The Oasis of my Soul... A Blog... a Journey on the Road.

[Beemerchef]

Slicing the Silence of Time, TX

With 217,000 miles on her I figured “Old Faithful” deserves her own video! She is dirty, she is smelly at times, but she keeps on purring and swallowing the miles to no end. I think I am addicted to those “Animoto” Videos, they are right up my alley as being so simple to put together, each being so different from one another.
I actually worked these past couple days. I am not going to say “we” because Spirit besides posing for others cameras, well, he did not do a thing. The “mission” was taking landscape photos on River Road and off Marfa while also photographing bicyclists for a gentleman that is setting up upcoming Tours, complete with support vehicles and lodging accommodations. It was fun, no doubt about it, except for the fact that there was no chatting with others met on the road! It was waiting most of the time, shoot, and go on passing them all toward the next good spot. A good concept to get paid to ride, photograph, fuel and food throughout those two beautiful perfect days. It was not much, but, a Dollar is better than no Dollar I was thinking.
Enjoy “Old Faithful” up close and personal!
Be well…
Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

Big Bend State Park. TX

It was “Fiesta Day” at the Big Bend State Park. The long awaited and postponed a couple times affair was finally secure on the calendar, both Ranger’s and Mother Nature’s good weather forecast. It is the largest State Park in Texas, over 300,000 acres of Chihuahuan Desert within a rugged, remote and unpopulated setting. It encompasses two Mountain ranges containing ancient extinct volcanoes, many canyons and waterfalls. This weekend however the terrain must have been in shock as near 500 attendees were present for the festivities. Too late to have a camping “reservation”, we rode in and out for the day meaning riding in a fog of dust unlike any other riding time. 27 miles of unpaved road where even some smart moves waiting for others to pass and get on with it during a break did not help. Even Spirit’s goggles where covered with that fine dust, I only thought about it later, we should have worn bandanas on our mouth coming and going. The exposure was intense. No warnings.
Much preparation on their part, it is a Park with low attendance and luring hikers, mountain bikers and now motorcycles I hope will bring the numbers up. It was a long day for the both of us even if lunch was of a free one.
More on the Journal…
Be well.

Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

“The Mosasaur Ranch Museum” in Terlingua. TX

That word “Mosasaur” is not even in my spelling directory… yet. It was a cold ride that morning, all well worth it as I had heard of this Museum just recently, surprised. It is a hands on experience one coming to this area should not let escape. No big banner, no big neon signs, they do have a website as they are in between Terlingua and Lajitas on the North side of the road. Can’t miss it, there is a rod iron Mosasaur being built in progress.
And now, our last evening here for a while as we are headed out east to the suburbs of Houston for much cooking, riding and sightseeing, a much needed adventure so we can miss this place and come right back! Might not have a chance to post too much here, but somehow my writing and photography do not stop, I could not live without, it is my personal expression of our Life. Spirit is also ready, helmet and goggles, a couple bandanas. He will have a couple Friends to play with, hopefully this time will not be chased by a horse as he was during our last visit. He also has a new Friend that is going to fit him with a coat we will pick up on the way back… as I said “how about me?”. No use…

Be well…

Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

Road trip. Tx

Sometimes it is above all being on the right mechanical path of a road trip, the mental aspect of it is as a stage brightening up as the miles roll away, it is not a game, there is no “tilt” anytime. I have given up trying to figure out why these days to near by Houston have felt so good, they just did, I will leave it at that, sometimes why try to understand what “is“.
Big day here at my Friends house on Thursday, many invites and much food I will help with. We actually went food shopping today. I have been craving fresh fish. We have Lobsters, Cod, Shrimp, all fresh, non frozen and the stores, well… I realize the compromise, the big bargain I have made when it comes to food when walking through such a store as a new H.E.B. as big as a football field. When at “The Oasis” food is only a need it seems like compared to here now when food can be a true pleasure cooked in fusion of it all, specially being a Chef all these years. I would not trade, jokingly I was saying that Spirit and I will be moving to the City… but yet, food and it’s preparation having been a big part of my Life with a passion for it as strong as riding or photography now, there is no choice, there is no regret, just thoughts of how nice it would be to have such a store in Alpine maybe!
Have a great Thanksgiving.

Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

Back to “The Oasis”. Tx

Seemed like a long road these past couple days riding in the upper 30’s to mid 40’s, an unusual change of the weather in this part of the country. I wore everything I had from heated gloves and jacket to balaclava, turtle neck, and for the first time my legs almost froze up! Spirit also wore everything he had, two of his new coats, the upper layer being a vinyl fleece lined raincoat. The timing could not have been any better as he is hard to fit and a store bought coat generally never firts him one way or another.
They are still predicting snow for tonight and tomorrow as Ft Davis only about 100 miles from here was gifted with 3 to 7 inches of it. Wish it would happen, the camera is ready.
My Friend Carl arrived here a day earlier, driving, trailering his bike and this huge load of Pecan wood. To my surprise it has already been unloaded and stacked. Crazy Friends I have! Good “crazy” that is… I wish I had been the one doing it, I have gained five pounds on this little Holiday jaunt. Back to the slimmer meals tomorrow, tonight is a burned grilled cheese not paying much attention to it.
I finally managed to post the Thanksgiving photos on the Journal, great times and great food I am trying not to look at right now.
Till next time, you be well.

Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

The Last Frontier. TX

I am exactly 5lbs heavier. It only took two weeks. We ate, we talked, we napped, repeat. I speak for myself, Spirit ran more than ever playing with his buddies, trying to anyhow besides being often a non sense to them on their own turf. We arrived back a couple days ago, a bit of a rough ride due to cold weather and my softening from being a bit further away in years. Just another way to say I am just not as tough as before…
My Friend Carl was ahead of us by a day, of course he was driving and trailering our wood and his own bike, much Pecan wood. I was looking forward to stacking it, if it was for the only reason to spend some calories, but to my surprise he had the same thought and all was neatly packed above ground when we arrived.
It then got colder, much colder, it snowed, no riding, the bikes never moved and as he said, if he was just going to sit and wait, why not do it in his own vehicle returning home. Of course today in the upper 70’s, just another beautiful day in Big Bend Valley or the Flats, as they call it.
Summer is a long ways away, somehow Utah came to mind as it does often and end up putting together another photo~video I called “A slice of Utah”.
Till next time, you all be well.
Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

“Ooommmmmmmmmm”. Tx

Yes, we “Ooomm” a lot in the Desert, total freedom to do so and feel uplifted from what might have been stored in the mind. Maybe I need to “Ooomm” tonight also as sitting in Midland waiting for the first round of gum surgery to happen. Second round in January. So much to look forward to. With age creeps up the ailments, with the ailments creeps up the bills as I have been in shock of the estimated price, specially being a Christmas present from my Dear Mother. Even Spirit is not happy as he has lost his space to run for now, I can’t wait to get him back to “The Oasis” tomorrow I hope. Life on the road with never ending surprises.
The past days have been for some relaxing ones even with the threat of strong winds for the area. Much cooking on fire, cooking for a few days as to not waste the precious wood that made it’s way from far away Houston. And again the road calls, maybe a visit to the Chinati Hot Springs might be a good idea to relax a bit.
The greatest gift these past days have been the sunrises. There are a couple photos on the Journal that have left their fingerprints.
Be well,
Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

A walk in the Park, Big Bend. Tx

Falling behind the times, “time” that has been escaping me these past days after gum surgery, part I, more to come in January. It is as everything must stop for the body to recuperate as the mind also changes gear and stuck in neutral has not had much energy to even come here. I did manage to put up a photo video documenting a bit the past first days when the sidecar arrived, delivered by truck, Spirit’s first ride with his goggles on sitting crooked… Some fond memories which reminded me that such a video can only handle a few photos, as an over 100,000 photos Library has been build over these past years. As I go through the folders I constantly surprise myself seeing the memories of so many places we have been, so many others we have met and yet, there are still so many we have not physically encountered as we only write back and forth, again as time permits.
The road is filled with so many we constantly meet such as a young man while doing laundry that impressed me for having such Spirituality at such early age, moved through Life with the word “HOPE” in big shiny and lit neon sign. They are the human interest moments of this Journey, such as also a walk through Indian Trail where amazingly Spirit saved me from a Federal Offense and much complication that could have ensued.
Much news on a couple new posted Blogs…
Be well, Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

“The Point of my Balance”. Tx

Everyone must be getting ready for the Magical upcoming evening and day. We are too in our own fashion as it all started this morning with more blue skies after a windy stormy evening of yesterday. It was more viewing of this incessant show in 3D within this incredible stage. It is reflection time for many I know, with a new number on a New Year’s “date” coming up, it has been reflections within also myself to find a better balance throughout this Journey as I now know it can be done, must be done and acquired.
Dinner with the neighbors and Friends, rides to Terlingua for their annual Christmas lunch~dinner, there is lots going on here if one chooses to participate. We call it “Desert” here, but it is not inhabited, the community is strong and as we have been coming back every winter, more and more I feel the welcome has increased making me strongly feel part of it all. A nice feeling throughout these Holiday times.
Wishing a Merry Christmas from the bottom of my Heart to everyone here as Spirit is wagging his tail in total agreement.
Enjoy the photos of this past evening where the skies would just not stop changing their costumes at the blink of an eye…
Be well… Always.
Ara & Spirit

[mazer]

Ara and Spirit - A Joyous Noel to the both of you!!! I hope you celebrate to the fullest, go to bed with the tightest of tummys and the best of dreams. I hope some of the good ones come true.