

[rebel]

Nice going! I tried to give you some + rep.

[Winnie]

Ditto what everyone else has said. You're a good man.

[Rick]

That's sort of cool. You gave something to someone they can use and you got rid of something you didn't want anymore. That's a win-win so this is sure to bite you before it's over. (chuckle). No good deed goes undone kind of a thing.

I know nothing about this guy but it seems he might be a good source of information on living off grid. Might be wacky as a bat but might be a nice guy with a lot of info. Might turn out to be a great neighbor.

[gryffynklm]

Hunter, thats a nice move. Not surprised, you seem to be the helping sort. It will come back when you need it.

[hunter63]

That's sort of cool. You gave something to someone they can use and you got rid of something you didn't want anymore. That's a win-win so this is sure to bite you before it's over. (chuckle). No good deed goes undone kind of a thing.
I know nothing about this guy but it seems he might be a good source of information on living off grid. Might be wacky as a bat but might be a nice guy with a lot of info. Might turn out to be a great neighbor.

LOL, that sort of mirrors my view, I mean why would I spend $50 bucks plus, to insure that it could move safely, lots of labor, then deliver and set up?
Then have the 4 wheel drive screw up briefly, making the delivery? (still not sure about that, so will check that out)

Anyway, was sorta odd as he really didn't want the furnace, (needs at least 12v power, and was kinda planning on having his donkey pull it. (it's heeeavy)

Guy has been there for a lot of years, why, don't know?
I am actually kind of envious of his abilities on getting by on "whatever?"

But has been "Surviving", just fine, apparently, as he is still there, alive, and shows no inclination to move on unless he has to (notice the for sale sign in front of his straw stack shelter).

I guess I tend to collect intresting people, and hopefully I can learn something from him.
His taking the trailer, seems he did me a favor rather than the other way around, might be a small price for some insight.

[Pict]

So I guess your mother in law asking to move into it lit a fire under you.

[hunter63]

So I guess your mother in law asking to move into it lit a fire under you.

LOL, well not really, she is the one that needs the fire lit.
She has been a good MIL for 45 yrs + That I have known her, and the fact is that she has been having some problems for a last couple of years, so we are "dealing with it".

Kinda too bad, as we have included her and my FIL when he was alive in our camping, hunting,fishing, boating and Rendezvous for a long time.
She even purchased her own "lodge", so she didn't have to sleep by the door in the tepee, as per the custom.


I want to thank every one for their positive comments, Thank You, but my intention was to pass along intresting information.

Anyway, this has been an experiance, and I'm sure that a lot of y'all can relate, as it seems that everyone here would have done the same thing, namely trying to "Help Out".

My intrest in intresting people and life styles led me to this forum, and I thought that y'all would be intrested in some one that is actually "doing it".

[oldsoldier]

Great job hunter... Good things not only make you feel good it gives others a good feeling as well. Thanks for sharing.

[trax]

Nicely done, Hunter, truly a kind gesture. I kind of thought the for sale sign was for the straw hut. Figured the fella was getting a bit entrepreneurial.

[hunter63]

Nicely done, Hunter, truly a kind gesture. I kind of thought the for sale sign was for the straw hut. Figured the fella was getting a bit entrepreneurial.

I had thought that that would have been a good Real Estate ad........
Survival Shelter For Sale.

Few acres of land, and the shelter, need some work?


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In truth, that land is for sale, I don't know where he's going when it gets sold, I guess everyone has problems from time to time, so I guess this is his?
Anyway, it is intresting to me that he has been there that long, as seems to "get by just fine".

Could I do it? don't know..........but it has been done.

[Justin Case]

I notice he built his shelter on higher ground than the bus Did he move the bus before moving back in ? or will it flood again ?

[Rick]

I'd like to see the ad for that.

3 acres of cleared ground free. That's right, absolutely free. If you purchase my survival shelter for the low, low price of $26,000, I'll throw in 3 acres of prime ground for free.

[hunter63]

I notice he built his shelter on higher ground than the bus Did he move the bus before moving back in ? or will it flood again ?

No, bus isn't moving any time soon, kinda buried, so still there, and would probaly flood again if the water come up that high again.

We had 2-100 year floods in 9 months, bus got flooded both times, as did the several towns, above and below that spot.
I couldn't get in my bottom field for those two years either, too wet.

This was why we parked the trailer on the shoulder of the road, so it wouldn't flood, and easier to move if the land sells.
Straw shelter is on the other side of the road, higher ground.