My pride and joy

Oh, where to start? My name is Tom and I am the proud owner of a 2004 Toyota 4Runner. Well, to be completely honest my father owns a 2004 Toyota 4Runner. I was a hard working young man who had a job from the time I was 13 because I knew I wanted to buy a car and go to college. Well, my parents appreciated my hard work and were generous enough to gift me the family 4Runner. We got her new back in 04' and I have developed quite the attachment to the vehicle. Her and I are at a bit of a crossroads. I decided after graduating college I would do a year of service. I am currently halfway through a one year term with the AmeriCorps VISTA program where I am helping a small non-profit in Columbus, Ohio. After this year is over I plan on taking an extended road trip (approximately 3-4 years) where I will be living out of my vehicle and working seasonally across the country. So, in other words I need a vehicle that will last another 100K miles AT LEAST. I am currently sitting at 205K and have a few substantial issues. I am having an issue with the head gasket, we have sealed it a few times and it has held up rather nicely. I am in the middle of deciding if I want to replace the engine, do the head gasket repair, or move on entirely (I'm not crying, you are). So this presents a list of questions...WHAT DO I DO? Is there anyone in the Columbus, Ohio area who would be willing to help a fellow 4Runner lover? Does anyone have a mechanic in the Columbus area they would recommend who would not take advantage of me? Ideally, I would love to meet someone in the area who wouldn't mind working on my vehicle with me over the next several months. I do not have the knowledge, skills, or equipment. However, I am an extremely hard working, fast learning, and passionate individual who is in love with his 4Runner. I would be more than willing to exchange labor services for time working on this project.