Jimi and Ciara’s Struggle Bus

Our journey began as a dream—to travel the country in our school bus turned home with our two dogs. For over three years, we’ve lived this dream, exploring new places and meeting amazing people. At no point has this adventure been particularly easy; however, our latest trip from Memphis to Durango has turned into a bit of a nightmare. 

Our bus broke down multiple times along the way to Durango, causing delays and requiring costly repairs. Just when we thought we were back on track, we got stuck on a remote dirt road with no turnaround. The situation worsened when we had an accident trying to get off that road, leaving our bus straddling a small river in the middle of nowhere, 33 miles from the nearest town, no cell reception, and already depleted funds. 

A Community’s Kindness 

We spent the night trying to dig ourselves out without shovel. Not too long after sunrise, a 70-year-old cowboy found us. He seemingly called the entire nearby community to help rescue us before a looming storm could wash our bus away, which they claimed was guaranteed, moments to hours away. After hours in the hot sun, their generosity saved us, but our troubles were far from over. The bus taking a dip ended up causing new damage to the bus, and now we’re mostly broke down again. Fortunately, we made it to our destination (we can limp along at 35 mph) and parked on free federal lands. 

The Financial Toll

The repairs and unexpected delays depleted our savings. We missed out on job opportunities due to the three-week delay, and the cost of parts alone drained our funds. Now, we find ourselves staying on free federal lands, relying on solar power to keep our refrigerator running and eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches until we can secure jobs and paychecks.

Our Humble Request

We are humbly asking for $2000 to keep our phones on and secure a nearby monthly spot to park with essential amenities like electricity, water, and showers. We’ve got another $1500 in repairs we need to make after that, but at this point it would just be nice to shower and not eat beans for the foreseeable future. 

Your support can make a world of difference in our lives. We are grateful for any help you can provide to help us get back on our feet, literally anything helps. Thank you for taking the time to read our story and for your generosity.