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

[Beemerchef]

The Atlanta Cycle Show…

The Show?… well, I liked it as for the first time I saw this kind of show under a different light. Some Art, some function and purpose. Maybe because I have never been prejudiced toward two wheels… and maybe because our own rig has turned into more of a great tool than anything else… Old ones, new ones, restoration and much Art with the custom choppers… hard to believe that one can actually ride them.
My Mother arrived today… it was Airport time with an hour delay, but who does not like people watching! So keep checking the Blog as I keep on writing but might not have as much time posting on here. She is doing great for 80, I hope I am in such great shape when and if I ever get there. Oh! Dr’s check up today… complete stress test… Cardiologist… good to go for a while longer he said.
He is one of the best in the Country, a great Human Being, he knows of our Blog and the fact that I do not have Health Insurance, he never charges me… what a contribution!
Be well… Ara & Spirit


Made by us on the road while traveling… “Spirited Doggie Treats” and “Art Cards”… put Spirit to work…

[Beemerchef]

Mother in Atlanta…
Bitter cold, feels like 16, no sunrises and no sunsets… much traffic and everyone is on the cell phone! How Life has changed…
Spirit feels restricted, from car to hotel room to some dirty off color and littered resemblance of greenery. I am sure we would have gone to some Parks if the weather would have cooperated a bit more. This is our last day in ATL before Tybee Island which I am really looking forward to, till the 20th of February.
Some more pictures of the Motorcycle Show… not much else going on besides lengthy conversations with my mother solving Life’s dilemmas…
Four years ago tomorrow, Lance struggled with his last day amongst us. This time I will not be alone and my mother will not be alone either. We will hold each other up… we will make it through the day as he will also be with us.
For those wondering… this has always been our Life story… sometimes most everything else takes a back seat.
You be well… Love your Children.
Ara & Spirit


Made by us on the road while traveling… “Spirited Doggie Treats” and “Art Cards”… put Spirit to work…

[Beemerchef]

Arriving, Tybee Island, GA
Spirit and I rode a bit yesterday on the Island, dog owners… beware as they do not allow them on the beach, truly a disappointment. The fine is $200+… will deal with that situation.
And of course I will accept my mother anyway she comes!… as she disagrees with my Lifestyle, Path, Journey… you name it! But that is nothing new… I am just trying for her to use the word “could” instead of “should”!!! We are picking up a car today, even though, just one time I wish she would sit in the sidecar. That is not going to happen.
The skies have turned blue, uplifting for sure. This is not the “Lost Coast of California”, but it does has its own charm and Savannah I know has much history of its own. We will visit other Islands also… she is following my plans as long as she is well fed and gets some rest as she is still having a hard time dealing with the six hours time change.
You be well… enjoy your day.
Ara & Spirit


Made by us on the road while traveling… “Spirited Doggie Treats” and “Art Cards”… put Spirit to work…

[Beemerchef]

A ride through Savannah, GA

Yes, this is a real Police Station and the Chief of Police Parking spot… but he never showed up for the few minutes it took us to take some pictures. It was the only available parking space, I would have explained.
Beautiful day yesterday, gave Spirit a chance to play in the big dog run, much needed exercise as today and tomorrow the forecast is rain.
It is quiet here, getting caught up on the laundry, rearranging one more cabinet, bake some Treats and print some Art Cards for my mother who wants to send some to her friends… a good customer I have here!!!
Enjoy the pictures, there will be more as we are settling in nicely being off season right now.
Be well… Ara & Spirit


Made by us on the road while traveling… “Spirited Doggie Treats” and “Art Cards”… put Spirit to work…

[Beemerchef]

Savannah, for real! GA

We keep going to the enclosed fenced dog run. I just love taking pictures of Spirit clowning around and getting his much needed exercise. A bit hesitant at first, that’s me not him (!!!), regarding the behavior of the other digs present, but after talking to their owners all was fine, every one keeps an eye on them strongly.
Mother dropped off at a Mall… we went on again to Savannah’s Historical District and started playing with the camera mainly on one street only called “Jones St”… so many more… 24 square Blocks to be exact with 18 Parks!
Next we will be going to St Simon Island, Charleston… up and down the coast.
Enjoy, come and visit… we are here waiting for you!
Be well…

Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

Colonial Faire & Muster, GA

An unusual event, for us anyhow. The 10th Annual Colonial Faire and Muster, reenactment day, a celebration of the founding of the Colony of Georgia at Savannah, on February 12th 1733 by James Evans Oglethorpe. Spirit and I rode there, pursuit by a fanatic reader hanging out of the window of a fast moving van… Mike Justice, “Driller” on the ADV Riders Forum… obviously a dentist… Great day… His presence in costume of the era added to our own day… On another front, great conversation, for the first time only since we have left, with a gentleman asking me “why did I bring a loaded gun (Spirit) to a Park filled with kids”… of course in the meantime so many of those kids were asking my permission to pet Spirit, and did! As he walked away shaking his own head in disbelief I wished him a great day. One cannot lead a horse to the water… right?
Enjoy the pictures… there will be more to come…
Be well
Ara & Spirit

Made by us on the road while traveling… “Spirited Doggie Treats” and “Art Cards”… put Spirit to work…

[Beemerchef]

The rest of the weekend, GA

More pictures from the reenactment as the firing of the cannon is always a favorite… kids will be kids you know. Spirit did not like it too much as it was the first time he was in proximity of one. Tried to keep him away as much as possible…
I have been thinking about getting us a new buddy lately… much to think about, specially being the size of the sidecar. They would have to sit side by side pretty close. I even called “Friends Of Animal” in Kanab, Utah, which Spirit and I visited a while ago. It is a “no kill” animal shelter… we might stop there sometime when in that State… It is just a thought… I think Spirit would be real happy with a companion as also I would. Can you see two Pits riding down the road with helmets and Doggles on? Too much?
Anyhow… enjoy the rest of the pictures…
Be well… Ara & Spirit


Made by us on the road while traveling… “Spirited Doggie Treats” and “Art Cards”… put Spirit to work…

[Beemerchef]

St Simon Island… GA

When we decided to meet (mother and I) in this area called the Golden Isles, GA, my thought were of small villages by the water, quaint and quiet… Comparatively we love Tybee now as we had a chance to visit St Simon Island (south) and also Spirit and I took a ride yesterday about 100 miles north of here. All are full blown cities with major traffic tie ups, 4 lane highways and the back roads which I found just a few are now rare.
The beaches are still quiet once into a State Park, it has been overwhelming besides those area.
I know that this is going to be a trend as it has also been these past months. Checking on what use to be free BLM (Bureau Land Management) camping near Moab, Utah, I am already discovering that they have become also rare as they are now charging $10 a night and limiting the stay to 14 days. Luckily we do have some info on remaining free camping on which we will establish camp very soon. Enjoy the “tour”…
Be well… Ara & Spirit

Made by us on the road while traveling… “Spirited Doggie Treats” and “Art Cards”… put Spirit to work…

[Beemerchef]

Hunting Island State Park, SC

It is a fine Park well worth visiting with a beautiful Lighthouse and beaches, so serene and peaceful, specially off season. A day trip from Tybee Island, it was just Spirit and I and the camera. Found a great BBQ joint in Bluffton where actually they took care of “us” real well thinking maybe we had not eaten in days! Maybe my diet is working… not on that day though after a couple pounds of food!!!
They also have a campground for $28 a night… I am always wondering why these prices are soaring like mad as if the cost of fuel to get from point A to point B was not enough! One reason for always look for BLM land or National Forest as long as it is safe and free…
Enjoy the shots… Savannah again and Charleston are next on the agenda.
Be well… Ara & Spirit

Made by us on the road while traveling… “Spirited Doggie Treats” and “Art Cards”… put Spirit to work…

[Beemerchef]

An afternoon in Savannah, GA

We keep going back to Savannah, after all, when was the last time we have witnessed a city built in 1773!… Quite a few moons ago. Busy on the weekend, much nicer during the week and much easier to find any kind of parking space. Our stay on the coast here is nearing the end, we are still planning to sightsee Charleston tomorrow as the weather has been awesome. It should be a nice ride with Spirit.
Sometimes I have a lack of words to express why we are on the road on this Journey, seems somehow that the images are a bit clearer now and that is the content of today’s Blog.
You be well… Ara & Spirit

Made by us on the road while traveling… “Spirited Doggie Treats” and “Art Cards”… put Spirit to work…

[Beemerchef]

Charleston, SC

A nice 300 mile round trip to Charleston from Tybee Island, cloudy day, cool temps specially with much wind when coming back the same day. Spirit’s patience does not cease to amaze me as we did more sightseeing than dog walks on the grass… and then again the sidecar is his second home!
The Historical City is amazing with its ongoing restoration all approved by the Charleston Historical Society, down to the mortar used, door handles and every details imaginable. Beautiful houses, narrow streets and tour guides dressed from the past era.
One of the highlights was the “Three Dog Bakery” which you must visit if and when in the neighborhood… even if you do not have a dog!
With too many pictures taken that day, there will be a part II of the visit! Hope you enjoy it… we did.
Be well… Ara & Spirit

Made by us on the road while traveling… “Spirited Doggie Treats” and “Art Cards”… put Spirit to work…

[Beemerchef]

More of Charleston, SC

Thinking back I cannot decide which was the highlight of Charleston! The Historical City or the “Three Dog Bakery”? Spirit thinks it is the Bakery… of course. Yes, those are made for our buddies… can you believe it? More pictures are on the Blog.
Our stay is coming to an end, today is the last day for our car rental, we will have a couple more days to reorganize it all before we head back to Atlanta where we will spend a few days regrouping. We will take a straight route to Moab stopping in Birmingham to visit the Motorcycle Barber Museum and couple other visits planned on the way. I know that we will arrive a bit too early for warmer weather, but I would like to witness the biggest annual 4x4 week planned in that area.
Enjoy the pictures…Be well and stay well… Ara & Spirit

Made by us on the road while traveling… “Spirited Doggie Treats” and “Art Cards”… put Spirit to work…

[Beemerchef]

Idling in Atlanta, GA

Yes, it has been raining since we arrived here, non stop and we are on the verge of cabin fever. We are almost there… Good thing dogs like to sleep a lot and once this is behind us I think we will stay up for days! Wish I had Spirit’s patience, I am learning very quickly in times as such.
Georgia Mountains maybe if things clear up a bit, would love to take some of those well known roads and some last pictures of the area before we leave Monday morning.
My mother made it back safely to Munich, already a phone call to assure me of it. The next chapter of this Journey will go on very soon… exciting times ahead… we hope.
A nostalgic look back on the Blog today… old photos are always fun, that is what they are for… right?
Enjoy, be well… and stay well!
Ara & Spirit


Made by us on the road while traveling… “Spirited Doggie Treats” and “Art Cards”… put Spirit to work…

[Beemerchef]

Finally some Georgia Mountains…

All too familiar where the roads and the scenery yesterday. “Two Wheels Only” motorcycle campground, the “cooler run”, Dale’s… all was our second home, sometimes first home a while back.
Cold temperatures, specially on the way back… but nothing was going to hold us back this time as we are headed to Birmingham in a few minutes, one of the many stops on the way to Moab, Utah. So many memories came back, those were the first roads the sidecar and Spirit took when assembled after the moving truck dropped off this huge box at our house in Dawsonville… How exciting that was! And who knew at the time what would be the future… We still don’t!
Take a ride on the Blog as we did…

Be well… Ara & Spirit

Made by us on the road while traveling… “Spirited Doggie Treats” and “Art Cards”… put Spirit to work…

[Beemerchef]

The Barber Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham, AL

So we made it here to Birmingham and how ironic that we went to visit the Museum on one of the nicest days we have experienced lately. It was custom made for Spirit who had to wait outside in the sidecar, giving us a chance however to go for walks every couple hours only wearing a T shirt! I keep thinking that even if you do not care for motorcycles, or cars for that matter, a visit to Barber is a must. It will leave you speechless as it did to me, the building itself is Art and the whole experience is worth and more its $10 entry fee! They actually have a special for 3 days, Friday~Saturday~Sunday, for $15! The problem is… too many picture! They are all going on my SmuMug Gallery soon which I will give out its link, in the meantime enjoy the ones posted as there will also be more of them on the site next time.
You be well… Ara & Spirit


Made by us on the road while traveling… “Spirited Doggie Treats” and “Art Cards”… put Spirit to work…

[Beemerchef]

From Memphis, TN, more on the Barber Museum…

The pictures are still endless but I am almost done working on sorting them out for the picture Gallery! In the meantime I posted some interesting ones on the site, including my favorite, one of them anyhow, the full dressed Vincent, which ironically did not sell well.
We have arrived in Memphis, and getting ready to learn what all the fuss about Graceland is… camera is also ready… Spirit will have to stay behind for a few hours. I need to find out if Elvis had a dog and what kind! Should be an interesting day…
I cannot help posting a picture of Spirit while visiting second graders in Birmingham, which I will write about also next time! You know… those Pits labeled “mean”…
Maybe we will see you sometime down the road… and hope that you are not yet tired of motorcycle pictures!!!
Be well… Ara & Spirit

Made by us on the road while traveling… “Spirited Doggie Treats” and “Art Cards”… put Spirit to work…

[Beemerchef]

Moving right along, Amarillo, Tx

With a prediction of wind chills between 16 and 21, accumulation of 2” of snow, winds between 25 and 35 mph per hours with gusts of 45mph… that is tonight… repeat scenario for tomorrow… you would think we are in North Dakota! No… this is Texas… but not the same Texas that has been so friendly to us! For some reason today Florida sounds real good… We might not be able to move till Tuesday. Well, we have food, fuel and power… heat is good… books and the Internet!
The link for all the pictures from the Barber Museum is up.
I also posted about our visit to the Deer Valley Elementary School in Hoover, near Birmingham, AL, entertaining the second graders! It was a fun day and I think the kids also had a blast…
Hope we survive all this!
Be well… Ara & Spirit


Made by us on the road while traveling… “Spirited Doggie Treats” and “Art Cards”… put Spirit to work…

[Beemerchef]

A visit to Graceland, Memphis, TN

Just like the flip of a coin the weather showed its smilie face in Amarillo, a welcome change. We made it to Lubbock and spend the day with Mike and Nathan working on a final proof for a T shirt and a mouse pad with some very impressive machinery these guys have! And on camping a few miles south of it, in a little town called Slaton as right downtown, at the City Park, they provide free camping for up to three nights! Awesome…
The visit to Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley was memorable, there are still crowds coming in to pay their last respect and take the tour as I did. It was a strange feeling to actually walk around in the same space that he did trying to imagine all that has gone on in the past. A step back in time as the pictures show…
Less than 800 miles from Moab now, we will be headed that way tomorrow morning for the last leg of this “coming back West”.
Exciting….
Be well… Ara & Spirit


Made by us on the road while traveling… “Spirited Doggie Treats” and “Art Cards”… put Spirit to work…

[Beemerchef]

To Albuquerque, NM

Try spelling that word without looking!
We end up using all three free nights of camping the City of Slaton gave us as we had to regroup yesterday. What is regroup? Just a feeling that we are caught up with everything including replying e mails, baking some Treats, cleaning, filing pictures, roasting coffee and… taking a nap! That is “regroup”!!!
A bit of snowing, a bit of wind and beautifully clear this morning as we hit the road again. I will not even bore you again with the destination, seems like lately it takes us twice as long to get anywhere! More on Elvis and Graceland on the Blog… while already sorting out the pictures taken at the wind mill museum and the oldest bakery in Texas.
Be well… till next time, we are rolling.
Ara & Spirit

Made by us on the road while traveling… “Spirited Doggie Treats” and “Art Cards”… put Spirit to work…

[Beemerchef]

Leaving Texas…

We are in Moab today… as soon as we made that eastbound turn on 550, a bit north of Albuquerque, big empty and vast spaces presented themselves and suddenly it was as if another new page of this Journey had been turned. Peaceful, calm and serene, mountain tops covered with snow, cattle grazing in search of green patches, it was as we had never left the West. We stopped many times as the weather cooperated fully with our last leg of this transition, lucky I was thinking having missed the horrible snow storms that hit the towns we had just come through.
My first picture here on our way near a few miles from Moab!… The story of a T shirt, new friends and a Wind Mill Museum on the Blog…
You be well… come and visit!… we will be here a while.

Ara & Spirit