Snowboarding Class B (the ultimate roadtrip?)

[ericwaldron]

I've got a weird idea in my head and just want to see what everyone thinks. So I was looking at all these pro's taking road trips for their video parts and what not and always have wanted to go on a roadtrip, just hitting different resorts everyday! Of course the cost of hotel bills would add up hellza' quick, and a year or more of work may pay for only a week on the road. But then i got an idea, why sleep in a hotel? why not just camp or sleep in the car? of course then i realized if im snowboarding it would be to cold to camp, and sleeping in a car is certainly not my first choice...But then I got it! why not buy a cheap, used RV(making sure its mechnically fine first!) and go on a roadtrip? I wouldn't have to pay for hotels...and if I got a diesel engine i could convert it to a renewable fuel source (like veggie grease) and travel on free gas! i've actually put some thought into it now and cant think of any real downside. if anyone has done this please let me know your experiences! any suggestions or ideas from others you haven't done this but just have some comments on it would be appreciated too! and btw, a Class B RV is only 20' or so long (not much bigger than your average mini van) and has a bathroom, kitchen, and bed. used ones can be as low as $4,000. let me know what you think!

[Clash360]

my family has a camper. like a 32 foot one. but you would need to find a camp ground to stay in, if you didnt want to freeze. you need hook-ups for electrical, so you will have heat. and water if you want that. it could work, so good luck.

[Nevereversummer]

You could camp. Up at my winter camp we slept in tents of -30 degrees F and were warm.

[get me out of GA]

yeah, I definately support the whole convert a diesel engine to use vegetable oil. I was looking into to getting an old benz or Vw or something that used diesel so I could convert it and get free gas.

The only thing warn you about that is doing so you need to get the used oil from either chinese or japanese places because they use cleaner oil, and finding these places when you are out on the road may get difficult. Most places will just let you have it for free, but if you couldn't find it, you'd have to pay more and get diesel which is pretty expensive right now. And dont forget that frencch fry smell that will follow the RV everywhere.

Good Luck if you can ever do this, I'm sure it'd be an epic trip.

[irideROMEnow]

its gonna be fun

[Corkscrewed]

i've thought about doing that...it's a damn good idea. you can get oil from anywhere (McDonald's are everywhere!), and it's free. you'll want to put a filter in the tank so when you pour the oil in it, it filters out the french fry bits. i wouldn't worry about the french fry smell, let the people in the gas guzzlers behind you deal with that! let me know how it works out, cuz i'd love to try it!

[get me out of GA]

yes, you can use oil from anywhere...... but its not a good idea.

I forgot all the specifics from when I was going to do it, but a conversion kit can go for as low as under $500, but using oil from McDonalds is really bad for the tank and the engine. The less the filter has to clean out the better. Chinese and Japanese places are just the way to go.

[Proximate Platypus]

that's a cool idea. There are also smaller van-sized ones that still have beds/fridges/stoves. I once hitched a ride down the mountain with two nice hippies who had traveled across Canada a few times in their van that ran on veggie oil! It was interesting. So it's definitely feasible.

[Matt Carl]

You could camp. Up at my winter camp we slept in tents of -30 degrees F and were warm.
wow. how did u keep warm???

[irideROMEnow]

that's a cool idea. There are also smaller van-sized ones that still have beds/fridges/stoves. I once hitched a ride down the mountain with two nice hippies who had traveled across Canada a few times in their van that ran on veggie oil! It was interesting. So it's definitely feasible.

haha what did you do on the way?

[Haole]

That's such a cool idea dude, but unfortunately it's been done.
Links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URfClnq6nuM

http://www.greasenotgas.com/

[Jibberific]

you mean, fortunately it's been done.

now we all know it's possible...

the only thing that would suck would be if a whole lot of people started doing this and restaurants started charging for the vegetable oil. or running out altogether

[get me out of GA]

pssshh, restaurants have to use oil, its inevitable. They usually have to pay to dispose of it, so if they are not asses then it should be free. If everyone started doing it..... GREAT lower oil prices for those who dont and less pollution because of those who do....


And Haole, we are not idiots, we KNOW its been done, that was obvious, this is just his plan for an amazing road/ snowboard trip

[ericwaldron]

thanks for all the feedback guys! it does look like getting japanese or chinese oil is the way to go when available. i've been looking at vans, 20' vans (a typical mini-van is about 16') can run real cheap used...and have a bathroom, stove, tv, sink, bed, couch...a flipin' house. a good generator can run for about 4 days on an average load from a full tank...which means heat would be taken care off. anyone have any thoughts on parking at resorts? out west do they have rv parking or anything?

[Jibberific]

a lot of places have designated spots in the lots near the base area. sunrise mtn here in az has a little rv zone like a mile down the road from the main parking lot, and if you pay them like $8 per night you get to park there have electricity and water hooked up

[ericwaldron]

ah...thanks for the info jibberific! well im still looking into things ill let you guys now if anything happens with it

[snowboarding_bear]

you cant just use straight greese crap...its got to be refined and all that good stuff...i think...i saw it on dirtyjobs...

they did a long trip like that...not for boarding but bmx/mountain biking...i forget what it was called..why not just get a big-o-wagon? haha...rip out the backseats..you got yourself a bed...dont need a bathroom...local mcdonalds...showers..go to the ymca haha...and just jack food from any walmart superstore hahahaha

AND...most places wont let you just take their old greese...a lot of places save it and get paid for it by people who use it to make soap/perfumes...

[Snow Kitty]

That's such a cool idea dude, but unfortunately it's been done.
Links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URfClnq6nuM

http://www.greasenotgas.com/

Oh dude... you just made my plans easier!!!! I was thinking how was I gunna to get my friends to come along to do snowboarding vids (me being the camerawoman) Thanks babe!




And Haole, we are not idiots, we KNOW its been done, that was obvious, this is just his plan for an amazing road/ snowboard trip

*laughing*

[ericwaldron]

snowboarding bear- while ripping out the backseats of a old astro van would certainly be more economical...actually living in it would be a pain in the ass...as far as refining grease: you only have to refine it if you making biodiesel, other than that the filtration you install into the car will take of the rest (side note: in a pure grease car you MUST have a small diesel/biodiesel tank as well as your main tank)

Snow kitty- im the camera guy for my crew...so if this materializes it should make for a killer video

[snowboarding_bear]

snowboarding bear- while ripping out the backseats of a old astro van would certainly be more economical...actually living in it would be a pain in the ass...as far as refining grease: you only have to refine it if you making biodiesel, other than that the filtration you install into the car will take of the rest (side note: in a pure grease car you MUST have a small diesel/biodiesel tank as well as your main tank)

Snow kitty- im the camera guy for my crew...so if this materializes it should make for a killer video


dude...the whole van thing was a joke...lol

[Burton Doom]

Dude the best part about this is that if you keep this van you can go on one of these trips whenever you want to. You should do it for shure that would be so sick mine as well as right now your fuel is free.

[szaarh]

to lazy to read what every one said before but some footage would be involved right?

[snare_samn]

http://www.bikecarmovie.com/bc_v2_html/trailer_newWIN.html

Watch this trailer, it's about 4 snowboarders who make a car from scrap metal and old bikes and pedal their way to different mountains. Different, but cool.

http://www.bikecarmovie.com/bc_v2_html/files/large/IMG_1441.jpg