Finding Nomads – Bus Bonanza 2023

Like many others, I was fascinated by the idea of life on the open road for several years and
finally began my new life in September of 2022 in a converted ambulance. Like many others, I had no
idea where to start, but I managed to make a functional living space and hit the road seeking adventure.
With no destination in mind, I traveled from campground to campground hoping to meet the other
nomads I knew were out there, but it never came to be. I met many RVers and a couple of full-time
campers, just no “bus people”. It wasn’t until March 2023 that things would change.

I finally reached out to someone I had been following on social media for a couple of years, Ryan
of Seekingdiscovery.com, and he recommended I attend Bus Bonanza. At first, I was a bit
intimidated by the idea, I’m not in a bus for starters and a bonanza sounded like a huge event. I still decided to push beyond my comfort zone and attend and it was the best decision I made since hitting the road! Bus Bonanza was the perfect first event for someone like me.

Next Stop Bus Bonanza

I decided to fully commit and attend the entire ten days. After submitting my application I got a
confirmation email detailing everything I needed to know to get me there. The event was hosted by Hummingbird Tiny Homes in central Georgia and after my scenic drive through the countryside, I
arrived at quite the southern oasis, a ten-acre farm full of buses and vans. I was almost overwhelmed by
the sights as a pulled up to the outdoor kitchen where I was greeted by the Bus Bonanza team and
escorted to my spot overlooking the pasture.

I was placed near the koi pond, with vans to my left and buses to my right. Spread across the
venue there were a couple dozen rigs; from standard work vans, to box trucks, to an epic coach bus,
and everything in between. After a short recovery from a driving day, I began making my rounds
meeting the attendees and staff. As a rather shy, introverted person I was quite nervous, but the size of
Bus Bonanza was perfect and I would eventually come to call these people my friends. The way the daily events were scheduled was perfect for getting someone like me out of my shell.

A Day in the Life at Bus Bonanza

The days always began with coffee or a community breakfast, but there were quite a few late
risers so the important events weren’t until noon or later. The Lunch ‘N’ Learn classes were the first of
the unique opportunities. The seminars held at the kitchen either provided useful information that every nomad could use or augmented the hands-on learning held a couple of hours
later. It was those hands-on classes where I got to see what made Bus Bonanza special.

In addition to a beautiful farm Hummingbird Tiny Homes also has a garage big enough for
multiple full-sized buses that would make any mechanic jealous. This garage housed the buses being
used for the scheduled classes and even some attendees with problems that needed fixing. Classes
included everything from oil changes (significantly more complicated on a 40 ft bus) to solar/electric
done at a professional level. It wasn’t all work and no play at Bus Bonanza though.

Not “All Work and No Play”

The evenings had events where I truly got to bond with new friends. The planned events
were as in-depth as any of the learning opportunities. We had community meals cooked by people I’d
swear were professional chefs. We watched The Long, Long Trailer, staring Lucille Ball and Desi
Arnaz (a classic for any nomad), with all the popcorn you could eat. And even a Wine Wednesday
where we sampled wines from Jail Creek, a local winery, complete with charcuterie boards. But,
my favorite nighttime events were the bonfires. We’d gather together as we’d wind down for the
evening, roasting marshmallows and chatting. I was often one of the last people at the fire, listening to
the owls and watching the stars.

I couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend a week and a half (though it felt much shorter). I
learned more at Bus Bonanza than I ever could have from Youtube and made friends I never would
have met without it. This is an event I’d recommend to new nomads, longtime travelers, and those just
starting their journey. I was lucky to find out about this early, an intimate event like this is sure to fill
up fast, but it’s definitely something every nomad, and potential nomad, should attend at least once in
their life.