Single Mom Thug Life. Solo Female Traveler. Windsor, Ontario.

It is time for updates and maintenance on the Sexxy Beast. For those of you new to my series of adventures as a Solo Female Traveler, the Sexxy Beast is my 2008, Nissan Xterra, Offroad I purchased in June of 2021 for $6000. (all in) when my beloved 2006 Saturn Vue hit a huge pothole so big downtown Toronto that it broke in half.

Desperately, I walked every day to every car lot within 10km of my apartment on the York University campus. In fact even though I was wearing my best hiking boots, I walked so much trying to find the right vehicle, and on my single mother, student budget that my big toe nail on my left foot went black.

I had an amazing experience with the used car dealer employee. As a graduate student, who is also a teacher's assistant, I am often face to face with undergraduate students who are employed and are potentially a future student of mine. I am very mindful of that. However, this experience was interesting and honest. He told me that I had 36 days to drive around the vehicle and make note of anything (post safety) that was of a concern to me and he would have it fixed. I first took it to my mechanic (and if you read all my other articles, he knows I call him my Sexxy Mechanic) and he recommended that I not buy the beast knowing full well I was going to anyways.

Fast forward. The Sexxy Beast has become my transport to a new phase of my life as a Solo Female Traveler. For three reasons. One, it was my time to start getting out on the road with my photography research again. Two, it is four wheel drive. Three, if you look through my previous articles, I sleep inside of it and I have a portable toilet. I keep a top carrier for my camping and cooking gear. My Sexxy Mechanic takes amazing care of her knowing the demands I will put on her for my Anthropological adventures.

It is however, a 2008 and there is maintenance that must be done to preserve her. Prior to the winter season I had planned to get the two spots of rust on the rear door fixed. The autobody place quoted me $550 to fix both spots, then to paint and to spruce up the black on the back bumper area. The photo I post makes it look like the whole door is rusted. Truthfully the whole vehicle is filthy from day after day of highway driving long distances this past month without a single spray wash in sight. I don't know why it looks so "orange yellow" in the photo. It is just highway dirt after a messy snow storm that pretty much shut down the city of Toronto and made the highways messy! Back to the rust, my son's animation computer died just as he was heading off to college, so he got my maintenance budget $$ and my wonderful Sexxy Mechanic said it would be fine to put off the autobody repairs until the spring.

Speaking of the Jan 2022 Toronto snow storm, my 4 wheel drive had me moving long before anyone else, however, I got snow into my abs brakes, from the snowbank I drove over in my campus parking lot and it needed time to thaw out. My wonderful Sexxy Mechanic instead of charging me for his time to figure this out, spent extra time showing me what all the non original 'gadgetry' was in the vehicle and what to expect out of 4 wheel drive.

In nicer weather, I carry an E-Moped with me, as you can see by the back carrier. I use it not only to save on fuel because I have a portable invertor that will charge it's battery while I drive, but because once I park where I want to camp, it is an amazing way to get around, do my photography and my research and to enjoy the place I am in.

This week, I get the stereo replaced with a new one that has a screen that connects to my phone Bluetooth and a back up camera. It is no where near as expensive as I thought it would be! Often driving in tight spots downtown Toronto, I have an issue with the moped carrier on the back. It extends out a lot further than one would think! And downtown Toronto parking is mostly meant for small compact vehicles, of which my Sexxy Beast is not!

Lately, given my bear scare camping adventures last year, I have considered getting exterior lights installed. Does anyone know about these? Any Nissan Xterra OffRoad people out there to share their experiences? I have one more year with this vehicle before I gift it to my son and I purchase an ambulance to convert into a long term research vehicle. This gives me a year to take my Sexxy Beast on many many new adventures. The biggest upcoming one planned is this summer's camping at the locks along the Trent Severn Waterway while I research the use of the waterway in 1864 Canada. Why 1864? Well, that is a question you will have to come back and have answered as I continue these fun, informative articles of the Solo Female Anthropologist Traveler. Until next time. #Vxo

ps. the purpose of this specific article is to show other female adventure types out there, that it isn't impossible to do the things everyone says we cannot / should not do. The vehicle wasn't overly expensive on a student budget of a single mom. The repairs while slightly more expensive than my Saturn pay off because I no longer require hotels to stay in. I boondock when ever possible and the freedom of random movement, is more than I ever could have wished for in my wildest imagination. If it is in your soul. Please, do it.

About the Author.?Veronica Hendrick is an Anthropologist and has been a single Mom for almost 18 years now. Some of her experiences are poignant, others just down right ludacris bubbles inside her imagination! Her father was an Irish Storyteller of high regard and she is just trying to step into his oh so big stride. On a more serious note, Veronica is also an advocate for at risk women and young people everywhere and encourages them to step outside of what society says they can do and to start dictating to society what they choose to do instead.