Oh what a last few days we’ve had! It’s almost hard to try and encapsulate it. Especially where to start this story?
I’ve been packing and organizing and prepping in general. It’s been pretty busy trying to remember all the adioses while keeping the kids on their schedule and prepping Matilda with her oil change and checking the stuff and things.
So the plan was to leave on Wednesday and on Tuesday I had an anxiety attack. Getting through all the cold is a long stretch and running Matilda all by myself for that and getting through Idaho, it all just was SO much. I talked to my brother about it while he was at work. My saying I was having anxiety about doing the trip alone was enough for him to start looking at options for how he could help and letting me know what his obstacles were. Within no time we worked out that he was to ride along and book a flight from Las Vegas back up! I had posted n a ride share group and reached out to some friends if they had a solution, but this was truly the best.
So, I started hauling strawbales from around the bus to my mom’s barn. She was soon helping me pull sleds back and forth and figuring out what to do with the frozen ones which may become straw bale garden which would be fantabulous! All in all this whole time we spent in Montana was the easiest time my mom and I have had in since I was born probably. I feel really blessed about it since human connections are hard and the longer they go and the more intense the harder they get especially when communication isn’t the forte…. This year I felt like we were more capable, like my mom was so open, accepting, and helpful. It makes it so nice to be there. Her team working the dinners and feeding the kids breakfasty brunch and saying “You’re so lucky to have these kids.” It’s all so glowy and gorgeous and makes me happy to have, while sad that we do love traveling and exploring.
After moving the strawbales I had to attach the back rack and load it with bikes and crates. After I strapped everything on it beautifully under the tarp, I realized I’d forgotten to bolt the thing into the hitch receiver! By this time I couldn’t move it to align the stupid holes so I had to unload all the things again and make sure it was all firmly bolted before strapping the things back on. What you don’t have in your brain. you’ll make up for in labor.
So We left early in the morning! I woke the kids and they had their breakfast with their Omi. I tied up the last few knots, starting Matilda quite beautifully and pulling the heaters out and rolling up the extension cords. My mom did the gate thing as we made sure Matilda made it up the icy driveway!
The first 10 miles felt lumpy driving all kinds of jitters and bumpies that shouldn’t be happening. We stopped at all the gas stations to find all the air hoses being out of service, so we stopped at Tire World and they kindly made sure all the pressure in the tires were even and filled. Sitting around in ice isn’t good for tires.
While filling fuel, we realized there was quite a pouring of fuel coming out from under the bus. I checked the lift pump from the top and the fan caught my thumb a little. I overed it with a paper towel with the mantra “if I don’t pay any attention to it it didn’t happen.” and climbed under to make sure the lift pump really wasn’t the leakage happening. it wasn’t. So I opened the doghouse saying it might be the injectors with lots of doubt. we drove a few miles and surely! Two injectors were cracked and spewing fuel. I tightened those right quick and immediately Matilda drove like a marvel! Another adage: When there’s a will there’s a way!
We drove and drove and drove! Through the ice and snow until it faded to dry ground and the sun shone warmly to thaw us freezing beings. Matilda puttered on and on!
Except when I realized her water temp gauge was going up! I slowed the pace considerably and got the temp to even out for a little, but surely she said “Tooooo hot now!”
It looked like smoke coming outta the hood but once we pulled over it was clearly steam. The overflow valve had popped off and it was blowing straight out of the radiator. A little sitting and refilling 4 gallons of water and we were back on the road!
I’m feeling super capable! We drove all the way into the middle of no where of Hiko, Nevada, where we stopped for the night at 11PM.
It was a cold night but it was survivable and we got up early, had some coffee and headed on to catch my brother’s flight!
I really hope he had a leisurely time getting to his gate and didn’t have to rush to much! I’m so blown away by how great it was to have him along. I can’t express here truly how big a help he was, but I can say how helpful he’s been this year too having nerf gun wars with the kids and setting them up to do dishes…. playing Catan, speaking up when they get out of hand, and just being there in his free time…. I wouldn’t have made it south without him. Throughout the years, he’s pulled through. On a late stretch a trucker kicked up a huge rock and made a huge ding in the windshield he replace what we thought was 4 years ago, but was probably actually 7! Which is the same amount of years we’ve had our lovely tires that have carried us so far and well and now are starting to look on the older side too. As things go….
I cried so much after dropping off our last real tie to our home of the last five months. It’s been quite the experience by all definitions. So many tears of happiness and gratitude. We made it! Safely!!
Pulled into a park south of Las Vegas and Galixy ran out barefoot, so happy! Sensible Atreyu put on his socks and boots and went to lay in the grass. The dogs ran and rolled and even the cat busted out of the door to go explore for a couple hours.
We had a walk and some food and a nice little wait for the car before we drove some more South! We have left at the right time and have many things to do.
We are happy. We are warm. It’s currently raining with sun forecast for tomorrow.
It’s late, but I thought it was important to write about this journey!
The grocery store we pulled into, a lady in a sweat shirt matching Galixy’s favorite wear, came up and asked if we had a cat we lost three years ago in Parker and sure enough that was a christmas miracle of this very lady and her husband locating AND capturing our wayward Chikkie from behind Walmart and delivered him safely to us across the highway at the safeway! Her husband came by just ten minutes later asking if we’ve owned this bus a while and were the cat people. I’m so beyond grateful to these humans, not just because they donated. I feel like we’ll cross paths again!
Having been stuck, I’ve definitely drained funds. I privately spanged on the facebook, so the fuel for this escape was funded by (in chronological order) Jessica, Chad, Poe, my mom, my brother, and Brian. Also a week or so ago a surprise donation from Crikett, which I don’t think was meant for fuel, knowing her a mix of intuition and awareness. I’m so grateful! Thank you for helping.
I can’t say it loud enough
THANK YOU FOR HELPING
Sometimes I feel so selfish for leaning into doing what I love. Living how I want. Teaching my kids what I deem important and allowing myself to watch them grow and unveil their own beings. But then I remember that I want everyone to do what they want (as long as it doesn’t harm anyone else) and that I want to inspire others to do so within their circumstance and I want to support people finding their path.
On that note, I must reitterate that we do run mainly on your kind donations and I greatly appreciate your contributions. Every little bit helps and gets us to explore just a little more of this exciting world. I accept donations via CashApp: $MatildaBugus and paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/matildabugus
If you’d like to peek at our Amazon wishlist follow the link below. We really appreciate those special wants/wishes/deferred needs finding their way to us possibly via your help! https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3LUAOP5L0M5FY?ref_=wl_share
We now have merchandise ready for you to order! Represent and support at the same time! We love these shirts and we love you! Check it out!
https://matildabugus.bigcartel.com
CashApp: $Matilda.Bugus
Venmo: available upon request.
Feel more than free to Contact me. You can establish such via the Contact Me page here on the blog, OOOOOOOORRR! get on your facebooks and join the group “Spotting Bugus” or like the Matilda Bugus Page. Also availble on Instagram, Youtube, and the TikToks.
Oh, don’t think I’m not trying to straighten that youtube thing out. Seeking Video editor! It’s a process and I’ll gladly admit that I didn’t do shit for it yesterday because I was busy driving but don’t think I’m not thinking about it and going to oomph it to. The wills and the ways are lining up in their own time and I’m just stoked!
Oh!! photos!!?
Very candid all in all
I really hope you are having a smile. I hope you’re grateful and feeling light, but if not, I hope you feel…. and get through…. and spare me a deep breath!
Loving you
Matilda the Bugus 