FEATURE
“I
t was the idea of an artist,” Depree said. “But we would like the paintings to include our caving pictures, waterfall pictures and even a scene where we were hiking with wild ponies.” Aside from the cosmetic improvements and the tires from 1971 that need replacement, the school bus is mechanically sound and ready for the road But there’s always that chance that it might stall or break down, Depree said. It could’ve been a difficult task to name a bus with so much character, but as the group discovered, it already has one. Tara Kleemann, 23, one of the co-owners, said she stumbled upon a note in the bus from the previous owner. The note contained instructions for a girl who was asked to drive the bus to Florida. “In the note, the owner called the bus Wayne and told the girl to ‘take Wayne to Florida,’” Kleemann said. “We think the girl drove the bus from Oregon or Washington, because we found plates from both states.” Coincidentally, Depree said the group wants to travel in that northwest direction for 10,000 miles-specifically Wyoming, Montana, the Rockies and Canada. They’ll stop along the way to hike and mountaineer, and they’ll park in towns for sleep and travel breaks. Depree said gas will cost about $5,000. And as for food, Kleemann said the bus offers plenty of room for fresh fruits and veggies from grocery stores in the communities they stop in. “The bus is a lot more spacious than what we’re used to,” she said. “Usually we’re jam-packed in our cars, and the food would get crushed.” Kleemann said the group isn’t worried about creating friendships with people in the towns. “If you have a bus, people will come right up to you,” she said. The message of being active and living a sustainable life is not just for the folks they encounter but for anyone with basic computer access. To tell its story to the rest of the world, the group is creating a blog to document its experience on the road. “We’ll include things such as where we are, what hikes we went on or even interactions with people we come across,” Kleemann said. Kleemann said she wants the blog to combat the negative connotations that come with being green-that is, it’s not just for hippies. “We’re going to be moving into a school bus, and
Cabinets line the rear of the bus stocked with food for the 10,000-mile trip that the four friends will take this summer.
as a working professional, I’m still going to do normal things,” she said. “It’s just that my house is now a bus.” The thought of downsizing to a bus doesn’t bother Depree or Kleemann in the least. In fact, Kleeman said it will be educational. “You learn everything about your friends and especially how people act in extreme situations,” Kleemann said. “You get to see a side of someone you might not usually see.” Depree said he’s grown to love the communal style of living and living with several people. In fact, he wants to live in a commune in the future. Another idea for the trip is letting additional people hop on for the ride. So what should a person bring on a journey like this? Kleemann was quick to answer. “The right attitude.”
Spring 2014 | T H E F I N E P R I N T | 31