The Beginings of the BUS TRIP

This adventure came out of ideas from a couple of the guys who had the pressing need for a fun attempt at a trip with all of the boys who found themselves with a sense of freedom and a general lack of responsibility. We bought the bus out in Minnesota because one of the guys apparently has a schoolbus hook-up there. The 1990 Ford Bluebird only cost us $800 plus $600 for insurance and registration. Once we got it in Minnesota we took it to our friend's house, which conveniently had a large shop area next to it were we where able to work on the bus. Through the next couple of days we tore out the seats, put in beds, a bathroom, kitchen area, etc. My favorite part, maybe because it was the only part I actually did, was on the top/front portion of the bus. I attached a piece of metal to the area where buses usually show their next stop or the next city they're going to. Then I sprayed a few coats of chalkboard paint onto the metal and let it dry. Now we're able to write whatever city or area we're heading to on our own little chalkboard. On the drive out to SF we put up the next city and something we associated with it - a diner in Omaha or Mormons in Salt Lake. The bus was quickly becoming habitable. After a few days of working on the bus, and a trip over to the Mall of America (which you are NOT allowed to rollerblade through, apparently) we were ready to hit the road and get back to San Francisco for school. The drive was pretty easy and everyone was anxious to get their turn. We made it in only two days with an...ill-fated stop in Nevada. Everyone came out alive and we pulled in front of the church at school early on Easter Morning. Now we've all graduated and we are about to take the real trip. First stops - San Luis Obispo, LA, San Diego...