09/02/2026
Today, I’m talking with a couple who made a remarkably quick transition from a conventional life in Missouri to living and traveling full-time in a converted school bus.
Susan Savage worked 29 years as a social worker, while Tad Mayfield worked primarily in the printing industry. Susan had already retired, but Tad was still working long hours to maintain their lifestyle when they realized they wanted something different.
The inspiration came while they were driving down a highway in Missouri and spotted a woman happily cruising along in a converted school bus. Susan told Tad she could live with him in a skoolie, and he agreed.
They went home, crunched the numbers, and called a realtor the next day. Within 31 days, their house, cars and most of their possessions were gone. They didn’t even own a school bus yet.
After finding a partially converted bus in Tennessee, they spent a couple of months getting it ready and hit the road. About six months later, while camping in Iowa, they were approached about becoming camp hosts.
They didn’t even know what camp hosting was at the time. But they gave it a try, enjoyed the experience, and discovered there was an entire world of Workamping opportunities available to them.
https://workampershow.com/susan-savage-and-tad-mayfield-life-in-a-skoolie/
