The Thrilling Adventures of Number 18

by Michaele Benedict

In 1971, when gasoline was about 35 cents a gallon, our family sold everything we had, bought a 24-year-0ld old school bus and set out with our three children, aged four, ten and thirteen for a year’s adventure in home schooling.

There was no way to know in advance that some of the lessons would be hair-raising if not death-defying. We lost our brakes on a Mountain pass, went into a ditch at an Oregon camp site, popped out of gear on Lookout Mountain, broke a leaf spring in Pennsylvania, had to spend the night in a cotton field when the bus got a flat tire.

In quieter moments, we played the piano, stoked up the potbelly stove, stroked the cat, wrote letters and poems by lamplight.

The Thrilling Adventures of Number 18 is the log kept by the family as it held school in 14 states.

155 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2014

Reviews

[Susan Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine yourself some forty years ago, with gas at 35 cents a gallon, three children you want to share an adventure with, and the brand-new purchase of a school bus to use for that adventure! You're ready to join author Michaele Benedict's family ... husband, three children, and a cat named Patches on a cross country trip from San Francisco to Philadelphia and points in between. The bus was vehicle, home, school room, music room as the family explored the country and had some adventures they hadn't counted on, including brake trouble (frightening), not always friendly policemen, and numerous other incidents. If you've done any traveling at all, you will probably find yourself admiring the pioneering spirit of these intrepid folks, at times envying them and at other times wondering how in the world they did it! For me, it was fun to read about the preparation of the bus for this trip and the "dry run" from San Francisco to Oregon and back before they actually set off to cross the Mississippi; but once they reached Arizona, I felt I was part of the gang because they began to explore and experience places I had been. Visiting Mikie's home in Tennessee especially resonated with me and took me back many years to my high school days in Oak Ridge. I particularly enjoyed entries by the boys -- ages 10 and "nearly thirteen," sometimes in the form of school assignments (the children were on the Calvert School program and lessons were part of the daily routine), sometimes comments about something they'd experienced. Anna, who wasn't yet four, wasn't able to add to the bus's carefully kept journal, though husband Joe has some wonderful comments. I will never forget meeting Wallace (and to enjoy this story, you will have to read the book)! An easy and thoroughly delightful read. I especially recommend it to people who enjoy revisiting the past.

[Deborah Hagler Wong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This account of a family's life for a year on a customized school bus is quite extraordinary, for a number of reasons, not the least of which was the participation of most of the family members in writing it. The most interesting items brought along were a piano and the family cat. There were joyful and educational experiences along the way, though not everything went smoothly for these intrepid travelers. Bus breakdowns, issues with finding places to park, illnesses, a few inhospitable natives and other challenges made for interesting reading. Living expenses are included frequently, and though the cost of living in the early '70s seems incredibly low by today's standards, every penny is accounted for, and adds up. Visits with family and friends are highlights, as were descriptions of things the author and her family did to make their motorized home more livable. What one finds at the end of the book is that this journey was a family adventure, complications and all, which resulted in an unforgettable experience of a lifetime.