Down in the dumps with progress on your conversion?
Prompted by a long-suffering bus converter’s cry for inspiration and encouragement, these very lightly edited posts should help cure even the stoutest of busnut blues.
Something for new bus nuts to consider
I am 51. Twelve years ago I got the bus nut fever. For two years I attended any bus convention I could locate and bought hundreds of dollars of books and tapes. I enrolled and completed junior college, studying electrical engineering and welding. I researched thoroughy.
Year three I bought a 9 year old MCI. In between work and family I worked on it for three years.
Year six I got layed off and worked on the bus for almost 9 months straight.
Year seven approached and I continued to work on the bus but I could feel a shift in my attitude. When I met people with completed coaches I would get excited at the prospect of completing my own. When I was alone in my own world I became lazy and uninspired. Just getting to the shop became a real chore.
Year eight was filled with several personal and family situations.
Some but not a lot of work was done in year nine.
Here it is year ten and I consider myself about 70% completed.
I see factory RV’s and I know I have a coach, albeit not finished, a hundred times better in most respects.
I seem to be in an in-between period. I want to just have it over and done with, and here’s the but, I don’t feel I want someone else to complete what I’ve worked so hard on. Strange dilemma. I’ve never had lazy or off periods before so I’m just going to roll with it and get to the shop when I can and do what I feel like doing………..
— Riles Riley, October 29, 2004
Shift focus to a different challenge for awhile
I haven’t been working on my bus as long as you have, but I have been working on it nearly every evening after work for at least a couple of hours and then spending most weekend hours on it as well for nearly two years. I easily logged a couple of thousand hours on Gus (da Bus) so far.
I get into the doldrums on of the work and can’t wait for it to be over. I keep finding new ideas cropping out of my pea-brain, which extends the ole completion date. HOWEVER, I did learn something about myself along the way. I found if I shift my work from the task at hand that is getting me into a funk, and shift my energy to another of the gazillion things to do, it helps me find a new groove and gets a little of my motivation back. Rallys also help gear me up immensely.
Up here in Seattle some people get what they call light deprivation. A fancy way of saying they starve for light and get depressed due to the lack of light during the winter months. They use artificial light therapy to get through the winter blues. I think there is something to that idea. I would guess that some of us (me included) get something like “Bus Deprivation” (due to the lack of using our self erected kingdoms on wheels). As was discussed earlier on this thread, the therapy for this could be as simple as intervals of hearing the growl of the ole diesel engine. I know it sure doesn’t hurt, especially when I let it run for a while. I have found it very therapeutic. Just my two cents worth.
Always Follow Your Dream!
— BJW, October 29, 2004
Take her out and go for a drive
C’mon, buck up pal! Rome wasn’t built in a day! Like they said- go for a drive! Take her out. No matter what, you will get back in the groove.
My bus project is stalled right now due to temporary lack of $, but I can still plan! I do a lot of planning these days. (That’s all I can afford to do!) But it’s OK- I will never give up!
We all have those times, maybe it’s the change of season? Imagine how good you will feel when you get her done. (Are they ever really?)
I’m 40 and a paraplegic for 11 years. Don’t ever think that will stop me! I will finish or die trying. Don’t feel alone, I have projects that have taken me longer than planned.
At least you are only 51! You are still young buddy! Hang in there Riles!!!
— Bob Wood, October 29, 2004
Once she’s mostly complete, you can do what you please
I am 56, and bought my bus 4 years ago, it is 70/80% complete.
Some days I work on it from dawn to dusk, some days I don’t even look at it. Some days I hate it, some days I love it. Some days I wish I had larceny in my heart. Some days I’m out looking for new stuff for it.
Today is a great day for me. I drained the tanks pulled the fuses, added a little antifreeze locked the door and I’m off to Thailand for 5/6 months. It’s easy to do when you live in a bus.
— Jim Robinson, October 29, 2004
Use it or you’ll lose interest
Best advice that I read was in the George Meyer (or Dave Galey) Newsletter. Basically, don’t wait until it’s done, make sure it stops and goes, then go and stop somewhere. Even if you just strap in a porta potty and a futon.
Use it or you’ll lose interest. Worst of all the family will lose interest and then you lose support.
— NewbeeMC9, October 29, 2004
The fun is losing yourself in the process
I’m 52 this coming Sunday. I have owned our newest of coaches for 9 months. Being in Florida where it’s hot with no a/c inside made it very hard to get anything done during the hot months, but now that we have a generator and shore power hookup it is a pleasure to get lost in the work.
I will say I have been more enthused lately beacuse it sank in that 52 is not all that young when it comes to starting a conversion and I really would like to enjoy it rather than have a trophy in the driveway.
I have had many of those times you speak of with work at my job, my Dad in a nursing home or hospital, and bad weather to help depress, but one thing is for sure. I’m gettin er’ done! SLOW but sure!
Every day that goes by I’m a little bit further along than I was when I brought it home. Every day I see progress, be it right or wrong, and someday soon I know the enjoyment will be here!
I keep a pic of my coach in my work van just to keep me inspired as to why I went to work today in the first place. My goal is to finish it and enjoy her just as I set out to - whether it’s this year, the next, or even the next after that! Part of the fun is just losing yourself in your progress.
Don’t give up on what you set out to do 10 years ago. Go for it bud and we’ll see you at those bus rallies sooner than you think!
— Ace, October 29, 2004
One job at a time
The one thing that kept me going was to do one job at a time until it’s done. Then move to the next, and so on. You’re looking at the big picture and getting overwhelmed. Dial back to the individual jobs and pretty soon you’ll not only start to see progress, you’ll be done! Keep it up, there is nothing more statisfying than camping in your rig-especially when a little something goes wrong and you know right to look since you were the one that put it together.
— TomC, October 29, 2004
All these great words from now-expired posts on the Bus Conversions Magazine Forum.
