She Loves the Road!

After picking up the Other One from Georgia, I had quite a few unexpected expenses to get me up to Ohio to work the Dark Star Jubilee. That is to be expected, and although it was rough on the pocket, she drove like a dream! I was so happy with how she handles, I didn't want to stop driving!

Once we got her to site, there were some obvious plumbing issues that thankfully got taken care of but some of the guys I work with at the festival. (This was definitely a great first experience for us to be at, because a lot of her flaws got taken care of then.)

After 2 weeks of staying on the bus we took her home and she got to live right in front of the house for a few weeks. I have just recently moved her to my good friend, Say's house, where she will be living until Jimmy and I take off in August. Until then, I am going to be working on some interior shelving and closet space so that when we set out West, we can actually fully live in the bus and have plenty of storage space! Time to get on the 'ol tool belt!

And YES, she has a name finally! The Other One came to be because like most things in our life, is reflected upon the Grateful Dead. One verse of the Other One says, "the bus came by and I got on, that's where it all began." This holds true for us and our life through meeting, our love for travel and love for the music of the Grateful Dead. Cannot wait for Jimmy to get home and experience all the love and happiness I have already experienced from this great purchase. SO many years of adventure to come!

She's Home!

Yesterday was a very exciting day for Jimmy and I. My friend Sam and I took off from Asheville to go and get the bus. Although we were running late as usual (if you don't know that about me, I'm usually late to everything.) We made it in time to meet with the owner and for him to show me all the bells and whistles. Because it is basically an RV, there were plugs, hoses, outlets, etc. for me to learn and get used to. This is going to be a HUGE learning experience and I cannot wait to get it on the road.

Driving it at first I was a little weary, but once I got used to the size of the steering wheel, really it's huge, I felt great! The bus drives like a dream, is great on gas and feels good on the highway. I look forward to the days of a full bus of friends and cruising down the highway.

The inside definitely needs a clean-up and I look forward to taking on that task with a bottle of wine and few of my friends. I am going to be re-painting the walls from where this is still glue residue and just an overall cleanup. I plan to take it to Dark Star Jubilee this upcoming weekend where I'll be working.

Lots more pictures to come as I continue to clean-up the inside.

-Bound to cover just a little more ground-

Picking up The Other One!

Today is the day I go and pick up The Other One from Alpharetta, GA. Buying a school bus and traveling has been a dream of mine for over 5 years, and now I am finally living my dream. I knew what I had always wanted, but I never thought I would find someone crazy enough to go with me. 

Jimmy and I met in 2011 at the All Good Music Festival in Morgantown, WV. We had thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2010, but he was always a few days behind me and we never met on the trail. At All Good the following year we were introduced by mutual friends and had our first conversation on-top of a school bus on my birthday, July 18th. We had both to get on-top of this abandoned school bus that was on the festival property. Never did I think 3 years later we would be purchasing a bus together. We rekindled our relationship on RatDog tour and decided to go in on this endeavor together.

I told Jimmy of my dreams and he too wanted to travel the country. We found the bus on Craigslist and immediately knew this was the one. I had been searching for months for something like this and I was astonished of how perfect this bus is. We called the owners of the bus and instantly had a connection with traveling, hiking and our wanderlust. Jimmy met with the owners on his way back from Wanee Music Festival and called me on the phone to let me know, "this is the one."

Jimmy left for Yosemite National Park to work as a Raftie for the summer. I am picking the bus up with a few of my friends and keeping it in Asheville until he returns. Our plans are to travel with our friends to Lockn' Music Festival in September, then head West for the fall and winter.

So much more to come as our epic journey begins, and I cannot wait to share our stories of love, travel and happiness to all of our loved ones. 

**The bus came by and I got on, that's where it all began**