LiddyBus

Help me pick flooring for the bus! Which option would you go with?

They're all about equal in cost.

Why LiddyBus, you ask? Well. Because of the Ladybug.

Way back in 2005 I had to choose a senior project. The super short version of the story is I ended up building a teardrop trailer and painted it as a Ladybug. If you want the long version, lemme know. I'm happy to ramble.

So, there I was - 20 years later and once again debating what to take on. I spent a few weeks traveling September - October last year and I desperately missed my teardrop. I sold it when I moved to Washington in 2017. So, I got the old plans from my dad with the intention of building a new one.

One problem though, or rather 3 problems - the cats. If I'm going to hit the road for more than a couple of days, how do they fit in this? They don't. Not like Little Mann, my ferret, did. (Photo of him in the teardrop included as tax)

I went back to thinking about a Shasta Trailer... But, I can't tow one with my car, so I'd have to buy a truck. I started looking at trucks and ya know what? They're expensive! And if I'm going to spend that much on a truck, I may as well get a nicer, more spacious trailer, so I started looking at new trailers...

And then I thought about all of the big trailers I've seen smeared down the highway because they've blown a tire and they're not well constructed and they just collapse upon collision and I can't put the cats in there because what if?......... So how about an RV. Do you know what RVs and trucks have in common? They're bloody expensive!!!

My mom suggested a school bus conversion. I said no - that'd be way too expensive. School busses have to be expensive, right?

Wrong. I picked mine up for $5k. Perfect initial buy in!

The question I haven't answered though - Why Liddybus and why does the Ladybug matter? Because the Ladybug was the beginning of the confidence to take this on. The confidence to renovate houses. To do so many things that so many people have said I wouldn't be able to do...

Every bus has a name. I was going to call it Ladybus, because it is the evolution of the Ladybug, but, that's just so... not it. Many of my fellow campers had started calling my Liddybug when we were camping together, so I went with that adaptation instead - Liddybug has evolved into Liddybus.

I'm thinking I'll paint her a sunny yellow with magnetic ladybugs, reminiscent of the curtains in the Ladybug. I painted my toes as a test run. 😂🐞 Paint is a ways off yet though... We'll see how many more times I change my mind before it put the brush in the bucket.

Ladybug construction photos because I'm procrastinating and this seems like a valid way to use time. I'd never really used tools before taking that project on. It all had to be documented to prove that I did it for the senior project committee so there are many more photos if ever you want to see them.

Please take a moment to appreciate this majestic chonk.

Thank you.

I will now resume bus stuff. Updates to come.

Almost 2 months in and it's finally looking like something!

Getting my solar set up ordered today!