Bird of the Week Special

[mbulriss]

I love this week's photo! I believe our long term members, Rose Mary Smith and
her mom, Clara, get the longevity in RV'ing award for this week. I had to
lighten the picture up some to see Clara a little better. Anybody have any
pictures to verify that they have been RV'ing or camping longer? What a
wonderful childhood summer vacation Rose Mary had!

Please read the attached email that Rose Mary submitted as background on the
picture. She is looking for someone to identify the car and the bus. Who knows
what makes they are?

Happy Easter everyone!

Mike Bulriss
1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"
San Antonio, TX - heading out soon for somewhere!


Hi Mike
Thought you might get a kick out of this old photo.
Me hanging out the door, mom's head just showing at top.

When I was a kid we would go up to the Sawtooth Mtns. near Stanley, Idaho. We
lived like hillbillys I reckon, check out the wash board and ICE frig., wood
stove inside the bus. There were 5 of us kids. We had a tent for the girls and a
tent for the boys, while mom and dad slept in the bus. That was real
boondocking! Ice cold water from a creek. We'd spend the whole summer up there.
Dad harvesting poles.

Trying to find out what that ole bus was? Think the car was a Kaiser

Amazing the roads/climb that bus had to maneuver to get up to camp, not to
mention crossing Hell Roaring Creek.

Don't know how they got the old milk cow Bessie up there.
Horse was a necessity to pull down the logs to the landing.
This was in the 50's (mid?) I'm sure the bus was an oldster before dad bought it
to convert for our summer use.

Regards
Rose Mary & Mom (Clara young at 88)
JP'S White Bird
making our was north (noooo) from Arizona desert

[Jon]

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "mbulriss" <mbulriss@...> wrote:
>
> I love this week's photo! I believe our long term members, Rose Mary Smith
and her mom, Clara, get the longevity in RV'ing award for this week. I had to
lighten the picture up some to see Clara a little better. Anybody have any
pictures to verify that they have been RV'ing or camping longer? What a
wonderful childhood summer vacation Rose Mary had!
>
> Please read the attached email that Rose Mary submitted as background on the
picture. She is looking for someone to identify the car and the bus. Who knows
what makes they are?
>
> Happy Easter everyone!
>
> Mike Bulriss
> 1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"
> San Antonio, TX - heading out soon for somewhere!
>
>
> Hi Mike
> Thought you might get a kick out of this old photo.
> Me hanging out the door, mom's head just showing at top.
>
> When I was a kid we would go up to the Sawtooth Mtns. near Stanley, Idaho. We
lived like hillbillys I reckon, check out the wash board and ICE frig., wood
stove inside the bus. There were 5 of us kids. We had a tent for the girls and a
tent for the boys, while mom and dad slept in the bus. That was real
boondocking! Ice cold water from a creek. We'd spend the whole summer up there.
Dad harvesting poles.
>
> Trying to find out what that ole bus was? Think the car was a Kaiser
>
> Amazing the roads/climb that bus had to maneuver to get up to camp, not to
mention crossing Hell Roaring Creek.
>
> Don't know how they got the old milk cow Bessie up there.
> Horse was a necessity to pull down the logs to the landing.
> This was in the 50's (mid?) I'm sure the bus was an oldster before dad bought
it to convert for our summer use.
>
> Regards
> Rose Mary & Mom (Clara young at 88)
> JP'S White Bird
> making our was north (noooo) from Arizona desert


Love that old picture of rose and her mom. Just looking at that old rig
reminded me of my first fling at motor homeing.

Back in the late 60's I secured a 1951 International Metro Van from the federal
Government for a some of $100 dollar. Of course this was the time of the make
love not war movement and I just had to have a flower powered steep up van.

If you could see inside It had a big bed and a porta Portie made from an old box
with a toilet lid. Also it had a pot bellied stove and I only lite it oft once
(Way to much heat for that small space).

The drivers seat I found in a junk yard and it was an old bus drivers seat with
all the cush one would need.

Oh yes that gal standing next to that red, white and blue motor home is my wife
and flower child of the 60's.

Lots of memories in that old rig and lots of fun just putting it together.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/1942...yWagon.gif
>

[Fred Bellows]

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "mbulriss" <mbulriss@...> wrote:
>
> I love this week's photo! ................... >...........................read
the attached email that Rose Mary >submitted as background on the picture.
..........


This is a really fun "Bird of the Week"!

We've often thought, and now will mention, seems like our fun feature could be
way more interesting than it is, due to:

A> There's only one photo, and no way to enlarge it. Seems like there should be
a set of at least 5 or 10 hi-res photos with captions)
B> There is precious little detail or explanation about the coach, its features,
its history, its use, or its owners. All of these owners are mature, educated
folks who can write up a little description of their hobby, or have a friend
help them do so. After all, the whole idea is to put it in the "spotlight"!
C> There's no way to notice it without going to the home page of the forum,
which, I don't know about you, but I never do. I just get an email each time
anyone posts, at which time I read it right in my email. I almost never go to
the actual forum site for anything, unless someone mentions "bird of the week"
in a post, and then I go to see it (And always wish there was more to see). This
could be easily solved by an auto email announcing the new week's post, with a
link to click on.

Does anyone think this could be worth considering?

Fred & Wendy Bellows
90SP Queen Creek, AZ (basically Phx)
"Maunder Maximum"
http://picasaweb.google.com/geefred/MaunderMaximum#

[Rick Davis]

I agree with you Fred. And I evenfigure thatthe enjoyment of reading a brief bio of the owners, seeing additional pics, and all, that I would be satisfied with it being "Bird of the Month" for that matter. I am often wondering where some of the members live, have lived, worked, years owned the coach, other coaches owned, other interests, etc. And itmight keep Mike from having togig us for pics so often(I always feel guilty since I haven't made it happen yet.).

"Guilty" Rick, and Marilyn Davis

1993 side aisle-Freenezi

currently in Houston

---

From: Fred Bellows
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, April 10, 2009 1:09:49 PM
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Bird of the Week Special

--- In "WanderlodgeForum%40yahoogroups.com", "mbulriss" <mbulriss@.. .> wrote:
>
> I love this week's photo! ............ ....... >........... ......... .......read the attached email that Rose Mary >submitted as background on the picture. ..........

This is a really fun "Bird of the Week"!

We've often thought, and now will mention, seems like our fun feature could be way more interesting than it is, due to:

A> There's only one photo, and no way to enlarge it. Seems like there should be a set of at least 5 or 10 hi-res photos with captions)
B> There is precious little detail or explanation about the coach, its features, its history, its use, or its owners. All of these owners are mature, educated folks who can write up a little description of their hobby, or have a
friend help them do so. After all, the whole idea is to put it in the "spotlight"!
C> There's no way to notice it without going to the home page of the forum, which, I don't know about you, but I never do. I just get an email each time anyone posts, at which time I read it right in my email. I almost never go to the actual forum site for anything, unless someone mentions "bird of the week" in a post, and then I go to see it (And always wish there was more to see). This could be easily solved by an auto email announcing the new week's post, with a link to click on.

Does anyone think this could be worth considering?

Fred & Wendy Bellows
90SP Queen Creek, AZ (basically Phx)
"Maunder Maximum"
http://picasaweb. google.com/ geefred/MaunderM aximum#

[Pete Masterson]

There are some good points here ... however, I, for one, like the 'bird of the week' picture much the way it is. It's a chance to take a quick look at what another 'birder is doing. I wish there were room for a couple more lines of info -- but not too much. I don't need a life history.

If the BOTW would have a URL fora related set of photos orthe owner's travel blog (or whatever) -- that would be nice.

I like to see the reminder that the new BOTW is posted -- that's when I usually hit the link at the bottom of the email to see this week's entry.

Pete Masterson

'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42

El Sobrante CA

"aeonix1@mac.com"

On Apr 10, 2009, at 2:55 PM, Rick Davis wrote:

I agree with you Fred. And I evenfigure thatthe enjoyment of reading a brief bio of the owners, seeing additional pics, and all, that I would be satisfied with it being "Bird of the Month" for that matter. I am often wondering where some of the members live, have lived, worked, years owned the coach, other coaches owned, other interests, etc. And itmight keep Mike from having togig us for pics so often(I always feel guilty since I haven't made it happen yet.).

"Guilty" Rick, and Marilyn Davis

1993 side aisle-Freenezi

currently in Houston

---

From:Fred Bellows <"nytexcel@yahoo.com">
To:"WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com"
Sent:Friday, April 10, 2009 1:09:49 PM
Subject:[WanderlodgeForum] Re: Bird of the Week Special

--- In"WanderlodgeForum%40yahoogroups.com", "mbulriss" <mbulriss@.. .> wrote:
>
> I love this week's photo! ............ ....... >........... ......... .......read the attached email that Rose Mary >submitted as background on the picture. ..........

This is a really fun "Bird of the Week"!

We've often thought, and now will mention, seems like our fun feature could be way more interesting than it is, due to:

A> There's only one photo, and no way to enlarge it. Seems like there should be a set of at least 5 or 10 hi-res photos with captions)
B> There is precious little detail or explanation about the coach, its features, its history, its use, or its owners. All of these owners are mature, educated folks who can write up a little description of their hobby, or have a friend help them do so. After all, the whole idea is to put it in the "spotlight"!
C> There's no way to notice it without going to the home page of the forum, which, I don't know about you, but I never do. I just get an email each time anyone posts, at which time I read it right in my email. I almost never go to the actual forum site for anything, unless someone mentions "bird of the week" in a post, and then I go to see it (And always wish there was more to see). This could be easily solved by an auto email announcing the new week's post, with a link to click on.

Does anyone think this could be worth considering?

Fred & Wendy Bellows
90SP Queen Creek, AZ (basically Phx)
"Maunder Maximum"
http://picasaweb. google.com/ geefred/MaunderM aximum#

[whistles_n_bells]

Mike, Rose Mary:

I believe the bus is a circa 1935-37 Fitzjohn, possibly on a Reo
chassis. I'll try to research this further with my old bus driver
buddies that are as old as I am. The car appears to be a 1947 Kaiser of
Fraser.

Joe (Pappy) Hagan

St. George, UT

(Wannabe)








--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "mbulriss" <mbulriss@...>
wrote:
>
> I love this week's photo! I believe our long term members, Rose Mary
Smith and her mom, Clara, get the longevity in RV'ing award for this
week. I had to lighten the picture up some to see Clara a little better.
Anybody have any pictures to verify that they have been RV'ing or
camping longer? What a wonderful childhood summer vacation Rose Mary
had!
>
> Please read the attached email that Rose Mary submitted as background
on the picture. She is looking for someone to identify the car and the
bus. Who knows what makes they are?
>
> Happy Easter everyone!
>
> Mike Bulriss
> 1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"
> San Antonio, TX - heading out soon for somewhere!
>
>
> Hi Mike
> Thought you might get a kick out of this old photo.
> Me hanging out the door, mom's head just showing at top.
>
> When I was a kid we would go up to the Sawtooth Mtns. near Stanley,
Idaho. We lived like hillbillys I reckon, check out the wash board and
ICE frig., wood stove inside the bus. There were 5 of us kids. We had a
tent for the girls and a tent for the boys, while mom and dad slept in
the bus. That was real boondocking! Ice cold water from a creek. We'd
spend the whole summer up there. Dad harvesting poles.
>
> Trying to find out what that ole bus was? Think the car was a Kaiser
>
> Amazing the roads/climb that bus had to maneuver to get up to camp,
not to mention crossing Hell Roaring Creek.
>
> Don't know how they got the old milk cow Bessie up there.
> Horse was a necessity to pull down the logs to the landing.
> This was in the 50's (mid?) I'm sure the bus was an oldster before dad
bought it to convert for our summer use.
>
> Regards
> Rose Mary & Mom (Clara young at 88)
> JP'S White Bird
> making our was north (noooo) from Arizona desert
>

[whistles_n_bells]

Mike, Rose Mary:

I'm starting to receive responses on the bus I.D. I'll be back on
tomorrow evening with additional (hopefully) results.

Joe (Pappy) Hagan

St. George, UT

(Wannabe)


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "whistles_n_bells"
wrote:
>
>
> Mike, Rose Mary:
>
> I believe the bus is a circa 1935-37 Fitzjohn, possibly on a Reo
> chassis. I'll try to research this further with my old bus driver
> buddies that are as old as I am. The car appears to be a 1947 Kaiser
of
> Fraser.
>
> Joe (Pappy) Hagan
>
> St. George, UT
>
> (Wannabe)
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "mbulriss" mbulriss@
> wrote:
> >
> > I love this week's photo! I believe our long term members, Rose Mary
> Smith and her mom, Clara, get the longevity in RV'ing award for this
> week. I had to lighten the picture up some to see Clara a little
better.
> Anybody have any pictures to verify that they have been RV'ing or
> camping longer? What a wonderful childhood summer vacation Rose Mary
> had!
> >
> > Please read the attached email that Rose Mary submitted as
background
> on the picture. She is looking for someone to identify the car and the
> bus. Who knows what makes they are?
> >
> > Happy Easter everyone!
> >
> > Mike Bulriss
> > 1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"
> > San Antonio, TX - heading out soon for somewhere!
> >
> >
> > Hi Mike
> > Thought you might get a kick out of this old photo.
> > Me hanging out the door, mom's head just showing at top.
> >
> > When I was a kid we would go up to the Sawtooth Mtns. near Stanley,
> Idaho. We lived like hillbillys I reckon, check out the wash board and
> ICE frig., wood stove inside the bus. There were 5 of us kids. We had
a
> tent for the girls and a tent for the boys, while mom and dad slept in
> the bus. That was real boondocking! Ice cold water from a creek. We'd
> spend the whole summer up there. Dad harvesting poles.
> >
> > Trying to find out what that ole bus was? Think the car was a Kaiser
> >
> > Amazing the roads/climb that bus had to maneuver to get up to camp,
> not to mention crossing Hell Roaring Creek.
> >
> > Don't know how they got the old milk cow Bessie up there.
> > Horse was a necessity to pull down the logs to the landing.
> > This was in the 50's (mid?) I'm sure the bus was an oldster before
dad
> bought it to convert for our summer use.
> >
> > Regards
> > Rose Mary & Mom (Clara young at 88)
> > JP'S White Bird
> > making our was north (noooo) from Arizona desert
> >
>

[John]

Here's a good reference for the car;

http://oldcarandtruckads.com/Kaiser/

I believe that it is a 1947 Kaiser, possibly a Traveler model or a Special. The
Frazer had a straight across grill with the parking lights in the grill and
without the small additional grill at the top middle, see;

http://oldcarandtruckads.com/Kaiser/47otkf05.jpg

I used to think that the Traveler model that had the trunk fold down and the
rear window fold up like a station wagon was like a neat way to go camping, just
fold the rear seat down and throw a sleeping bag in the back, but this
advertisement was a little stretch of it's usefulness, I wonder just how long
that pony would stay there in the back :o)

http://oldcarandtruckads.com/Kaiser/49otkk16.jpg

You are way ahead of me when it comes to the RV.

JOHN FINN
1982 FC35RB BLUEBIRD WANDERLODGE
HOPKINS, SOUTH CAROLINA
VISIT THE FINN'S INN EXPRESS REMODELING ADVENTURE AND TECH. TIPS
http://www.pbase.com/image/24977457
REMEMBER 9/11

==================================================

-- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "whistles_n_bells"
wrote:
>
>
> Mike, Rose Mary:
>
> I believe the bus is a circa 1935-37 Fitzjohn, possibly on a Reo
> chassis. I'll try to research this further with my old bus driver
> buddies that are as old as I am. The car appears to be a 1947 Kaiser of
> Fraser.
>
> Joe (Pappy) Hagan
>
> St. George, UT
>
> (Wannabe)
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "mbulriss" <mbulriss@>
> wrote:
> >
> > I love this week's photo! I believe our long term members, Rose Mary
> Smith and her mom, Clara, get the longevity in RV'ing award for this
> week. I had to lighten the picture up some to see Clara a little better.
> Anybody have any pictures to verify that they have been RV'ing or
> camping longer? What a wonderful childhood summer vacation Rose Mary
> had!
> >
> > Please read the attached email that Rose Mary submitted as background
> on the picture. She is looking for someone to identify the car and the
> bus. Who knows what makes they are?
> >
> > Happy Easter everyone!
> >
> > Mike Bulriss
> > 1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"
> > San Antonio, TX - heading out soon for somewhere!
> >
> >
> > Hi Mike
> > Thought you might get a kick out of this old photo.
> > Me hanging out the door, mom's head just showing at top.
> >
> > When I was a kid we would go up to the Sawtooth Mtns. near Stanley,
> Idaho. We lived like hillbillys I reckon, check out the wash board and
> ICE frig., wood stove inside the bus. There were 5 of us kids. We had a
> tent for the girls and a tent for the boys, while mom and dad slept in
> the bus. That was real boondocking! Ice cold water from a creek. We'd
> spend the whole summer up there. Dad harvesting poles.
> >
> > Trying to find out what that ole bus was? Think the car was a Kaiser
> >
> > Amazing the roads/climb that bus had to maneuver to get up to camp,
> not to mention crossing Hell Roaring Creek.
> >
> > Don't know how they got the old milk cow Bessie up there.
> > Horse was a necessity to pull down the logs to the landing.
> > This was in the 50's (mid?) I'm sure the bus was an oldster before dad
> bought it to convert for our summer use.
> >
> > Regards
> > Rose Mary & Mom (Clara young at 88)
> > JP'S White Bird
> > making our was north (noooo) from Arizona desert
> >
>

[Fred Bellows]

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Pete Masterson wrote:
> .....If the BOTW would have a URL for a related set of photos or the
> owner's travel blog (or whatever) -- that would be nice.

Yes, a URL to another place that has space for more and better pictures (with
captions) would be great! The thing about the forum(s), is that, while we mainly
attend for help and support on repairs/upgrades/etc., the biggest, definable
content category that is missing is seeing and hearing about the
coaches/lifestyle when they're not being repaired/under-construction/etc. When
the coaches are all polished up, being used, having their uniqueness shown off,
and, once in while, getting their 15 minutes of fame!

In other words, a place where people can see and read about lots of coaches in
their prime, shining a positive light and helping glorify our special hobby, and
even increasing the value of our coaches! We've known our coaches are special,
vintage treasures, but now with the BB factory closed (and many others), they
are now officially collectible, unique, rare, and de-facto, more valuable. And
will be in-demand over the next several years as the economy recovers, people
want to buy high end RV's again, and yet hardly any new ones will be available!

So, an enhanced Bird of the Week feature (with full archive) would be a great
place for a potential coach buyer (weighing BB vs SOB), to see just what it is
that we are so fanatical about!

But mostly it would be a wonderful place we can go, to see what the other
members of our BB Family have done, get ideas on what we can do, and to live
vicariously when we're unable to get out and play with our coaches!

Fred & Wendy Bellows
90SP Queen Creek, AZ (basically Phx)
"Maunder Maximum"
http://picasaweb.google.com/geefred/MaunderMaximum#

[whistles_n_bells]

Mike, Rose Mary:

The mystery bus appears to be a Kalamazoo Pony Cruiser circa 1937-1940, manufactured in Kalamazoo, MI.It was similar to the FitzJohn model of the same size (13-16 passenger capacity). The Pony Cruiser was built on a Ford truck chassis and featured aV-8 engine somewhere in the 90-95HP range. I am still researching this item with the assistance of a few bus historians that I have been associated with since the '50's. I'll continue to follow-up on this and update any info I come across. Interestingly, Kalamazoo, MI. was also the home of Checker Car Co., the famous Checker taxi cab.

Joe (Pappy) Hagan

St. George, UT

(Wannabe)

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "whistles_n_bells" wrote:
>
>
> Mike, Rose Mary:
>
> I'm starting to receive responses on the bus I.D. I'll be back on
> tomorrow evening with additional (hopefully) results.
>
> Joe (Pappy) Hagan
>
> St. George, UT
>
> (Wannabe)
>
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "whistles_n_bells"
> whistles_n_bells@ wrote:
> >
> >
> > Mike, Rose Mary:
> >
> > I believe the bus is a circa 1935-37 Fitzjohn, possibly on a Reo
> > chassis. I'll try to research this further with my old bus driver
> > buddies that are as old as I am. The car appears to be a 1947 Kaiser
> of
> > Fraser.
> >
> > Joe (Pappy) Hagan
> >
> > St. George, UT
> >
> > (Wannabe)
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "mbulriss" mbulriss@
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > I love this week's photo! I believe our long term members, Rose Mary
> > Smith and her mom, Clara, get the longevity in RV'ing award for this
> > week. I had to lighten the picture up some to see Clara a little
> better.
> > Anybody have any pictures to verify that they have been RV'ing or
> > camping longer? What a wonderful childhood summer vacation Rose Mary
> > had!
> > >
> > > Please read the attached email that Rose Mary submitted as
> background
> > on the picture. She is looking for someone to identify the car and the
> > bus. Who knows what makes they are?
> > >
> > > Happy Easter everyone!
> > >
> > > Mike Bulriss
> > > 1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"
> > > San Antonio, TX - heading out soon for somewhere!
> > >
> > >
> > > Hi Mike
> > > Thought you might get a kick out of this old photo.
> > > Me hanging out the door, mom's head just showing at top.
> > >
> > > When I was a kid we would go up to the Sawtooth Mtns. near Stanley,
> > Idaho. We lived like hillbillys I reckon, check out the wash board and
> > ICE frig., wood stove inside the bus. There were 5 of us kids. We had
> a
> > tent for the girls and a tent for the boys, while mom and dad slept in
> > the bus. That was real boondocking! Ice cold water from a creek. We'd
> > spend the whole summer up there. Dad harvesting poles.
> > >
> > > Trying to find out what that ole bus was? Think the car was a Kaiser
> > >
> > > Amazing the roads/climb that bus had to maneuver to get up to camp,
> > not to mention crossing Hell Roaring Creek.
> > >
> > > Don't know how they got the old milk cow Bessie up there.
> > > Horse was a necessity to pull down the logs to the landing.
> > > This was in the 50's (mid?) I'm sure the bus was an oldster before
> dad
> > bought it to convert for our summer use.
> > >
> > > Regards
> > > Rose Mary & Mom (Clara young at 88)
> > > JP'S White Bird
> > > making our was north (noooo) from Arizona desert
> > >
> >
>