Broke Down in a Tiny Town

Hello all my dear friends. I was really, really hoping that I wouldn’t have to do this, but here I am.

Vulgus, my wonderful, beautiful motor home, has experienced a quick decline into not functioning.  As many of you know, I have recently set off on a journey from Denver to Portland, Oregon to try to make a life there. I made all the necessary repairs before leaving Denver last Saturday. She seemed to be running good, everything was going great. I traveled over 1,000 miles with absolutely no issues. Tuesday afternoon I crossed into Oregon and I started to get excited that I would make it to Portland by Tuesday night!! I made a stop for gas in La Grande, filled her up, and went along on my way, thinking I would only have to stop once more for gas and I would be there! I set a destination in my GPS for a gas station about 120 miles outside of Portland. It seemed to be the only gas for miles and miles. I cruised along quite nicely up until right before my exit. Then all of a sudden WOOSH, my power decreased dramatically. I knew something was very wrong. I tried to continue, but I was just getting slower and slower. As I attempted to pull off to the side of the road I realized that I would not have much room due to the fact that there was a big railing and beyond it a steep downhill that led into a river. So I managed to pull off to the side a little bit, but I was still right up against the highway. Folks, I thought that was the end. I thought I was done for right then and there. I pictured myself getting thrown into the river by a passing semi truck (of which there were SO many) or, even better, getting suctioned into one of them and just crushed and obliterated. Shaking, I attempted to start the engine again. I was literally 1.3 miles from the gas station! I managed to get a few tiny spurts of power, enough to drive along the shoulder to the exit, which by some grace was at the top of a hill. So I rolled. I rolled down this hill and at the bottom of the hill, this shining beacon of a gas station awaited me. I rolled JUST BARELY to the first pump and that was it. Everything locked up and she died on me. Then what happened was a man started to approach the vehicle. I was already shaking and terrified from my ordeal on the highway so I probably wasn’t thinking perfectly straight. I was thinking this is some kind of horror movie. I’m about to be murdered. TURNS OUT they pump your gas in Oregon. Ok… so, this guy wasn’t coming to kill me. I explained my situation to him and thought it would be nice if maybe my gas gauge was just broken. So he filled my tank and I sat for a bit and waited before trying to start her back up again. It wasn’t good. There was clearly something horribly wrong. I couldn’t move. When I opened her up and looked at the air filter, everything was completely soaked in oil. So fast forward a little bit to where the gas station attendant called the single only tow and repair man in this town. He actually came out there at 9:30 at night! Once he determined that there was no simple fix, he managed to help me inch into a parking lot for the night, because the gas station was about to close. Next morning I got in contact with him and his shop was a mile up the road. He came down and managed to putt putt the poor little Vulgus the mile to his shop. Now (Thursday) it has been determined that there is a hole in one of the pistons and that she will need the engine replaced. This is absolutely devastating and heartbreaking news to me. I have offered to help out around the shop and do whatever I can to decrease the cost, but this is a big job. Trying to work that off I’d be here all winter. This is a small town, about 500 people and 2 square miles. Obviously there are no modeling gigs here. I have work waiting for me over in Portland which is SO FREAKING CLOSE but there’s no way I am leaving my home with everything I own behind. So please don’t suggest I leave her. I wouldn’t dream of it. Right now I am parked on the side of the shop and at least I can stay here for the time being until everything is fixed. To replace the engine with labor costs included it will cost me at least $2500. By working I may be able to reduce the cost by a couple hundred bucks, but that’s it. The longer I sit here, the longer I go without paid gigs, which is not good. I have things lined up in Portland, but everything has had to be put on hold. I absolutely hate the idea of asking for help like this, but… I need it. And I hope that everyone realizes that any help that I receive, I will pass down to someone in need when I am able to be the helper. If every one of my friends contributed a dollar, I could get her up and running again and be on my way. A friend of mine said to me, “I think friends would feel good about helping. It’s hard for one person. A group can move mountains.”

I hope he’s right.