Repairs in Salt Lake City, UT
We arrived yesterday afternoon a bit ahead of schedule, and right away dropped off the bike at “Motorcycle Repair” and Rendezvous” where the Dr wrote all of his symptoms… It has to be seen if it is the HEC (sensor!). Either way that part is being changed, too old, and hopefully we will head back to Moab as early as Friday evening as they are fitting us in tomorrow with great service
“Hurray Pass” was our last ride before all systems failed, a pass geared more toward smaller dirt bikes and four by fours than anything else, worth the pictures?… the adrenaline rush?…
Wish we watched television after receiving this e mail:
“I didn't see you guys in Moab, but I did see you guys on the rock crawling TV channel when we were watching it late one night.” Maybe next time!
So we are at idle… catching up on e mails, cleaning and… sleeping now that this afternoon the snow is melting and the sun has made its appearance.
You be well… Ara & Spirit
Throw the Dog a Bone… Spirited T shirts… Mouse Pads… Photography…
Rolling back to Moab, UT
A record or what?… considering being 230 miles away from the shop! 72 hours later Old Faithful is running again and we are so ready for some long, did I say… long rides!
I guess I do not do too well without the rig at hand… kind of lost, feel a bit trapped, immobile… even Spirit gets into this lethargic mood, eats less and asks too many questions!
I just find it amazing that the “diagnosis” was done over the Internet, the part was mailed to meet us in Salt Lake City and THAT was the problem.
The weather here in Moab is now perfect, April seems to be very promising with a dry 60’s to 70’s during the day and a perfect mid 40’s at night.
The Blog has some photos of Onion Creek Trail, the Fisher Towers and Castle Valley, another ride we took not long ago.
Be well… Ara & Spirit
Throw the Dog a Bone… Spirited T shirts… Mouse Pads… Photography…
More of the Arches, UT
No April’s Fool here as we have fallen back into the slow lane of checking out the sights, looking for the opportunity for some good pictures after this dark weather that was hovering over us.
All is quiet now in Moab, Jeep Safari week is over and so is spring break and this feels like the last stretch for summer, right around the corner. Revived energy thinking about the long days with the cold replaced by higher temperatures allowing us to spend more time outdoor.
The immediate area of the Arches National Park is a constant discovery of shapes and colors taking on their unique personality with every phase of the weather. Patience is one of the common denominator for good pictures… and luck. Always luck to be there at the right time, at the right place and not 100 miles away or even being a mile away when the window of opportunity knocks.
I don’t think we will ever be tired of the Arches…
Be well… Ara & Spirit
Throw the Dog a Bone… Spirited T shirts… Mouse Pads… Photography…
Back to the Park… Moab
I hope that things do not come in 3’s as the saying goes! Ignition sensor last week… this week is the starter! Transportation is the problem if we have it rebuilt, but with this kind of mileage will have to bite the bullet and have a new one installed. We will be in Durango on Tuesday night to exchange it on Wednesday, remain in southern Utah for a bit while there and then return. In such events the situation is a bit more complicated when one lives on the road!
I am drawn to this Park again and again. The colors and shapes and shadows are different every time we ride through, we are also trying to not adventure ourselves right now in desolate places just in case the starter decided to totally quit!… Just grinds a bit now… message received!
So again I took a bunch of pictures while doing some hiking. It is, they are on the Blog…
Be well… Ara & Spirit
Throw the Dog a Bone… Spirited T shirts… Mouse Pads… Photography…
The City of Moab, UT
The town is right now a weekend conversion destination for so many activities and quiet during the week seemingly the locals taking over. It is a nice town and I thought I would post some pictures of it. We are getting ready to leave here Tuesday morning for Durango, exchange this starter which has so far, grinding or not, has done well and have not let us stranded.
It will probably take us a couple weeks to return, Mexican Hat, Four Corners, Valley of the Gods, Monument Valley and Natural Bridges are all going to be destinations! Much to see and I am excited about the photography end of it. Hope the weather is conductive to it!
Check out the town on the Blog!
Be well… Ara & Spirit
Throw the Dog a Bone… Spirited T shirts… Mouse Pads… Photography…
In Durango, Az
Short travel from Moab to Durango, AZ, nice scenery with the hills covered with snow and not much else. The new starter is here and we are camping out a few feet from “Basin Motorcycles Works” (BMW… how smart!), a small shop run by Harry. We should be out of here by noon tomorrow and back to Utah/Az.
The more I am reading about the area we are going, the more I am discovering sights not to miss. As “Antelope Slot Canyon”… “Coyote Butte” and “the Wave” where they only allow 20 people a day with unbelievable pictures! “Mule Point” at the end of “Moki Dugway”… much more. I overlooked the fact that this area is so rich, also a Navajo Pow Wow this coming weekend in Page that I would really like to attend and some awesome roads.
I have to curb my enthusiasm and take it one day at the time…
On the Blog… some interesting double takes!
Be well… Ara & Spirit
Throw the Dog a Bone… Spirited T shirts… Mouse Pads… Photography…
A ride through “Valley of the Gods“, Utah
This will not be our last ride on that 17 miles stretch of dirt road! We might even move near it next week, pull up a chair and wait for something to happen… maybe a revelation?… maybe one of those striking moments of Life? Who knows… it is after all called “Valley of the Gods” for a reason so does the legends goes.
It is free travel, free camping with no facilities what so ever and the views are also for the taking! We only met up with half a dozen cars all day, most people we talked to had never even heard of it as the near by Monument Valley is definitely more advertised… A good thing!
More and more I am finding out that “time” is in direct relationship with my surrounding as I have totally lost track of it being here. With such a contrast, the multitudes of Lifestyles does not cease to amaze me…
You be well… Ara & Spirit
Throw the Dog a Bone… Spirited T shirts… Mouse Pads… Photography…
The City of Bluff, Utah
I am actually writing this off line from the Gooseneck State Park. If you need a facial… come on over! Have not experienced such a sand storm in eternity, one reason we could not even get in the Valley of the Gods… not rain or snow… much sand!
The City of Bluff is now my central point for my mail for a while, Blanding unfortunately 50 miles from here is good for provisions! There is nothing in between and so if you want to eat anything besides Hostess Pies and drink soda you better load up on your needs when you get here. I forgot… you can always get a plain old average $30 steak in Mexican Hat!
Bluff has a great Historical past, I think any path taken by the Pioneers has some great stories and a few pictures on the Blog to prove it…
Maybe this wind will die down and I can put up my Dish up, real impossible right now… I even took Spirit for a walk with his Doggles on!
Be well… Ara & Spirit (Dish is up!)
Throw the Dog a Bone… Spirited T shirts… Mouse Pads… Photography…
Sandstorms at the Gooseneck State Park, Utah
The winds have come back with a vengeance! The nights will drop to in between 18 and 12... So when is summer?… when is the calm? I have just checked 6 weather sites!… they don’t all agree either. Oh, yes, the mosquito count is low!!! Now that is a big help… Just sit tight… right?
We are truly camped at one of the most beautiful sight on Earth only 50 feet away from a 1000’ drop down the San Juan river… I try not to think about that fact, nightmares you know!
It takes 5 miles for this river to go 1 linear mile… what a work of Art it is right in between “The Valley of the Gods” and “Monument Valley”. We have not even started Old Faithful yet, just hiking around… maybe shedding some of the winter weight.
Ah! I guess I am ready to wear my summer mesh jacket and store my electric heated gear… Patience…
Till later… be well… Ara & Spirit
Throw the Dog a Bone… Spirited T shirts… Mouse Pads… Photography…
Living in Valley of the Gods, Utah
It’s kind of like my town now!… this 17 mile stretch of road, barely a few cars going by throughout the day and wherever you turn around a monument one cannot take their eyes off!
But yesterday the wind came back with a vengeance and the forecast is for more today, 29mph per hour might not sound like much but it is!!! Hate to move, I remember from last year, wind is everywhere at this time of the year.
Troubled by Life? Come and camp here for a while… I promise you all will change as the days go by and you will experience so serious humbling moments.
With some hope we will ride up to Muley Point today… through a stretch of twisty roads hand carved by the Natives many years ago.
Enjoy the Blog… and be well…
Ara & Spirit
Throw the Dog a Bone… Spirited T shirts… Mouse Pads… Photography…
Muley Point, Utah
Another space not to miss! Muley point… Moki Dugway unlike what I was told is an easy ride up or down, gravel and black top on the curves. And then you get to the top, make a left on another mild dirt road, #241, a few miles later you will feel as you are on Top of the World. Gooseneck underneath, below also is the road to Johns Canyon. This is where you can camp for weeks at the time with no one ever taking sight at you. One form of therapy!
Every day the decision to move or not due to hellacious winds has crossed my mind. One more day I keep thinking, as my head feels like being beat up by a 2 x 4 by evening… and the forecast, well, totally wrong on all points. A little ride back to Bluff today to check the mail, we have been here a week now and we are self contained for at least another week including water and food! Even Spirit is beat, he does not even want to lay outside in the midst of the howling! Our daily Life on the Blog!
Be well… Ara & Spirit
Throw the Dog a Bone… Spirited T shirts… Mouse Pads… Photography…
Back in Bluff, Utah…
That view, that serene… and windy (!!!) space is no more as we have moved back to Bluff trying to get some tranquility with the weather. There is no rest when it blows in the Desert, and so strange as there is really not much of a danger, must be a mind thing!
Just hanging out here, will be dealing with some tires that should arrive shortly. Seems that the nearest shop that could mount them is a Norton Dealer in Dolores. I have send them an e mail to find out if they could also balance them.
It is time to clean up a bit, everything we own is red, dusty and beat! Not a forgiving environment…
More roads to explore around here, trying to figure out where we are going next besides again Monument Valley where none of my pictures turned out!
More on the Blog…
Be well… Ara & Spirit
Throw the Dog a Bone… Spirited T shirts… Mouse Pads… Photography…
People we meet and a bit of Monument Valley, Utah
At this time of the year, a ride is a gamble trying to see the sights… always the wind which can change within even 10 miles from one place to another. We tried Monument Valley twice and got lucky once, but we will not camp there as we will be headed a bit north again, probably camp at the Needles, the southern part of Canyonland. Eventually back to Moab for a bit… and then… who knows!
We meet some interesting people on the road, they are out there, just have to bump into them or make a U turn and chat!
That is mostly what is on the Blog today, specially Joff, I lift my hat to him… you need to check out his website.
You be well… see you on the road… everyone seems to be going somewhere.
Ara & Spirit
Throw the Dog a Bone… Spirited T shirts… Mouse Pads… Photography…
Around and around in Circles, Utah
We had the good fortune to meet a big group of balloonists the other day going through Mexican Hat and end up spending a great morning with them, learning about the intricacies of the sport… It seems like a sport after all with more people on the ground helping than in the air. A great bunch of people and some shots which turned out not too bad after all.
We will be most likely writing from Needles next time, the southern entrance of Canyonland. Many friends are suppose to show up in Moab also but… will see how that goes.
We are doing good here, things have relaxed since being better sheltered, amazing what some nasty weather can do while living on the road…
Enjoy… the balloons!
Be well… always…
Ara & Spirit
Throw the Dog a Bone… Spirited T shirts… Mouse Pads… Photography…
We will not fight against the weather anymore! Utah
Always trying to get somewhere! Just not taking “NO” for an answer… We had to yesterday, amongst more sandstorms in Needles. And I look at the forecast as we pushed north now, at Ken’s Lake right before Moab, and none of it looks much more conductive. So we will wait… eventually this will change also… Maybe we should have stayed in Bluff, well sheltered and warm.
But the road to Needles is something to see! Just so incredibly beautiful. Soon!
We are warm inside, we have food and good health… what else do we need really!… All things must pass as they say and this will too… Soon it will be over 100 degrees most likely… that thought feels already good…
Today is like an “opening” day as our project hanging pictures in a Gallery is done! You will see it on the Blog…
Till next time, always wishing you well…
Ara & Spirit
Throw the Dog a Bone… Spirited T shirts… Mouse Pads… Photography…
