Motor City update - overdue but still no answers

 So as some of you know the day after American Thanksgiving I was giving some thanks for still being alive, well and in good spirits.

 The culprit...poor propane maintenance...the person responsible...me.

 It was truly the most money I have ever spent on anything and had it blow up in my face...literally. I want to kick myself so hard that my foot disappears in my ass and never stops moving. I knew better/know better and hey...still did it. That's stupid but I guess you have to learn some things the hard way...this has been about the hardest lesson I've ever learned. So I won't lament over it but I will say...Dodge Okanagan is da Bomb!! I lovee that god damn van...that is one thing making it very difficult....but as I learn about life, even the shitty part I learn to let go.. asta la vista Okanagan....

(not going to lie...like a booty call I may just find a place to tuck this away in a desperate fantasy of having the time to fix it up. 

 Here in Detroit the Kidd family has been so nice. I don't think I could ever repay them. I am a bit of a bump on a log down here...quietly observing the family dynamic while looking for an answer of some sort to come my way.

 Reason that it's taking so long...the van is caput. No-one wants to work on it, everyone is quoting so much that it's not worth it...so it's just sitting there and I am doing my best to locate a new one or make the decision to pack it in and head home. I don't want to head home yet...so I will do what i can to make a new one appear so i can roll again. It may not be as cool...because the Chariot was fucking cool...so fucking cool...cool enough to use the word fucking with it. It was my dream van...I love the layout...I loved the van. I put some sweat into it, some money into it and some love...and until it cheekily decided to let it rip..it loved me back in it's own way.

 But all good things come to an end...you take what you get, enjoy what you had and look forward to making some memories in the future. There is so much good in it though..if I was closer to home I'd truck it in and at least give it a little more time and effort before I call the ball like I'm having to here. If there was only more time...if there was...if there was...

 So I sit...I am probably looking at driving into Ontario to buy one...buying one down here seems crazy making plus having to pay duty and shit.

 Here are some pics....

:( It's not wrong to love a van....so awesome...so sad

didn't even see the window was blown until I checked it at the impound..

second support pulled

side support pulled right from the van shell

For some reason this picture makes me really sad...

roof vent

Where most of the fire was...shooting straight up scorching the cabinet and melting the roof vent.

body guy didn't like this...a rookie would buff it and smeaar it and patch it...a pro knows that the glass is cracked and most likely only going to get worse

window frame is cracked, dripping water but I thought I might just caulk the shit out it as I never open it. LOL

picture flames shooting upwards as you look to the back...

at first I was like...no biggie...I can tape it up. side wall cracked, upper top is sagging and when you push on it you can hear it breathe through screw holes in the light

Roof vent..without it the explosion probably would have all been directed forward into me

inside look at the side barns...it was an interesting drive back from Toledo

rear doors...should be more flush than the one on the right.

as I was cleaning up I saw this...the light that is up in the bunk. No fire touched this place...just heat

The explosion blew them open and mucked up the whole god damn thing

thats how I roll (tag at the impound)

this didn't come out well...but needless to say there is nothing holding this hinge in

these were what both body guys were most interested in. It's one thing to lift and crack the back of the camper top...but this shows that the roof was possibly disconnected...have to dig deeper (need more time) to find out

you can't really see it but there is a gap at the top and both doors are loose on the hinge

lifted up the lid on both side (rear)

 I know there isn't much excitement in this post...I have a million things going through my mind and can't really seem to get focused...but hopefully when a plan is finally put into place I wil be able to put up a jazzy Detroit Serial Killer post that makes you laugh and let's you all know I'm still kicking B style.

 If ANYONE knows of ANYONE who has an okanagan for sale at a reasonable price I want to know...I'm stubborn like that.