Quote from Beemerchef on March 19, 2007, 11:11 am

More on the Grand Canyon, AZ.

It was just another beautiful day here, NOAA is predicting snow and mid twenties by Tuesday... but that is a couple days ahead. Lots of riding through the Park, the weekend crowd is a bit different... glad to see many city people coming here to enjoy the sites as we did... before the views disappear due to increasing haze... You can read about it here...

You be well...

Ara & Spirit

Quote from Beemerchef on March 21, 2007, 12:31 am

Quote from Beemerchef on March 21, 2007, 12:31 am

Valle’s “Planes of Fame Air Museum”, AZ.

I think, I am fairly sure that we are going to “The Grand Circle” on our way to California...
“The Grand Circle” including Zion NP, Bryce Canyon NP, Glen Canyon, Capitol Reef... and more.
Exciting riding, hiking, photography and eating!... eating meaning cooking too...
There is much more if we went a bit more North/East... but, have to leave some for next year!... and the following...
A couple days ago we went to Valle ‘s “Planes of Fame Air Museum”, what I thought was going to be a quick stop turned out to be an almost all day visit... a must to see, all in the Blog.

PS: if anyone wants more pictures and info (taken also in pictures), let me know. I can send you the SmuMug link they are all on... too many for the Blog...

Be well...

Ara and Spirit... soon on the road again.

Quote from Beemerchef on March 22, 2007, 12:12 pm

On the road, 89N, AZ and Utah.

89 Northbound from the eastern entrance of the south rim Grand Canyon to Utah must be one of the best scenic road I have ever been on. So much scenery, from rock formations, to the Little Colorado Gorge in a more intimate setting than the Grand Canyon... to Panguitch... were we had to turn around. Campgrounds are closed, snow is still present with more on the way, wind is howling and why can I not set my mind to the fact that winter is not over yet!
So we are south of all that... 50 this morning near Kanab... and will take some day trips to the scenic areas surrounding us.
Some pictures of our way up here on the Blog...

You be well...

Ara & Spirit

PS: isn't there anyone else that would like to write a ride report???
There is more to life than tires... carburators and brake pads...

Quote from Beemerchef on March 23, 2007, 10:53 pm

Kanab Canyon and more... UT.

How can so much happen while on the road without a “home”? The trails of the mind must be wide open with all its doors unlocked... Turned on by a friend to Ken Foster’s book “the dogs who found me”, suddenly opens a path of joy finding out that his Pit must be Spirit’s brother!
And what better surrounding than riding through a Canyon to discover just a bit later that “Best Friends Animal Sanctuary”, a no kill shelter for animals, has tours of their center... where I actually find Ken Foster’s book less than 24hrs after its discovery... and should I also mention “autographed”... All this leading to a great dinner... I never thought that living on the road was going to be so exciting... as you might read it in the Blog...

Be well...

Ara & Spirit

Quote from Beemerchef on March 25, 2007, 10:04 pm

A quick long ride through Zion NP., Utah

I need to learn new words to describe this Park, or I just have to stop riding through these natural wonders. My vocabulary is starting to feel limited! What a blast... going... what a shower... coming back! The rig is purring... with 170+/-K on it I even hate to think about it... no jinks please.
And as if the ride was not enough we are moving there for a while... it will be base camp for many other attractions if that is what we are going to call them.
This one is already in the Blog.
Enjoy, be well... hope that you are also having a great weekend...

Ara & Spirit

Quote from Beemerchef on March 27, 2007, 8:04 pm

The Canyon in Zion... Utah.

Staying in most of the day, NOAA called in for some bad weather... but I think they are mistaken.
Great campsite, so great that we might, just might stay here for a couple weeks... but I have said that before. It is just that there are so many places to ride around here... and see!
Might even have some company soon... that would be great... Fire at night, great roads, great scenery... what more can I write on the Blog!... many pictures too...

Be well...

Ara & Spirit

Quote from Beemerchef on March 29, 2007, 11:05 pm

Darker Skies in Zion NP. Utah...

The forecast... after these couple days is as sunny as it can be for as long as they can predict it!
Lets endure these couple of days... I know that it will be all worth it.
Did not hold us back from some riding as darker skies make for some great pictures and give out a different feeling about this whole place.
We did have to turn around, bitter cold winds... the snow flakes were an added attraction...
Luckily enough ingredients to make dinner... preceded by a visit to Farmer’s Market...
The Journey goes on... cannot even think about our next destination! This is Home for now...

Be well...

Ara & Spirit

Quote from Beemerchef on March 31, 2007, 1:07 pm

Kolob Terrace road, Zion NP. Utah

East of here is still bitter cold, I was so wrong assuming that things will warm up at higher elevations! I guess I have lived in Florida too long...
But west of here, off the town of Virgin, is Kolob Terrace road which is less crowded entrance to also Zion Park. Love the setting, the riding... but not the road blocked by the snow a bit further up...
Cooked up a poor man’s pasta dish also with what I had left in the small pantry... tasty!...
It is on the Blog... in living colors!

Be well...

Ara & Spirit

Quote from Beemerchef on April 2, 2007, 11:12 am

April Fool?... not really! I wish...

April Fool’s day unfortunately did not fool me as I hear the snap of a broken eye bolt...
There we go... again! But... happened 10 feet away from camp... could have happened the day before when we went riding through Red Rock Canyon and Bryce Canyon up 9100 feet... without any steering it would have been quite a drop...
A couple more days... of course any day without riding is a tough one!... and we will be back on the road... in the meantime I wrote about the rides we just took... on the Blog.

Be well...

Ara & Spirit

Quote from claude #3563 on April 2, 2007, 7:27 pm

Ara,
I read your blog and saw the pictures. I have already told you that
I felt the connection failure may have bene aresult of your forst
failure issue. When one mount for whatever reason cannot carry it's
part of the load then the other connections are called to carry more
than they should have to. So when you rfirst had failures of th
eupper moutns it meant thta possibly a lot of stress was put on the
others. This included the swaybar connection area and I hope you did
replace that bolt as you promised.
Now, when you get the new eyebolt from Jay put a nut on the threads
up against the eyebolt part. In fact if it is going to be sticking up
as it appears in the picture then try and cover the threaded portion
with nuts. You need to insure that the threaded portion is
not 'working' laterally at all. In fact if it can be installed so
that the eyebolt part is seated firmly on the tube it appras to be
threaded into thta would be even better. If you go that route and
the eyebolt in not aligned properly then put a washer below the
eyebolt to allow it to sit on it. That may allow it to be tight and
be oriented in the correct direction. You may have to grind th
ewasher down thinner to pull this off but it would be the better
option.
If you have other connections on the rig that are similar do the
same with them too.
Ara, I am not taking sides here at all and you know that. I am only
trying to make some suggestions to help prevent any future issues.
You are running a rig under extreme conditions. You are running a rig
that is probably run under more extreme conditions that 99% of the
rigs that are similar to yours. I had sent you pictures of some very
hardcore off road GS rigs and you know there is a difference. You rig
is being used daily fo rmuch more than a decal carrier okay?
I am very disapointed thta you are frustated by a few who may have
emailed you saying 'don't worry about it'. Please do not base your
feeling related to these discussion boards on a few vocal folks you
do not agree with. You have a lot of good folsk rooting for you and
they apprciate your blog very much. Like I SAID TO YOU BEFORE...DON'T
THROW OUT THE BABY WITH THE BATHWATER!!
Your frustration is understandable but the sidecar world as a whole
includes some of the best folks on the planet with lots and lots of
experience who are willing to help out. You have not been with the
sidecar world very long and there is a good chance that the ones who
offended you have not either. Rise above your frutrations my friend
and it will eventually work out.
Please continue to be the person your dog thinks you are and we will
do the same.
Your friend,among many others!
Claude

Quote from Beemerchef on April 4, 2007, 9:10 am

Well... well... thanks for even writing about all this as it makes me feel better that this problem is not being ignored...
On today's Blog you will see one more crack...
The welding on the whole,rig has been done poorly, everyone that sees it... specially where the shock is held and the TILT, asks me if a child has done it! In May, Jay will see it and even thought he has assured me that the Foreman was a Master Welder, he will realize that he was not... Jay has stepped up to the plate, as the expression goes, and once in Seattle all will be redone... my thought is to exchange the mounts completely. IMPORTANT. The lower forward arm is NOT a straight one and I do not think that the eyebolt is designed for lateral forces... he will exchange it to a straight one... and also add one more arm for the uppers...
In the meantime, enjoy Bryce Canyon...

Be well...

Ara & Spirit

Quote from Beemerchef on April 6, 2007, 9:20 pm

Michael and Sandra’s Utah... my 100th Blog.

Somehow it feels like I just have left yesterday, so much has happened and yet... so little! Moving on to some new sceneries within the same State, Utah... one that intrigues me a lot as it is so full of richness, great roads and incredible geological formations that have taken millions of year... And I get to camp in the middle of it all... quite a treat! We are regrouping these coming days, listening to a local Adv Rider Michael, and his wife Sandra that have opened their house... and kitchen with wide open arms... Spirit has two new buddies... what more can one ask!

Be well... Ara & Spirit

Quote from Beemerchef on April 9, 2007, 10:06 am

A new campsite, north of Snow Canyon, Utah.
3 days... 4 days?... at Michael and Sandra, adding a few more pounds to this frail body... great company and time. 3 new tires, the rig seems really together and a new campsite, in the middle of some great BLM land.
I have a long list of areas to visit, it is so endless here in Utah that this will take many more visits to even scratch the surface. Good deal... I would hate to run out of places to visit these coming ten years!
Spirit is a bit sad today from losing his two buddies... he is starting to remind me of a sailor with a girl friend in every town...
Enjoy the Blog and Pictures, there will be much going on, specially with the days becoming much longer, finally it feels like winter is behind us.
You be well...
Ara & Spirit

Quote from Beemerchef on April 11, 2007, 1:27 am

My little Island of Paradise

This inhabited stretch has become my little Island of Paradise these past few days and will be for a few more days to come... all is here and at the same time... nothing!
Lots of vermillion was used in this past sunset... wish you would have all been here to experience it...
The trout is a thing of the past... long gone now... you guessed it!... It was great... could taste its freshness with every bite.
BMW of Las Vegas gave me some hundred dollar chips... their true value?... great service.
The Blog will have it’s story!

Be well...

Ara & Spirit

Quote from Beemerchef on April 12, 2007, 11:39 am

A little ride in the neighborhood, Utah.

I have the feeling that everyone wished to have a neighborhood like this one!... Right or left or north or south... great roads and scenery, hardly any traffic and there is a part of Utah that is not all red!
A great dinner (at least they thought so...) for my friends Michael and Sandra, some playing time for Spirit and his buddies... it is all good... all in the Blog.
In our conversations last night, we were wondering why get togethers are always where the crowd is!!! How about one right here...

Be well...

Ara & Spirit

Quote from Beemerchef on April 12, 2007, 11:42 am

A little ride in the neighborhood, Utah.

I have the feeling that everyone wished to have a neighborhood like this one!... Right or left or north or south... great roads and scenery, hardly any traffic and there is a part of Utah that is not all red!
A great dinner (at least they thought so...) for my friends Michael and Sandra, some playing time for Spirit and his buddies... it is all good... all in the Blog.
In our conversations last night, we were wondering why get togethers are always where the crowd is!!! How about one right here...

Be well...

Ara & Spirit

Quote from Beemerchef on April 14, 2007, 9:17 am

And all end up well...

School is never out just when we “might” think we are done... everyday new lessons are being provided, sometimes the teaching is kind, sometimes not.
What started as, finally thinking of having one, a bad day, end up being a great one... solving obstacles... followed by a great ride... and a great night sleep as Spirit seems to be getting back on track....
It is just part of everyday life on the road... we are not exempt from anything that you yourselves go through. The logistics are sometimes harder, but I would not trade this lifestyle with any other one... I know that some will agree after reading today’s Blog...

Be well...

Ara & Spirit

Quote from Beemerchef on April 16, 2007, 7:57 am

A ride to Cedar Breaks and Kolob Canyons, Utah.

So yes, I am a bit concerned about Spirit’s condition, it tears me up that he is still sick. Wish it was me instead... so hard to see and feel my helpless buddy! Time for a Doctor...
We did do a ride yesterday, he was doing better then. As usual Utah provides some exciting sceneries and roads. Only wish the winds and the rains would stop soon... maybe tomorrow!
More details on today’s Blog...

You be well...

Ara & Spirit