"The Oasis of my Soul"... A Lifelong Journey on the road...

[Beemerchef]

This is one Blog I really enjoyed posting, at the same time as much as I felt welcomed, I also felt a bit as I was watching from the other side of the window. The “family” presence was so strong and in retrospect I have looked deeply at my own life these past couple of days… I cannot help feeling a sense of envy… feeling a missing link… as Spirit and I are such a small family ourselves… too small! But… such is life you know.
So I could not fit 3 days of Rodeo and Fair in one Blog! More of it today, including some of the Parade, the little guys riding… wild lambs, more Livestock being sold at auction meaning sometimes a substantial income for those kids. On the whole, a total family affair. I’ll spare you a third day!
We have not done any riding these past few days! How strange… just walking back and forth to watch it all.
6 more days and we will start the long way down to Big Bend, Texas. As much as I will miss Halfway, I am looking forward to it. We were there for 3 weeks a while back and barely scratched the surface, hopefully the photography also will be exciting.
Enjoy the pictures…

Be well…



Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

Under the weather… OR


Trying to keep my composure today… yesterday… how quickly one can succumb to a bit of illness! At least take a walk through town I thought… a good thing with good weather. My mail arrived, bumped into some riders exploring the area on some very cool bikes and some good Karma which I wrote about on the website.
Change of plans, and then again more changes and changes… We are leaving for Texas tomorrow am via Sacramento to visit with my friend Brian and his family… and learn some computer stuff! Not my favorite hobby, but, I have to learn to be self sufficient when I start adding an Index on my website so one can navigate and find recipes and routes I have taken… It will be a slow road, don’t expect it overnight, but it will get done…
Poor Spirit is stuck with me not going anywhere… good thing I have not heard a complain… yet.


Be well…

Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

Placerville… CA

Back into the thick of life… compared with Halfway! So this is where everyone has been hiding this past month. Terlingua, Texas… here we come. But first, some tutorial from my friend Brian, I am going to be Internet literate very soon, I just feel bad that he has to put up with me these coming days…
Used the “tent space” again, from Adv Rider’s Forum… camped here on 40 acres, gracious hosts Kurt and Evie. He even had to get his chainsaw and start clearing some room for us! Many nice people left in this world, trust me on that.
More pictures and our route is on the website.

Enjoy and be well…

Ara & Spirit

[busa-boy33]

Hey Beemerchef.. I have enjoyed reading of you adventures. Thanks for posting them and I wish you many many more safe miles of riding out there.

God speed and safe journy on the miles not yet traversed.

[Beemerchef]

Thanks Busa-Boy... be careful with that machine... rode one... and... scarred me!!! Nice...



The Gold Town of Coloma… CA

First day on the road back to Texas, Terlingua! We are both so exhausted that we stopped early, I hope for a good night sleep. I think stumbling from the High Desert of eastern Oregon to the fire smoke and smog filled air of Placerville was too great of a shock for us. Add to the day hours of computer tutorial, a totally obscure path for me, a short circuit was imminent!
We did find time to visit the little town of Coloma, check out the remains of this old Gold Town, and that was it! I am excited about that moment, in a few days, when, as we exit the last curve approaching Terlingua, my sight will focus on
Big Bend!
The links that I am working on are public, they are work in progress! There will not be much added till we stop moving for a bit… and I am wide open for suggestions! Check it out…

Be well…

Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

Not much rest, almost in Kingman today to visit… one more time… Mark and Angie’s family… maybe they will adopt us! It is only the third time we visit them…
It was hard not to stray while going through Mojave Desert… all those trails in sight, this incredible vast area, spectacular!
And I will write this here also… I would like to invite anyone “that does not” have a Blog, to send me an article, with pictures, to be published in the magazine section of the website “My first hundred years”. It could be about your pet (s), a recipes, travels, motorcycle, truck, life itself… thoughts! I only ask for it to be “G” rated… I have many young readers and there is enough garbage out there, to put it bluntly! This will give an opportunity for anyone not having the ability, yet, to see their writing on the web…
You never know, you might decide after that to have your own Blog! I think the interaction will be nice and interesting for all. No strings attached… e mail me for more information if you like.
Will be waiting…

In the meantime, you all be well…

Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

A weekend in Kingman… AZ

Not a detour, but coming through Phoenix I thought we would take care of a recall that could set the cruise control unit on fire… even when parked! First appointment?… December!!! Or leave the RV there for 3 to 4 days… How about moving in a Ford dealer for a while… I guess will keep this one on the list to do. Seven years later has not caught on fire… hope it wait’s a bit longer…
Great weekend in Kingman with Mark and Angie, a great ride to the West entrance of the Grand Canyon, the family, the animals… you name it as you can read about it on the website…

You all be well… we are in transit! Oh… managed to add a recipe…

Ara & Spirit

The Oasis Of My Soul our website…

[Beemerchef]

Arriving in Big Bend, Texas…

Familiar roads leading to Terlingua, a couple miles from the entrance of Big Bend Park, at the same time all new feelings discovering a terrain I feel never truly experienced as we will this time.
The beat is off as the Dish is not working… first time now for 24 hrs. Worse things have happened, there is a Restaurant/Coffee Shop that has WI FI walking distance… as the last time we were here. What an irony!
The weather? Just missed a nasty storm… good timing I guess as everything rocked and rolled overnight…
So, some pictures of the Journey down here on the website, and also a new articles submitted by a 9 year old rider from Louisiana, Brandon! What a great kid… and father team.

Be well…

Ara & Spirit

The Oasis Of My Soul our website…

[Beemerchef]

The Big Bend articles, 1, Texas.

The excitement is at a new height! And here I thought after such an incredible and I need to use the word “life” in Halfway, Oregon, we would loose that space we love so much to be within. It was a long haul here to the south, took a little bit of a toll as it always does when navigating the mainstream… but Paradise has again opened its doors for us to level off and discover new sceneries, feels and friends.
I feel a bit above ground today, my steps are lighter and frame by frame I know that the days will present themselves filled with sunshine and full moons.
It was a great first day here in Terlingua, Texas… as you can read and see all about it on the website… with a new recipe and even in their own words an article on the “Miracle Inn”…

Till next time… you all be well…

Ara & Spirit… who was not in a good mood in this picture!!!


The Oasis Of My Soul our Website and Blog

[Beemerchef]

The Big Bend articles, part 2, Texas

Still fairly warm in the afternoons for Spirit mainly. We took advantage of the cool morning to enter the Park for the first time and witness our first sunrise. Quiet, peaceful, it was time for much reflection on the past, the present. Suddenly all was still, only shadows moving along slowly painting and reveling the colors of the peaks surrounding us and the town of Terlingua just a few miles away.
A ride up the Basin, had been a long time it seems like filled with so many miles across this country in between. All I can say is “it feels good!”.
Come and visit, maybe the pictures on the Blog will entice you to do the same as we do…

Till next time… you all be well, have a great week.

Ara & Spirit

The Oasis Of My Soul our Blog and website…

[Beemerchef]

The Big Bend articles, part 3, Texas

More of the Ghost Town, I am drawn to it, the old school, the church, the radio station… deep down I feel that Terlingua is making a comeback as some new businesses are establishing themselves, or is it only because the “season” is coming up…
The afternoons are still hot here, any day now for the cooler weather to arrive. This is here unlike any other town I have ever been in. And to think that some just pass through, maybe stop for a meal and go on never knowing really goes on here.
More pictures and the story on the website… and a new recipe…

Be well… Ara & spirited Spirit!

[Beemerchef]

The Big Bend articles, part 4, Texas

Good sign, the days are starting to blend in and only sunsets and sunrises are marking the beginnings and the end, this means we are on Terlingua time… which could be symbolized by a blank clock with no hands or numbers!!!
Kathy is back in town and my favorite hang out is now open again… how about some coffee and an “all day burrito” by the fire at around 7 in the morning watching the sun do it’s thing… will we see you there?… Holidays are coming up… better plan on it!
A ride on some nice dirt road… all in the website today.

Be well… Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

The road of a thousand pictures, Texas…

No wonder I have to mostly ride alone, I think most would live me behind when it takes me a whole day to cover the 120 miles or so to Presidio and back filling the camera’s memory card!
The heat slammed on us in the afternoon, it was suddenly brutal and luckily we found some shade at a rest area. Much water is a must these days.
As I have been asked what is happening with our Journey, why am I working 3 days a week, are we settling down… the answer is NO on the settling down!… with more details in today’s Blog… it is all good, better if nothing else!

Till next time, you be well…

Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

More about River Road, Texas

I suddenly had two dogs in the sidecar yesterday but was tool slow with the camera!!! What a sight and laughter as also I had come across some riders from San Antonio… They did make a big mistake having lunch at the wrong place instead of Kathy’s Kosmic Kaffee… The food they had instead… I will say no more!!!
Life goes on here, finally some cooler weather mixed in with some clouds, some welcome temperatures.
More about the ride and some pictures on the website… a new recipe also has been posted, a new old recipe that is retrieved from the Blogs… things are starting to be better organized! Finally…

Be well…

Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

La Kiva, Terlingua… Texas

Finally some pictures of this famous lounge restaurant where I spend 3 evenings a week chatting, I mean cooking for the locals and tourists… Truly a fun place, the best choice in town for me to get to know what is going on in the area and the off the map places to ride and explore.
Also some pictures of Sotol lookout where we spend a few hours yesterday evening just watching Mother Nature work hard on the constantly changing scenery, complete with thunder and lightning.
All in the website…

Enjoy… stop by… and be well.


Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

Marfa’s Gift, Texas

Did they always outdo others in Texas?… How about a town feeding everyone dinner on a Saturday evening?… and not just any food… great food! If you can next year, do not miss the Chinati and Judd Foundation Open Day in Marfa… a must! Incredibly friendly people from all over, much art, much food, much to see and experience.
Spirit, well, I had to walk away for a while as the crowd was gathering to take pictures of him… and he just sits there with his Doggles on (he will normally take them off when we stop by shaking his head!) posing…
Part one on the website, there will be more to come.

Be well…

Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

What do you see???


The Hot Springs in Big Bend, Texas

It is still very hot for hiking at lower elevations, but at the time the Hot Springs seemed like a good destination for the day. Water is always a must, much water and shade. We made it, but the Hot Springs were covered by the rising waters of the Rio Grande! Will just need to return at a later date. The hike however was worth its scenery, the pictographs, the village remainders from the early 1900’s and one cannot forget the giant Palm tree… Spirit is getting used to the heat, he has been quite a trooper and a patient companion throughout these times.
Much more on the website…

Be well…

Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

Happy Birthday Lance

Lance has always been part of this Journey on the road… this Journey of the mind on a stage constantly changing where the cast is directed only by Mother Nature. Seems to be the only unique stage I can walk on anymore in sometimes these trying days.
Life is so full of surprises, obscure events, unsuspected paths suddenly taking shape, one can only make the best of it.
Today is Lance’s 30th Birthday with more sadness than joy.
My emotions are also directed to all of you that share the same circumstances, I have learned over these past years that I am not the only one, having received much support, support very much welcomed and appreciated. Thank you.

You be well.

Ara

[Beemerchef]

What do I know?… (Texas)


The odd vehicles (mine included, they say it is…) are lined up by the Porch for the daily Sunset and gathering of the locals… Just another day in Terlingua, Big Bend, Texas!
Through the written support of so many, today the energy is up, some realizations are making sense, lets look around us while we are here, lets admire what has been laid out and accept the resolutions of Life when even the cards dealt are not in our favor.
It seems like it is the only choice we have…
I feel as I have a new Family in all of you after reading comments and e mails send to me. “Thank you” will never be enough words to express my gratitude. All this because of our Blog, we are getting to know each other as a community which I would not trade for anything else.
Mixed in today are some pictures of a short little dirt road behind us called “Indian Head Trail” which has become one of my favorite hang out. Just a bunch of rocks… hope you enjoy them…

Be well…

Ara & Spirit

[Clint]

Wonderful photos, wonderful words. Thanks, Ara.