[Ron]

I remembered another one. This was also early in my bus
ownership years when I had the 4104. Don’t remember where I was but I
had mixed one of my infamous Margaritas. Drink about half of it, turned
up Jimmy Buffett on the stereo and leaned the seat back and got lost in
the music. Someone knocked on the door I jumped up when over and pushed
the door open. At the same I realized I had set the drink on the dash in
front of the big aluminum handle that operated the door. It spilled,
ran down the dash into my stereo and fried it. No more Jimmy Buffett for
that trip.

Ken’s Margarita Tip: If you use a mixer, use limeade not sweet and sour, you’ll find it’s much better and don’t set a drink above any electronic devices.

We gonna make a one night run to Standing Stone this weekend. I hope I don’t have another story Sunday night.

Ken

And Dick that’s not about buses but I still think it counts.

[Archived]

I drove about 3 blocks in a downtown area with one of the batwing awnings out.

[Greg]

I just about busted a gut reading Tom’s story.

Here’s just a few of the things that occurred during my first trip a few years ago after just purchasing my first coach, a used ’04 XL:

I closed the gas island down after blowing numerous gallons of diesel all over the place thinking that I could fill it from both sides full blast. Yes, they kept pumping away while I was proudly washing my windshield at the time. Stopped at the same station on the way home, went in to pay and realized that I was missing my credit card. After standing there thinking about it, I asked the clerk if he had it (from my trip out). Sure enough, he did. How convenient.

After my arrival in Vail, CO, I went to hook up the sewer line to drain the tanks for the first time. Looked under the bus to figure out why the PVC cap wouldn’t come off. Figured it was under pressure being in the mountains. While applying elbow grease with my face directly beneath, it popped off. Ended up with a face full of crap. Previous owner’s, mind you.

On way home, I-70 was hit with the first snow storm of the season. I found myself sliding sideways trying to get up Loveland Pass. My heart was pounding out of my chest thinking that I was going to go over the mountain side. When finally going down hill, my dash ABS warning lights were flashing. Now, I’m thinking that I’m going to have to find the nearest runaway truck pullover lanes – the ones that look like they might save your life but with nothing less than a pelvic fracture.

Oh yes, I took out a street light out on a novice turn, dragged my toad a few hundred yards with the wheels locked up, and even a few others – I could go on and on.

Looking at the brighter side, I was glad to get all of those things out of the way on just one bus trip. Lucky me.

Now, I’m hooked.

[Archived]

I left Disney World one Saturday morning. Hooked up my toad and pulled out to head home. I drove about 30 miles and was on the interstate when I saw a lot of smoke coming from my toad. It looked like it was on fire. I pulled over and luckily it was all smoke and no fire. I realized that I did not have it in neutral and the transmission was toast. I had it towed to nearest dealer. Had to fly back a couple weeks later to get it. Then a. buddy of mine said I should have disconnected the drive shaft and drove it on home and had it repaired. Oh well expensive lesson learned.

[Archived]

This stuff is so funny now! I am sure it wasn’t funny at the time it was going on.

For several years I have wanted to build my own conversion. I am working on my second one, the first one never made it. The first bus a MCI bought from a auction in Washington DC. Boy what a Deal, I thought. The wife and I hit the road to DC. Upon arriving got a motel room for the night. Woke up the next morning rested ready to go headed out to the transit terminal to pickup the bus. Went in the terminal where a few mechanics were huddled up talking and annouced “I’m here to pickup Bus #140.” The Mechanic said, you need to go over to the office to get the paperwork. Then he laughs and asks, Where you headed with that Bus? I replied ” Atlanta.” He laughs and all the other mechanics begin laughing, That bus won’t ever make it. I refused to believe him. How hard could it be, just take it slow and everything will be alright. After the paperwork was done I went out to get the bus. Opened the door and realized, I don’t even know how to crank this thing. Back to the shop I find a mechanic and give him $20 to come out and give me a crash course on how to operate this thing. The first thing I do is check for any homeless people sleeping in the bus and do a pre trip. Got the bus cranked and went to tell my wife following me in my F250 “I got to get fuel, so follow me.” You know, we all have some great wifes to put up with this stuff! Leaving the terminal I look into my mirrors and nothing but smoke. Busting through the smoke is my F250. My wife looked like a scene from a movie coming through it. What a brave gal! Arriving at the fuel station I begin to pump the fuel and watch the fuel gauge. No change, it doeasn’t work. Oh great! Head out to I-95 south to get on the way. Going down the ramp @ 50 mph the door pops open and scared the crap out of me. I knew I had overlooked a homeless person stowed away somewhere. No one was there. As I wrestle with the door to get it closed I’m merging onto I-95 it closes, finally we are on our way to Atlanta. The first few stops were 20 miles apart just to make sure oil levels were good. After an hour I paced them 50 miles apart then 100 miles apart. I hear my wife over the hand radios say I think we missed our turn. My reply ” No Way, The I-85 connection should be close.” Then I see a sign that says Raleigh, turn right next exit. She is right again. I stop at the next exit to look at a map and check the bus. Well, I guess we can go down through Lumberton and spend the night and go in tommorow through Augusta. It was begining to get Dark the headlights were poor. I made the mistake of hitting the dimmer switch and the lights go completely out. After stomping the poor dimmer switch to death they finally come back on. We pulled off in Lumberton and get a room for the night. Boy was I exhausted. The next morning we head out and arrive in Atlanta around 3 pm.

See I did make it to Atlanta. Just fine! Two months later while stripping seats out and building the inside I decided to back the bus out of the driveway and pull it in forward. In the process half way up the driveway the right rear trailing wheel including the the hub and frame fall off in the drive way. Finally found a salvage company in Athens to give 1/10th of what I had in it to get it out of the yard. Took a break for 2 years and got back on the horse that threw me with this Prevost from Prevost of Jacksonville. I’ll let you know how it turns out. If I live long enough!

“wouldn’t take a million for the way it makes me feel ……….. when it runs!”