Motorcyclist Cafe Barn & Bunkhouse, Show Low, AZ
How about that! We are still under the hospitable wings of Dean and Pam at their “Motorcycle Cafe Barn & Bunkhouse” in Show Low, Arizona. Turning my back on a few blood tests lately has only left me with the decision to have a biopsy. This past Friday Dean drove the 440 mile round trip to Tucson and now it is for a couple weeks just a matter of keeping my fingers crossed and awaiting for the results. I have to keep the Faith of Life going as a few different scenarios are awaiting, obscure and unknown at the present. We are longing for the road and yet, being here has been relaxing, enriching as the company at times chatting, at other times cooking and sharing a meal has been a highlight of our Journey. How can one “thank” enough for such gesture? The World sure is filled with such good people as we have always crossed path with them these past years. They seem to be not advertised! Seemingly only the bad news escape and make up the headlines so often read. One does need to believe that the “goodness” of many roams freely amongst us. They are here and there, they are indeed everywhere. I took some photos of what here we call “the barn”... it will give everyone an idea what one can do for other. Enjoy.
Be safe and well.
Peace, Love and Courage.
Ara & Spirit
5th year on the road...
Mind Games “The Incertitude of Life”. Bluff, Utah
Rollercoaster it has been as yet we are comfortably camping in Bluff, Utah. Just mind games one goes through when outcomes of personal Health is yet to be announced. The scenarios? If the Nurse calls all is well... if the Dr calls, well, more scenarios on the forefront. I woke up this morning after the best night sleep ever as I always do in our tent, I woke up from a dream that sounded so real. I was on the phone with the Nurse and all was well. Message? I can only believe in it, there is no harm, there is much to gain. I am avoiding “primitive camping” for now only to have the ability to be reached when needed and this “Cadillac Park” is truly one of the most beautiful one we have been in. It feels as “home” to us, shaded site till late afternoon, quiet as only listening to the birds, the frogs and bullfrogs sounding like a heard of cows calling each other. The rides are of many, we have only been to the Gooseneck and Mexican Hat, we are taking it easy, Valley of the Gods will be next and an area filled with Hoodoos only locals know about. We have been here before, this is landscape and a space I never get tired of.
Till next time...
Be safe and well.
Peace, Love and Courage.
Ara & Spirit
www.theoasisofmysoul.com
5th year on the road...
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The Silhouettes... “Valley of the Gods”, Utah
Again, so fitting. “Valley of the Gods”. So near by when the sweet nurse's voice announced as I almost dropped the phone “no cancer”. Life came back rushing in with the strength of a hurricane force, my heart missed a couple beats, “are you sure....” I kept asking. With such high PSA numbers I can only see this as a miracle or as otherwise the Medical Field trying to continuously scare us “men” of a certain age. The ride, the always magical loop on this 17 mile dirt road was then of the best I have ever experienced. Priorities suddenly changed, “living” again and again came at the forefront of my soul, just living, nothing else truly now matters. We are still near by, we now have a mechanical problem with “Old Faithful” which I guess decided “well, if you are OK it is now my turn...”. I have no clue yet, could be throughout the transmission or the final drive, we might have to backtrack into the heat of Tucson for some repair. Seems this summer all has been delayed for our northern arrival... but then again, who cares! I am alive, Spirit will have to put up with me a bit longer, that is all that matters. Thank you for all that have send me your prayers and your incredible well wishes. Enjoy the Video and more photos on the Journal.
Be safe and well.
Peace, Love and Courage.
Ara & Spirit
www.theoasisofmysoul.com
5th year on the road...
Help needed in Tucson, down for some major repairs. AZ
A difficult entry, thoughts traversing right and left, the fear of not being able to cover the repairs. As it stands right now, we cannot. It is the big one. We only have a few days ahead while staying at a Friend's house, the heat is intense here in Tucson and no transportation. I swallowed my pride in this new entry and in the Journal asking for help comparing these 658 chapters written these past almost 5 years, thousands of photos, maps, a few recipes, as the physical entity of a few Coffee Table Books, a subscription for a magazine? We are cornered. A couple days ago, only 50 miles into our ride the rear wheel locked, foreign loud noises of metal coming to pieces, I knew it was going to be it for a while. Our Dear Friend “Dean” drove 780 miles these past two days to get us to Tucson at the “Iron Horse” BMW Motorcycle Dealer. Amazing how Life has it's valleys and peaks... It was not long ago awaiting for biopsy results on myself, today it is awaiting for a different kind of mechanical illness to be taken care off. I am hoping to have this ability to appeal to our readers, I know at this point the future path depends on you, it truly does. It was an interesting concept how “Old Faithful” was put on the trailer and taken off. Many have already been involved through this process of getting her here hoping for many more to get her out of here and get us going again.
Be safe and well.
Peace, Love and Courage.
Ara & Spirit
www.theoasisofmysoul.com
5th year on the road...
Upcoming "Ron Howard Movie"... Please vote for us....
Could you vote for us in this photo contest which we are a semi-finalist to be chosen as a "theme" for an upcoming Ron Howard Movie? 2 days left...
There are 29 photos left in this Worldwide contest. We are one of them in the "relationship" category! (of course...). Here are the instructions (they could have made it easier!). Don't try any other way...
Open the link and click on "Enter Gallery" in the middle left. Scroll with the "right top arrow" next to the film strip and you will find our photo, one click will do. Our photo will come up as a thumbnail, click on the photo, the photo will come up and you can vote for us... please...
Here is the link
http://www.youtube.com/Imagination
THANK YOU....
Ara & Spirit
Overwhelmed. “Old Faithful” rides on... AZ
All this happened too fast almost. The breakdown, 2 days to get to Tucson on a trailer, an outpouring wave of help and suddenly as fast seemingly as it happened “Old Faithful” is back on the road. “Iron Horse” in Tucson overwhelmed me, their handle on the situation has been exceptional. What a sweet sight it has been of “Old Faithful” in my Friend's garage while she is being “harnessed” again ready to take off Thursday morning. Boulder/Escalante in Utah... we have been trying to get there for it seems weeks now! The biopsy, the breakdown, this time it is a green light toward the weeks ahead rekindling our relationship with Mother Nature. So many have come forward as I sit here thanking everyone individually. It might take some time but it will get done.
Tucson has been hot, hot for us, and the only “drive” was up one morning very early, Father's Day, up Arivaca Road which is also the road many locals ride. It was too early for any other vehicle, I needed some time alone to reminisce on my past times with Lance while the Sunrise, a beautiful one, was taking place on this Day always filled with the past memories. What a week it has been.
Finally up is part III video of our Valley of the Gods ride and the sunrise photos...
“Thank you” all that have come forward, those two words will never be enough.
Be safe and well.
Peace, Love and Courage.
Ara & Spirit
5th year on the road...
Imprisoned in my Freedom. Escalante. UT
The weather! HOT. Too hot for Spirit, a bit too much for me, sadly enough as we have just arrived in this area we will leave tomorrow morning, stop in Salt Lake City for a rear tire and make a B line for “Glacier”. It is unlike us to do so, but late moving on North Mother Nature is being a bit rough on us. Daytime is a furnace, it leaves a bit of early morning and evening maybe cooling off barely before Sunset. That is just how it goes these days. No complains though, we are mobile again and one more time “Thank You” for all that have rescued us, as there is no other word for it. I am still trying to “Thank” everyone individually, I will get there eventually as all is always only a matter of time. Riding again brings on many thoughts. The word “Freedom” has been bouncing around and around as today turning 63 (and Spirit “7”) I am realizing that there can never be a turning around, it is too late to go back ever to a Life which is not what it is today even if so at times like the present, Mother Nature forces us to move on from a space I so much love being. More on the Journal just posted...
Be safe and well.
Peace, Love and Courage.
Ara & Spirit
www.theoasisofmysoul.com
5th year on the road...
Up to the Tetons, WY
We are now 20 miles away from Cody, east of it, still “out there” and yet Internet, phone connection, power, water, all is now available. No Bears and Mosquitoes! We spend a few days without it all as we do quite often, a primitive campsite off Grassy Lake Road, by “Flag Ranch” in the Tetons, the switch is always a shock to the mind. The more time we spend “off grid” the harder it is to face this screen and yet, I enjoy it, I enjoy sharing the path we have taken, the photos trying to convey a certain sense of another reality we have embraced. This was the first we explored the “Tetons” and what magnificent space it is with it's snow covered peaks, more snow this year than ever, the “Snake River” near by within a few feet (reason for the Mosquitoes!) playing it's constant melody so soothing inducing a good night sleep as never before. It was a slice of Paradise as now we we look for another one, and another one! “Bear's Tooth Pass”. We have been here before, it is on our way north to the Glacier and hopefully a bit of Canada as long as we can handle the logistics. A few favorite photos now on the Journal have made their way... this technology does not cease to amaze me...
Till next time...
Be safe and well.
Peace, Love and Courage.
Ara & Spirit
Camping with “The Adventure Trio”, WY
It does not happen often for us to camp with others. No one has the time or takes it, more important generally is more the emphasis on the distance covered leaving on the wayside the quality of the “moments”, fast forward is the blur of the road with only the fact which can then indeed be pronounced “ we have been here and there...”. “Sandy”, “Terry” and their soon to be 10 year old “Jack” are on a different tangent smelling and feeling the road, and yes, they also put on the miles, they know how to balance it all with their outgoing message “you can also do it...”. It was a good time, a very good time cooking, chatting, exchanging the road stories as many they always are. A couple dinners, a ride nearing the Grand Tetons, shopping for provisions, a bit of fishing for Jack (never caught anything as my frying pan was ready!), a bit more of guitar playing, our own incredible display of lightning and thunder on the Fourth of July and plenty of Photos... all on the Journal for now, looking for a better connection to upload a video I took while riding behind them. So long my “Friends”, soon again I hope...
Be safe and well.
Peace, Love and Courage.
Ara & Spirit
5th year on the road...
“Logging Creek, MT and “Footprints from Wyoming”
So last week for some rare moments my true anger rose to the surface as invited to a campground, Spirit gets attacked by a dog, owner who had been warned, owners, a couple working on the premises, both “alcoholics”, a pathetic path of Life they are on. Turns out the owner of the campground also is. Amazing how these people congregates. Even more amazing is how I fell into that unpleasant situation. Spirit is fine, saved by my foot and his leash. It was a close call. That is where the title “Footprints from Wyoming” came from. It was a dark time. We then moved on quickly to the “Logging Creek” Campground, our last entry, found by my nose, an isolated primitive campground off #89 before “Great Falls”, MT, this after some incredible riding through “Lewis and Clark” Forest. I actually think we saw them, they are everywhere from East to West, from Washington and Oregon to even California I think. The gravel roads where exceptionally well taken care off showing a network of them on the map, firewood was plentiful, water from a creek, white tail deer visiting the site, not bear visits... It has been the other side of the coin, peaceful days with only a few storms here and there in the late afternoons.
Be safe and well.
Peace, Love and Courage.
Ara & Spirit
5th year on the road...
“Logan's Pass”, Glacier National Park, MT
I realize our Journal is chronologically off as connections on the road are not quite often readily available and for more reason, as I write this, we have already left the “Glacier” sitting for a couple of days in Lander, WY. I have been feeling defeated by the swarms of mosquitoes taking away any sense of being there, campsite that is, within the moments, instead fighting off the waves of those annoying creatures, spraying clothing with 100% Deet and watching Spirit himself while covered with Eucalytus-Lemon spray being attacked to no end. Many have come forward with other possible solutions, nothing, meaning “nothing” has worked. The bottom line? Move on for now. On the other side of the coin it was one of the best rides ever from East Glacier to Lander. Back roads to no end, a good tail wind, even the ride through Yellowstone and Tetons on a Sunday afternoon was of a fast pace without too many cars stopping in the middle of their lanes to watch and photograph a squirrel go by. Where from here? With the constant thought of staying cool, Colorado sounds like an attractive space for a while, higher elevations, and who knows, maybe the mosquitoes will be of the old breed... a bit tamer.
Enjoy the photos and a video through Logan's Pass. The lower part playing this time.
Be safe and well.
Peace, Love and Courage.
Ara & Spirit
5th year on the road...
Jane's smile. Heartfelt. AZ
The miles are running away as we dropped in the heat of July into Tucson for some matters I have to attend. No escape from this and already from a couple days in this urban space I am kicking the ground to get back up North in a few days, by the end of this coming week. The ride was uncommonly for us fast paced, we managed to stay at higher elevation and good fortune was with us even going through Moab with cooler temperatures. Amazing. I personally do not find any feat into running up the numbers on “Old Faithful”, I understand long distance riding is a flavor, it is a flavor we had to a bit taste while 1400 miles went by in three days. It was however a true feat and almost inexplicable feelings when I read on the way, on the first day while resting on the side of the road an e mail send to us (as Spirit is always included) which started as such...
“Ara
I love your website, pictures and Spirit. I too [as Lance did] have terminal cancer and when I am down, all I do is pull up your website. I’m sure Lance was thinking of you as I am of my children and try to encourage them to do all things right and true and keep the Lord in your day...”
Her name is “Jane” and she rode with us for the rest of the way with thoughts ambushing each other with no avail of rest, the impact turned the path upside down as here I was mildly putting it, a bit “unhappy” about our new course, how quickly I felt one can loose it's priorities when voicing such non important aspects of Life. The Journey, the writing, the photos, Spirit, Old Faithful, all the components seemed to have blossomed into others path and so well worth it if even it was to procure one smile, “Jane's smile”.
Be safe and well.
Peace, Love and Courage.
Ara & Spirit
My “Mistress”, the Road. AZ
Realizations do not take up much time in this element of Life, consciousness does, the inner battle often not wanting fully to realize the deeply rooted presence of an aspect one cannot anymore escape. We are for another day in Tucson, I could not avoid having to come back for some personal matters needing prompt attention, and within this go around here, there is now not an ounce of doubt, a full understanding that we will never be again filled with the ability to remotely survive while the call of the road is left behind. I have surrendered without a battle to such concept as amazing as it could be, seeing a constant horizon ahead with no end in sight, no gates and no doors and no locks as all a free passage even if so the stage is of a universal one, those are the components for a forward momentum too late to now stop. It is as a daily taste which has turned into a must, a need I could say as these days present again are as my breathing is curtailed from the lack of my own personal Life support. We dropped 1400 miles in about 3 days. We managed to stay at higher elevation and Karma took care of us in lower elevations throughout an unusual cool day even going through Moab, Bluff, the lower plains. It was a great ride with the winds carrying us on.
Be safe and well.
Peace, Love and Courage.
Ara & Spirit
I can think, on Muley Point. UT
Colorado bound, yet cool weather, quick thinking at the last chance, the last intersection I could make a left instead of a right and Muley Point, Utah, it was. A few cars at the first look out, no one at the last one, the one I call “The Point of the Point”. What a gift it has been, great temperatures, a nice wind blowing away, almost cold throughout the night and a few photos, Sunset, Sunrise, a new painting for every moment passed. It was a need more than anything else after a few days in Tucson and the heat almost intolerable. We “are” headed toward Colorado, the high altitudes, the passes we can ride, a space we can find where we will settle for a while. We have been moving around too much, there is balance I feel we have lost and the necessary steps are ahead to regain it. To start with the ability to think, as Muley Point has allowed me to do so. The hottest month of the year it is, it is for us the only solution to maintain composure on this path we are on, up and up. Enjoy the photos...
Be safe and well.
Peace, Love and Courage.
Ara & Spirit
5th year on the road...
Beaver Lake, Co.
A picture perfect space and weather and all. Colorado in the summer at higher altitudes is a gem, almost cold at night! As always “Nature” brings on much thoughts unlike this one time World Traveler who told me not to ask myself any questions about Life as it would bring answers and so, more questions. He shall remain nameless. All in such space is in such parallel of mind and body, present times and past memories, some future thoughts, nights and days as all passes on at it's designated speed one moment at the time. We are back in Ouray for one night and back on the road in the morning toward Crested Butte as being there a couple years ago without a chance to really explore it's own spaces. I remember snow throughout those days which I am sure will be melted this month. Spirit as always is having the time of his Life, abundant smells and the cool weather always suit him best. All is well... going down the chosen and sometimes unplanned roads, thinking some and not thinking some but always lots of photos!
Be safe and well.
Peace, Love and Courage.
Ara & Spirit
5th year on the road...
Crested Butte, Lost Lake... more... Co.
The depth of the spaces present have deepened, magic it has been and like floating on those cottonball clouds we witness daily, we are emerging from the bowels of this Journey, time escaping unavailing me to come here and check with my good Friends of this Forum their own ongoing summer. There seem to be always the occasion to post an entry into the Journal as all is written on my phone off line and my photos are moved on also off line with now the help of portable solar power. A couple entries later, here we are again on this pages while physically in and around Lake City, San Cristobal Lake, reminiscing about those past entries when camped at Lost Lake and also visiting more than once Crested Butte, CO. We have been to Colorado before! Why is it only now the repercussions of it's space conductive to my seeking have come forward? Maybe we were not looking deep enough, maybe we were not ready. So many roads, so many dirt roads, lakes, little towns each with their own charm, so much more... and so many photos.
Be safe and well.
Peace, Love and Courage.
Ara & Spirit
5th year on the road...
