As the home of Ken Kesey’s ‘Further’, Eugene is the one true Mecca for old school buses sporting colorful paint jobs. And new ones are still being added, like this International sporting a roof-top chicken coop, with several live chickens, of course. Nothing like fresh eggs in the morning; is there a chute that automatically rolls them down to the kitchen after they’re laid?
I first shot and posted this same bus a bit over a year ago in the exact same spot, where overnight parking is tolerated (for now; it’s getting re-developed before long).
Then last August we ran into it down in the Whit, and caught the owner, a woman, in the process of painting it.
And here it is, in its full new splendor.
I called out for permission to shoot it through the open windows, and was readily granted it. But her dog kept an eye on me; or more likely our dogs.
“I am the Lorax….”
The Subaru was running, and obviously being used to charge up the on-board battery in the bus.
Mustn’t forget the chickens; they look like the same ones as last year. Wonder if they’re still laying well?
“C’mon get happ-eeeee” .
Partridge Family was the first thing that came to mind.
New Hampshires ?
Or Rhode Island Reds… which start laying at about 9 months, and molt at about 18 months. Egg production drops off a good bit after the first molt.
Quite right, yet the New Hampshire Reds are derived directly from the Rhode Island Reds, so it’s all in the family. I guess they’re both dual purpose brown egg layer breeds.
Self-sufficient psychedellic splendor!
wow. it takes all kinds in eugene doesn’t it? i am thinking that my kids are not getting a full education here in minnesota. they are not exposed to anything like this in our fair state. well, we have the chickens and roosters but they are in an old-fashioned coop and the only thing we paint are outbuildings. they have a copy of the lorax but it doesnt read so well up here in the woods.
Those poor chickens have got to suffer for a fashion statement? That is no life for a bird!
I think Kesey would approve… Nicely done.
Did any of you see that nice old 50s Greyhound bus conversion that was in the news a week ago ? It was parked in the Salem Or, Walmart The owner was wanted on drug charges. When the cops came to find him, the owner kept shooting at them, including the K9. The cops fired tear gas and a few rounds into the bus. They also tore the bus apart with an armored vehicle and found he had been killed. Then they had to haul away the old wreck in the end.
Totally saw that, it was pretty post apocalyptic! It seems the days of real life Road Warrior are upon us
Whole bunch of Motorhomeless vehicles that are crusty or crustier looking than that bus are driving around Portland.
Appropriately enough, it’s a Blue Bird.
Is it just me or is that an extra-ordinarily long bus?
Yet counting the windows doesn’t make this more than a 45-55 passenger bus…..must be that HUGE rear overhang. I would not care to drive this in the rain or snow.
I noticed that too. It would be fun to park on a scenic overlook and hang that huge rear end over the cliff. Imagine the views!
It’s a 72 passenger bus. Twelve rows, three to a seat. The 66s and 72s (along with the 84 pax transit-style models) are pretty much the standard for most school districts and private bus contractors.
We formerly had 3-window coupes and 5-window coupes, now we have a 31-window coupe.
Those chickens probably wake up in a cold sweat from dreaming about low hanging branches or low bridges. Or they would have if chickens did sweat.
I’ve gotta wonder how cruising down the highway at 60 m.p.h. will affect egg production.
Basically it all depends on the road condition. Winding roads with potholes will lead to an increasing production of scrambled eggs.
IIRC , that body was sold as an 88 Passenger model , we used to have one similar (same lenght & window count) if much older & Gasoline powered ~
Ours made some epic across America trips , once with a two axle trailer carrying my ’52 MG – TD .
I am pleased to see there are still some free thinkers in America with the determination to do this conversion and traveling .
Me , I’d be embarrassed to have this paint job and I imagine every Cop every where will assume it’s full of druggies and hassle them …….
-Nate
Imagine some cartoon-esque egg delivery system with tubes and funnels and egg-a-paults delivering an egg to your frying pan while tossing aside the shell at the last second!
I’d paint ‘Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez’ on the front. Or Further (squared) an an homage to Kesey. If housing and apartment prices keep going up, old buses like this may be my only alternative. My apartment’s rent just went up $200 because of ‘fair market value’ so we’re looking elsewhere.
With the way Portland is gentrifying something like this might be my future home.
This bus is cool, I guess it is eco friendly despite the dismal fuel economy, I hope the Chickens are brought inside for long drives, wonder if this bus has ever been to a Rainbow Gathering or Burning Man, and wonder how far east this bus could be driven before being pulled over by the police?
This is my dads bus he lives on there with his family and the woman in the picture painting is named spring