Backroad Bus

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Preparedness is Key:
(What You Just Might Need on the Trail)


- As submitted by Gene Cornelius


So, it's off into the wilds in your bus, and you might be wondering: "What are the essential items to have at hand when facing the unknown?" Well, by no means can I presume to offer a fully comprehensive list of gear that will insure that you make it back alive (and with your bus, to boot), but here are a few suggestions. Bear in mind that this list is made with the assumption that you already have a strong knowledge of things mechanical with regard to your vehicle, your tools, a first aid kit, basic spares kit, food and potable water enough to keep you alive should you get stuck in the outback, extra fuel, oil, etc., and clothing suitable for any conditions you might encounter. Be imaginative....it's better to pack extra crap and never use it than to be stranded for the lack of it.

Your Brain! Not only should you not forget it, but you should definitely remember to use it to prepare for your trip, keep from getting in trouble while on the trip, and to help get you out of trouble that you've found yourself in despite intentions to the contrary. It can also come in handy when you find yourself in a position to help others in need without leading to further damage, injury, or litigation. Bring a spare! If you can, bring a spare brain. A convenient place to stash it is in the noggin of your

Copilot! A good copilot/navigator is worth his or her weight in fuel, oil, and spare parts. You will find it quite nice to have someone to read the map for you so you don't have to stop, they can warn you of danger from directions you weren't looking (like the road ahead when you're gazing at the scenery), and they provide things like companionship, assistance with decisions, options and muscle when you're stuck, and myriad other indispensable services. It is also nice to have someone to hold the camera so you can get the shot that proves that you successfully made it through that mud bog or up a nd over that rocky obstacle, so that later, you can submit the resulting images along with your report to this site! Remember, pictures often look better if they include the

Spare Bus! One of these can mean the difference between you and/or your copilot walking back to civilization to get the one spare part you thought you wouldn't need and enjoying a relatively quick and enjoyable ride back with friends to get parts and/or help. It's also a great way to bring your friends along (especially if they supply the bus!) With that in mind,

Communication! is a great way to raise the enjoyment bar a notch: Use relatively cheap, simple, and available Citizen's Band radios (CB) to talk back and forth between vehicles. I recommend units mounted in the vehicle, with a good antenna (as opposed to handheld CB's or FRS units, as handhelds of either type don't get good reception from inside a bus.) However, having a set of FRS radios with you can be a good thing, should you and your copilot face separation for any reason. Sometimes there's no-one to converse with on the radio, and cell phone reception is frequently a joke. It does pay, however, to take note of where you last had reception, so in case you become inextricably stuck, or something really important is broken (like the crankshaft, driver's side front spindle, or differential), and you need to go for help, it is adviseable to have on hand an

Alternate method of transportation! Generally speaking, unless something has gone really wrong, you'll always have that with you: It's called "legs". Normally equipped with feet, and attached to the lower part of the torso, this setup can get you in and out of places your bus never could. Keep that in mind....bring good hiking boots, keep your legs in shape, and if you do not have a spare bus, a two-wheeler, or horse, consider the possibility of walking back to the last place you had noticed exhibiting signs of habitation and/or cell phone reception. This is also a good place to mention that in addition to having drinking water, it is also good to have a decent-sized canteen or filtration bottle with you so you can carry it, as walking is thirsty work, and dehydration is more dangerous than you might think. (Please steer clear of habitually buying drinking water in plastic bottles....these add to the burden on our biosphere....reduce, reuse, recycle!) A couple other practical methods of transport are known as the bicycle and trail bike. A decent mountain bike is probably the more efficient and trouble-free of the two devices, as its toolkit is tiny, and it has no demands on any external fuel source besides you, and as a burden on your bus, it is a lot lighter. On trail bikes (such as the Honda Trail 90), I can only say this: If you have one, and can ride it safely, keep it in reliable condition, and have the space for it, then it would probably be nice, but consider that such a beast on your roof rack raises your center of gravity considerably, and that's the last thing you need on steep, angled, rocky mountain roads!

Perhaps this would be a good time to get into a brief discussion on bus packing and lading methods. For obvious reasons, I try to pack the heavier items as close to the bottom center of the bus, and in a balanced manner if not centered. Too much weight up high (like on the bed or roofrack) can increase feelings of instability and limit clearance, while too much weight on one side or another can cause abnormal handling.

Secure your load!! Heavy items left loose in your vehicle can become deadly missiles in the event of a sudden stop or the inevitable unscheduled violent vehicular trajectory modification. At the very least, you're less likely to cause damage to anything, and at the most, you could save lives!

I prefer to take my time and load the vehicle methodically. I consider the type of trip I am about to take and what situations are likely to arise. In addition to the size/weight issue, there are the likely order of usage and accessibility issues. Put the spares and items you don't want to have to use in the more-difficult-to-reach locations like under the back seat (with the exceptions of the first-aid kit and fire extinguishers ... you don't want to have to use them, but you want them to be handy!) Keep things in kits (crates, boxes, ammo cans, etc.) so that you don't have to dig to get all the components of certain procedures. Oft-used items should be placed in convenient locations. Each trip is unique, and packing for it with a mind geared towards efficiency and accessibility can make for a more enjoyable outing. For what it's worth, I usually take the majority of a day to do the final packing!

Obviously, there should be no question about the mechanical condition of your vehicle, and if there is, you have taken steps to prepare for the eventuality of having to come up with a good answer...

Loading a luggage rack well is considered by me to be "high art". There is more to it than lashing everything including the kitchen sink in a reliable manner so that it does not fall off; you must consider the effects of weight, wind drag, clearance and convenience. I think it is still illegal to carry (living) persons on the roof of a motor vehicle, so THAT's right out, but anything else that can handle exposure to the elements and is not too heavy can be stashed up there. I prefer to use that space for dirty, ugly, utilitarian items that not only don't fit well in a bus, but are usually only needed during vehicular extrication or repair, and some bulkier camping items.

I generally carry the following: Shovels (one flat and one round), a five or six-foot 1" pipe for use as a lever or breaker bar, at least one come-a-long, spare/chained-up tires, spare fuel (in metal can, European-style jerry cans preferred ... if using the doublecab, I carry the fuel in the back), an old cooler with newspaper, kindling and small wood for firestarting, an old Coleman water jug for firestopping and washing dishes, etc., an axe, a chainsaw, fire extinguisher (I carry at least two) and generally a pair of stainless extrication cables, since that's where I would put them anyway after use, and sometimes a moderate pile of dry cordwood. After I procure one of those ultra-light aluminium racing jacks, that will go on the rack as well.

The methods of securing a load are numerous, but a distinction I try to make is that I can usually access and deploy any singular item without having to move or unfasten any other item. This does cut down a little on useable space, but just because there is space, you don't have to fill it. (This is an issue I've been dealing with for some time!) It's just nicer to not have to re-strap something that you didn't have to use in the first place, just because it was in the way. There are a lot of skilled folk out there who know how to use a rope (ranchers, seafarers and truckers to name a few), but I find it easier and quicker to use a combination of ratchet straps and bungi cords.Note: Technically, you should NEVER use bungis as sole means of fastening items to any part of a moving vehicle (not while it's in motion, silly!), but I will admit that I do....but have never lost anything, either. I use redundant cords, and have developed a technique that allows for quick, secure fastening (and removal) of things like shovels and other long items (pipes, cables, jackhandles, etc.). Everything else gets secured with ratchet straps--sometimes with a couple, augmented by bunjis.

So what might happen that you need all this crap? (Who knows?!) And what exactly is "all this" crap? Weeell, um, that's sort of up to you, what you intend to do, where you intend to go, and when you plan to return (if ever). I'll give you a list of some of the key things I can think of at the moment; I have rattled on long enough on this subject, and I think you might well have the general idea. If not, oh well. However, if you sense an omission or erroneus, please let me know, and I'll gladly add it in or rectify any mistakes!

Here's a few items in list form:

What this all boils down to is that part of your job as steward of your bus is to think of every possible situation you might find yourself embroiled in and disaster that might befall you before you head out on the backroads...and to prepare for it if feasible (or possible). I've seen (and participated in) more than one case of trying to bring the "kitchen sink", and finding it constantly in the way and being a liability. I've also been out there and wish I had obeyed my impulse to bring it, but instead rejected it for something else I didn't need. You can't win 'em all, but you can generally figure it out enough to keep yourself from getting into too much trouble. Of course, some of the more rewarding jaunts are those resulting from split-second decisions made while returning from a run to the hardware store or a visit to the relatives, when you've got no planning, no idea what you're gonna see, and none of your extra stuff that's supposed to help you deal with it all.

Have fun, and may your adventures be memorable!

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