Desert Bus for Hope logo
Desert Bus 2025 Total Raised
$1,059,553.89
Desert Bus 2026 Begins Oct 23, 4 PM PT
140:22:35:14
Welcome to
Desert Bus 2026
ONE MILLION DOLLARS
November 19, 2012 at 05:51 PM PST
Posted by Ashton


HOLY CRAP!

Lifetime Achievement Unlocked: One Million Dollars! 

Thank you all so much from the bottom of our hearts for making this incredibly milestone possible! We are honored and humbled that you have given so much to those who have so little!

We’re not done yet, Desert Bus Fans: ONE MILLION DOLLARS ISN’T EVEN OUR FINAL FORM! 

FOR THE CHILDREN!

 

Thank you for everything from all of us at Desert Bus for Hope. You give us hope.

Sing us a song!
November 19, 2012 at 05:27 PM PST
Posted by Ashton

We’ve received a few songs during this year’s Desert Bus and we thought that you all deserved to see them! Click below to see three fantastic songs! Sing them, record them, send them back to us and we’ll post that too!

 

 

We Didn’t Start the Bussing

To the tune of “We Didn’t Start the Fire” by Billy Joel, re-written by Mark Gaydosh

 

“Hey I got a thought today, let’s find a game to play

Something awful that the people give us money for

We can raise five thousand, give it to the children

Who knows if the people like, we may even raise more

Five thousand in first shift, Nog Bombs are Matt’s gift

James is upside down and Teller sends in Subway

Penn and Teller call the crew, Bill makes me want to spew

How much did we raise this year, Twenty Two K

We didn’t start the bussing

We just played the game

Until we went insane

We didn’t start the bussing

But we raised some money

While we acted funny

Year two it’s finally here, Rosco P Jangles appears

Matt sees Twilight, Bill gets waxed

Crashes happen, cops appeared, Paul said bye bye to his beard

Seventy Thousand reached, Year three to the max

Wil Wheaton, Yahtzee, Wes Borg, Steacy

That’s No Moon, It’s OctoPimp, Craft-a-Long Begins

Bill crashes ha ha ha, that’s ok blame Canada

Over one hundred grand, everybody wins!

We didn’t start the bussing

We just played the game

Until we went insane

We didn’t start the bussing

But we raised some money

While we acted funny

Fourth year, back again, Aristotle kitten

Alex started yelling kitty, got clubbed, kinda shitty

Watch out for the lava bears, there is madness in the air

Bill’s Mom’s name is Kate, Notch is calling, I can’t wait!

Team Ashton, Team Kroze, who wins, no one knows

Play Minecraft, Get Pig, looks like this is getting big

Moonbase Mk III, Value Added Steacy

Two hundred thousand met, how much more can we get?!

We didn’t start the bussing

We just played the game

Until we went insane

We didn’t start the bussing

But we raised some money

While we acted funny

Fifth year, bring it on, AFRICA sing along

Wharrgarbal, Wubstep, Over 9000 met

QWOP makes Graham crack, Kroze and Ashton are back

Alex Going to the Store, Derp Line, we want more

Rule 34.5, Aristotle – he’s alive

Kathleen dances endlessly, MY LITTLE PONY!

We didn’t start the bussing

We just played the game

Until we went insane

We didn’t start the bussing

But we raised some money

While we acted funny

Wrath of the creepy doll, this bus destroyed them all

Three hundred and eighty thou, wait… really, holy cow

How can we improve next year, do not worry have no fear

Desert Bus 6 arrives, go and watch they’re still live!

What is love, hammer pants, Morgan Flatley Lord of Dance

Dictator Cam, Frumpy Matt, Roscoe Comic, Sonic Hat

My Brand of candy sushi, Whale dong, Dashie Plushie

This is what you’re watching for, let’s go LRR Crew one week more!

We didn’t start the bussing

We just played the game

Until we went insane

We didn’t start the bussing

But we raised some money

While we acted funny

We didn’t start the bussing

We just played the game

Until we went insane

We didn’t start the bussing

But we raised some money

While we acted funny”

 

 

The Desert Bus Song

To the tune of “Magic Bus” by The Who, re-written by Dark King

“Here I sit amidst debris (Too much, the Desert Bus)
Playing this game for charity (Too much, the Desert Bus)
It’s so boring, I just get all sour (Too much, the Desert Bus)
Vegas in about 8 hours (Too much, the Desert Bus)
Hate you, donors, for forcing me here (Too much, the Desert Bus)
You’ll kill every brain cell between my ears (Too much, the Desert Bus)
I don’t want to cause no fuss (Too much, the Desert Bus)
But can I crash the Desert Bus? (Too much, the Desert Bus)
Nooooooooo!

I don’t care how much you pay (Too much, the Desert Bus)
I wanna crash this bus and escape today (Too much, the Desert Bus)
*[Desert Bus, Desert Bus, Desert Bus
Desert Bus, Desert Bus, Desert Bus]*
Playing QWOP (Desert Bus)
We just can’t stop (Desert Bus)
Goes like a snail (Desert Bus)
We need more ale (Desert Bus)

Desert Bus, Desert Bus, Desert Bus, Desert Bus
I want out, I want out, I want out…(You can’t leave it!)
Get someone else to play…(You can’t leave it!)]
I want out, I want out, I want out, I want out … (You can’t leave it!)

8 hours driving each way,

‘Cause I’m forced to sit and stay
8 hours driving each way,
Raising money for Child’s Play

Desert Bus, Desert Bus, Desert Bus, Desert Bus, Desert Bus…
I want off the Desert Bus, I want off the Desert Bus, I want off the Desert Bus…

I said, now I’m playing Desert Bus (Too much, the Desert Bus)
I said, now I’m playing Desert Bus (Too much, the Desert Bus)
I drive this thing for hours each day (Too much, the Desert Bus)
Wish I could go a different way (Too much, the Desert Bus)
I want out, I want out, I want out, I want out …

Every day you’re watching us (Too much, the Desert Bus)
For Child’s Play in the Desert Bus (Too much, the Desert Bus)”

 

Total Eclipse of the Bus
To the tune of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler, re-written by Christina Liddle
(Drive the bus) Every now and then we get a
Bug on the windshield and sometimes we earn a point
(Eight hour shifts) Every now and then we get a
Little bit tired of watching yellow lines come and go
(Do not crash) Every now and then we’ve gotta
Scooch the left or else it’s gonna take us right off the road
(Boring game) Every now and then we’ve gotta
Do something crazy or our minds will snap and we’ll all explode
(Start off in Tucson)
Now and then we auction off cool stuff
(End in Las Vegas)
And sometimes we get a bid from Notch
(Challenges) Every now and then the chat will
Send in a challenge to make us do something weird
(Crazy stuff) Like making us act out Macbeth or
Making Kathleen dance or making Graham shave off his beard
(Don’t do that) And we say it’s madness ’cause there’s
No one in the universe who’d donate this to our marathon
(Bust that myth) And we’ll shout boo-ray because it’s
For such a good cause but now we know our trip’s one more hour long
(When we reach milestones)
We’ll post up your pictures of the bus
(And unlock cheevos)
Then read fanfic of Dengler and Butts
‘Cause we need to bus all night
And we do it for the children
Child’s Play can change their lives
Though we wouldn’t send them this game
So we’ll drive this bus on through the night
Doing dances and songs
Together we can make it to the end of the line
And together we will make more than in Desert Bus 5
(Desert Bus 5)
The time of year is here
It all kicks off tonight
You know that in five days
We’ll all be ready to cry
You really need to donate!
‘Cause Desert Bus will start tonight
‘Cause Desert Bus will start to(night)
Once upon a time this was just a small thing
We didn’t think it would get this far
But look at what we’ve done
It’s a total eclipse of the bus
Once upon a time I’d wake up when the sky’s bright
But now I do my shifts in the dark
For five or six more days
A total eclipse of the bus
(Fun contests) Every now and then we’ll make you
Send in some creations and compete for a cool prize
(Africa) Lots of memes will start because it
Keeps us entertained but we will hate them by the end of the ride
(Win cool stuff) Every now and then we get a
Bidding war go crazy and it’s so intense that it blows our mind
(Whale dong) You know it’s bound to happen when
Ken Steacy comes around and shows off all the awesome stuff he can find
(Octupple madness)
Every now and then we’re gonna QWOP
(Someone use space bid)
‘Cause this bus is never gonna stop
Get your bids lined up tonight
And think up some more challenges
‘Cause it’s gonna be a long ride
And we’re glad to have you with us
And we’re doing it all for the kids
So give generously
Together we can take it to the end of the road
And we’re prob’ly gonna do it in ridiculous clothes
(Or in silly hats)
We’re never gonna quit
We’re gonna drive this bus
You all know that Ms. Frizzle
Ain’t got nothin’ on us
Our bus is gonna survive
So buckle up and watch us drive
So buckle up and watch us (drive)
Once upon a time we had a crazy idea
We didn’t think it could do so much
In Desert Bus For Hope
It’s a total eclipse of the bus
Once upon a time I could drive what I like
But now I’m only driving this bus
Nothing I can say
Total eclipse of the bus
Total eclipse of the bus
(Turn around bus guy)
(Turn around bus guy)
(Turn around)
(ooooooh oooooh)
Random Encounter: Surprise Penny Arcade Live Auction!
November 19, 2012 at 04:03 PM PST
Posted by Ashton

That’s right, Bus-fans, an unexpected, unprecidented, and unbelievable new live auction coming your way right now!

This is a Penny Arcade lot that contains the following items:

  • A set of signed posters
  • All eight Penny Arcade books
  • Three sheets of Penny Arcade stickers
  • Season One  and Season Two PA DVD’s
  • FF2K: Pulp
  • Penny Arcade WoW Patch (not available for sale!)
  • A Child’s Play t-shirt in your sire
  • And a masterwork ONE OF A KIND Mike Krahulik sketch done on butcher paper table covering!

Thanks to the Penny Arcade for donating this awesome haul!

 

 

Call In: Wil Wheaton
November 19, 2012 at 03:00 PM PST
Posted by Ashton

Considering there’s an online law named after him, you likely already know who Wil Wheaton is. But even if this is your first time on the Internet, you may still recognize him from his roles in the Big Bang Theory, The Guild, Eureka, Star Trek: The Next Generation and many, many more. He is currently working on the web series Tabletop and generally being an awesome guy. Also, sometimes he gets really excited when people propose.

During his call in we’ll be auctioning off this lot of Wil’s signed books. Fantastic!

Mark your calendars for Monday at 6:00 PM PST, 9:00 PM EST, 2:00 AM GMT, as that’s when Wil is going to call in. Leave your questions in the comments.

Silent Auctions: Dice, QWOP, and More!
November 19, 2012 at 02:29 PM PST
Posted by Ashton

While the action may seem to be in the live auctions, our silent auctions have some really awesome stuff that you can bid on right now!

You have only two and a half hours left to bid on:

Plus! You have six and a half hours left to bid for:


Gotta have Kronfidence!
November 19, 2012 at 02:03 PM PST
Posted by Ashton

The votes are in and Kris has chosen the winner of the Kronfidence challenge to be this entry by OcelotOnABus:

Kris had a tough job picking between these Runners up:

 

And a special “So Smart That It Couldn’t Win” mention to this entry, whose selective use of spell-check shows that when you have kronfidence the only words that you recognize are “I CAN”:

Thanks to everyone for their entries. Browse through the gallery below and maybe some of the kronfidence will rub off on you!

 

Meet Captain Ollie Hungry Whiskers.
November 19, 2012 at 12:20 PM PST
Posted by Ashton

Bus-fan Piety sent in this email earleir today:

“On Saturday I went out to get a Christmas wreath and ended up adopting a kitten. I submitted a challenge to help name him and here he is:

Captain Ollie Hungry Whiskers.

He won’t hold still long enough for a good picture.

-Peity”

 

Kathleen's Mighty Mix Drink!
November 19, 2012 at 12:13 PM PST
Posted by Ashton

Kathleen began her driving shift by asking people to name her mix drink. The winning entry, submitted by Taos, was The Kitty Paw Cocktail.

Want to make your own and play some sort of Desert Bus drinking game? Here’s the recipe (though you might have been able to figure it out from the image above).

Kathleen’s Kitty Paw Cocktail

  • Muddled Basil
  • One ounce Amber Rum
  • One ounce Peach Juice
  • Top with Ginger Ale

 

If you have your own Desert Bus themed mix drink, why not leave the recipe in the comments?

Kris Straub is in the house!
November 19, 2012 at 12:08 PM PST
Posted by Ashton

No, really, he is!

If you’ve been living under a rock you might not know who Kris Straub is (then again, with free WiFi from the local coffee house you still might). So for the unenlightened: who is Kris? Well, heathen, Kris is a webcartoonist who created chainsawsuitCheckerboard NightmareStarslip, and F Chords. He co-founded the Blank Label Comics and Halfpixel webcomic collectives and even wrestled a giant blue troll to create the series animated series Blamimation and stars in the Kris and Scott’s Scott and Kris Show with Scott Kurtz. You can catch both series at Penny Arcade’s PATV.

When he’s not doing everything in the known world Kris even finds time to write horror fiction and created some fantastic Creepypasta. Oh, and he’s also a minister. BOOYAH!

Tune in and see him on the couch with us!

 

Call In: Bill Amend!
November 19, 2012 at 11:12 AM PST
Posted by Ashton

Bill Amend is the award-winning cartoonist behind Foxtrot, a widely-circulated slice-of-life strip that’s been running for 25 years and that you undoubtedly remember from the days when newspapers were a thing. Now updating on Sundays only, Bill has more than 30 books to his name, including the newly released Jasontron: 2012.

BIll will be calling in on Monday at 3:30 PM PST, 6:30 PM EST, 11:30: PM GMT  and there will be a live auction for this sweet Foxtrot lot featuring a signed Foxtrot book and a custom Desert Bus drawing!

If you have any questions for Bill, please leave them in the comments!