It’s hard to think back to when the thought process actually started. Many years ago when the tiny house movement made its debut, I seriously thought that one day I would love that lifestyle but being a single mom of 3, it was out of the question at that time. I believe it was in the late 90’s when I saw a tiny house built on a small trailer frame. It was so cute and I instantly fell in love with the idea.
I live simple and never had the money or desire for a big house or extravagant things so a tiny house was very much a future possibility.
Fast forward many years when I saw a big, beautiful bus converted into a “RV” inside. I knew then that I had to have one some day but living in one full time still wasn’t in the cards due to life circumstances and jobs.
I love music and love to camp. I have attended over 200 concerts so far and many festivals. I have a vintage camper but the idea of a converted bus kept nagging at me. So, the search began. I did a lot of research and decided that a short bus would be my best bet starting out. I had an air ticket to go see one in Texas and hopefully drive it home.
Before the Texas trip, I ran across a wild and crazy short bus for sale in North Carolina. It had a colorful paint job with great big hearts all over it. I just knew I had to have THAT bus. I have loved hearts since my oldest daughter was born on Valentine’s Day in 1984. That bus was made for me!
After many long conversations, pictures and every spec imaginable from the sellers, they agreed to meet me in Knoxville, TN. The rest is history.
The sellers used this bus to travel from North Carolina to the Burning Man Festival in Nevada with 12 of their friends for several years. The bus name was “Burnhilda” which I knew I had to change immediately…………..hence, Geriatric Gypsy was born!
The odd thing about the bus was that as colorful as if was outside, there wasn’t a speck of color inside except for the lime green furry material all across the dashboard. It looked like a big blob of various shades of brown inside; my most hated color, I might add.
So I enlisted my amazingly talented mother who made the curtains, seat covers and mattress covers and suddenly there was an explosion of every color in the rainbow and then some. I picked out quotes for every cabinet door; which were created by my friend, Danielle Long, on her cricut.
Back to my concert adventures, I laminated my ticket stubs and they are on display on the ceiling in the bus. I call this my concert constellation. It’s fun to look at the price increases from the 70’s to the present. Bob Seger for $5 and Elton John for $7.50 just to name a few.
A 45 rpm record, disco light, prayer flag, dream catcher, 8 track tape, smiley face and peace sign latch hook (from high school), lava lamp, string of peace sign lights, lucky horse shoe windchime, a prosthetic leg (belonging to an inspirational friend), vintage pay phone, an ugly wooden duck smoking a funny cigarette and a stop light are among some of the random things you will find in my bus.
Geriatric Gypsy is loved wherever life takes us. I wouldn’t say my bus is famous but I’m working on that. LOL I have stumbled upon several pictures and posts from utter strangers on the internet about my bus over the last few years and that was exciting. I couldn’t begin to count how many pictures people have taken with and of my bus. I’m really proud to own it.
Although my dream is to some day live full time in a big bus, I will never part with the Geriatric Gypsy. After all, I will need it to continue my travels to various festivals and other exciting places I hope to see you out on the road or a festival…….please stop by and say hello!
