#tribute

Dolores, from the Spanish, 'many sorrows.'

I'm sadly reporting a tragedy this afternoon. One third of the three-part team that is the rusty, green, broke, and undercaffeinated Neverland Eventing (also known as "Marina will ride it if it has four legs", incorporated) has left us, and it appears to be permanent.

The team that was once Marina, Neil, and Dolores the Subaru, is now Marina, Neil, and Marina's Bicycle.

The tragedy happened suddenly. At 4:45 AM, Dolores was just about to pull into the driveway at Hogan Farm when her power steering gave out following her making what can only be described as a "weird noise." Followed by losing her ability to move forward, followed by losing the brakes, including the emergency brake. Luckily, she coasted into the stable yard and rolled to a stop.

The diagnosis: a big gear in the engine cracked into a zillion pieces resulting in no gas getting in and no car moving forward. At 13 years old, and with 239,500 miles (many of them with a somewhat abusive driver who shall remain unnamed), the decision was made to humanely call AAA. Dolores may or may not have been subjected to foul language at this point.

Watching her loaded up onto the tow truck to be returned to my yard, I was reminded of just where those many miles with Dolores have taken me. To the County Road the first time I saw Aly, to Virginia, for USPC Championships, and more recently to Dover, New Hampshire, to visit my poor horse in isolation. Dolores was the car in which I learned to drive stick shift (sorry car) and while she did not suffer at the end, she certainly suffered a lot of other times, like second semester of my senior year, when I more or less lived in my car. She was a real trooper about going days at a time with the gas light on and not going off the road in the winter (much).

Dolores is survived by Neil, myself, and a bike, who is suddenly getting a lot more use. Funny story- I actually met an oil baron at a party last week (don't ask) who asked me where I bought my gas, and being a smartass, I told him I rode my bike everywhere, save the whales, that sort of thing. And now, I really am riding my bike everywhere. Karma's a bitch.

Dolores would ask that in lieu of donations, happy thoughts be sent to other piece of shit cars everywhere. May you, too, not break down on the highway.

A small memorial service will be held for family and friends, date and time TBA.