Things have been going really well for us lately. We are getting the hang of moving around each other and setting up camp each day. Both of us have improved our organization skills which allows us to function in such a small space. That being said, we’ve come to the conclusion that any person wanting to move into their vehicle should consider a larger space. We definitely get style points for the bus, but its not the most practical vehicle– and if you don’t know anything about VW’s you should definitely consider something different. We are continually having to fix things.
One of our breakthroughs this week has been figuring out how to make our wood burning stove perform the way it should. As it turns out, we needed a longer pipe. Because we can’t trot around town with a twelve foot chimney hanging off the side of the bus, getting a fire started is going to involve an extra step as we add an additional three feet of pipe to the top each time we fire it up. The extra pipe makes a huge difference, and we are excited for the cold to come back so we can put it to the test.
Speaking of the cold, where has it gone? It feels like September outside here in Utah. Today Matt and I went on a trail run wearing shorts and T-shirts. Fifty degrees and sunny is not what we like in mid December. I have a new ski setup I need to break in! I am however grateful for how things have worked out. We were freezing out butts off a couple weeks ago, and I was getting a bit discouraged. Being a little more settled in and knowing how to stay warm will make a huge difference once winter comes back.
Since we were having heat malfunctions and endless colds, we decided to head south to find some warmth last week for Thanksgiving. The bus went on her longest journey yet– she made it all the way to Vegas baby! And she performed like a champ. Some of the highlights of the trip included climbing our faces off, eating crappy casino mexican food for thanksgiving dinner, and making new friends. Meeting people is definitely my favorite thing about the bus life. While we were in Redrocks, we had a lot of folk approach us as we were hanging around the bus. They were all so excited to see our home and learn about our lives. We love this opportunity to meet new people and share experiences. Even driving down the road we gets multiple smiles, thumbs up, and peace sings as people pass us. The bus life is such an amazing experience and I feel blessed to meet new friends and accept so much love.
On tuesday we are leaving our green machine behind while we head up to Bozeman, Montana to find some ice to climb. Hopefully while we are away things will chill out in Utah so we can come back to better winter conditions. We are definitely ready for it!
Simply Mountain People 