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

[Beemerchef]

I have decided today to keep one thread going instead of a new one for every episode of my Blog... As I am learning about bandwidth myself and its limitations I am sure that this decision will be appreciated!
It does not get much better than this... I still have not made it to Texas... changes... why not... no schedule... I am now allowed to do so, or not to do so! I am in New Iberia, Louisiana. Seems like I am never going to leave this State... at least I know that I will never go hungry... It is morning as I am posting this... a great ride and experience from yesterday... but my mind is already on lunch!... The weather has been cooperative, the rig is running good, I feel healthy and.. overweight. I have decided to spend 5 more days here, visiting friends and everything that surrounds me... including cooking a couple dinners for them. Can't loose my touch in the kitchen... My Blogging format is still not finalized... my own website is still under construction... and somehow I feel Christmas right around the corner... with no plans what so ever... Oh! well... might be a quiet one in some woods celebrating with Mother Nature this year...
My stories are always on my Blog... hope you enjoy...
Be well... Ara and Spirit

[Beemerchef]

It is almost December, just a few minutes away as I am writing, my first December since graduating from Culinary School not spend working... I keep thinking sometimes... what am I doing? How ironic after all these years, finally on top of my profession, with not many mysteries left and some solid knowledge to be successful... to stop working! It just does not make sense sometimes... but I cannot go back as much as I miss the kitchen, this is one chance of a lifetime to extend a Journey over 6 months. I know that I have been on the road only a bit over a month, but I have never thought about turning back!... and I could have.. I never wrote about 2 new contracts that have been offered to me since I have left! As much as my passion remains for my profession... going back always seems like a dark tunnel with no daylight.
Today was, what I call a catch up day. A multitude of “things” to do that accumulates... laundry, organizing, downloading the GPS with new maps, that sort of things as my time here remains at one day.
I will be pushing West... toward the vast lands. I had thought about staying East for a while, but my plans have been rearranged and the need is not there anymore... I am so drawn to the vast open spaces, it will not be the first time and not the last. The ability to actually live in one place for a few days or a few weeks suddenly is so appealing. It is the first time that I adventure myself in this fashion. The past has always seen me on the go... ride, ride, ride... only seeing the peripheral attractions which stood up in travelers brochures and magazines... I want to taste and experience the unadvertised paths which need to be discovered!
I want to unpack everything I have... cook... ride... discover the back roads daily, suddenly the knowledge that I am pushing west further has almost given me a new life... there just is so much on the road to share with you all, and strange enough... as much as I want to be there... I don’t want to get there... afraid to miss what lays in between! I should be in Texas by tomorrow, it is 33 degrees here this am in New Iberia, Louisiana!... I know the northerners reading this are probably smiling, I am not complaining, I actually like the cold better than heat, this does however slow down the amount of outdoor activities, specially with Spirit.
Regardless of the mechanical break downs I have had, this first month has been a great trial time... and everyone in my path has been so kind and hospitable, I could not ask for more. If the rest of my Journey includes people as I have just spend time with, well, I will consider the luckiest person alive!
Friendships and human relations have always been for me the key of life. You know the classic saying... “money can’t buy...”. How true it is, and how great it is when, strangers at first, we can spark such positive emotions into each other’s hearts.
I hope, as I leave here, that my Internet connections are many on the road followed! I enjoy posting these reports along the way.
You be well... enjoy your day... looking up the sky will always make you smile... try it.

Ara and Spirit.

[Beemerchef]

It is a “commute” day for us... not a long one as I need to regroup and decide where I will make home for a while... Your comments, you should know, are always appreciated. And also... while in an area maybe interesting to you, if needing any information, just let me know. I will be happy to look it up... let me be your... traveling agent! I would say us... but Spirit is turning out to be a lazy bum on this Journey...
Someone has to do it!... and write about it... this is your own backyard, accessible... right under your nose, no Oceans to cross, we all speak the same language, the food is good, the water drinkable... and how can you not love your... ATM!
Lets see what you think after reading about it...



Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

So why would someone rests on a Sunday?... because they can... because the winds blew me everywhere but where I pointed my nose at... because it got colder and colder going north...
And the fact that, hopefully there will be a tomorrow... Of course I can always say that Spirit was cold... made me turn around...and that would be it for my Blog but there is a bit more... but lets not always blame the lazy bum!... he makes up for it with his personality... and his great companionship, he is a good listener, always agrees and low maintenance!
Should be in San Antonio tonight... I repeat... Texas is huge!!!
And then I found out the weather for Big Bend for Friday night... might need some Gerbings for the rig...
Till then... Ara & Spirit



Come and join me... might be vacation time for you!

[Beemerchef]

Parked in San Antonio since yesterday... going to sightsee for a while and find some good Tamales!... the Riverwalk... anything else?
How do I manage to meet such great people?... How can my Karma be so good and so kind to my present life?... I must have lived right I guess... I can just imagine... trust me when I say “don’t let the few bad seeds of our society give you the wrong impression about human kindness”.
One always needs to be planted firmly on their two feet... but what a lift it is when one similarly meets good hearted people that open the doors to their home and heart!
Spirit had a blast yesterday playing with a buddy!... over one acre fenced was his playground... can this dog run or can he run!... He is so much in my care that it felt so great to see him have a good time! Such a shame that Pits have such a bad rap... it is slowly I think changing however... punish the owners... not the breed!...
Crossing Texas... for the first time is really not being felt!... This is the way to do it... take time and cover a couple hundred miles per day, if you have the time... It reminds me of the many times I have crossed Kansas to get to Denver, what a long straight road...
On my way to discover the town... and make preparations for Big Bend...

Be well... have a great day...




Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

Some riding yesterday... urban riding... amongst the city traffic... the stop and go and engine overheating surrounded with the fumes of freshly lay out tar... Somehow one has to sacrifice sometimes the comfort to be able to witness what some cities have to offer on an historical view point, touristic... it is after all a Holiday season... at the height of its commercialism and lights...
It was a great day, a full day... ending with a with a great culinary experience, a kind of food I am fond of... report on the Blog... with pictures...
Tomorrow morning we will be leaving... yes... I know, I have been saying that for days... but it is true...



Enjoy... stay aboard... and be well...

Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

A bit of the Texas Hills...

It seems that plans when living on the road are made to be broken!... As we have been watching the weather, they promised hail and snow and 1 degree temp for tonight in Big Bend... it was already last night... brainless decision to hold the departure for tomorrow am...
Food store today... new coat for Spirit... “camo” design I might add... not my favorite by from lack of choice... and a good night sleep for tomorrow’s travel... half way most likely if anything interesting pops up...
In the meantime, we took a short ride to the Texas Hills yesterday... glad that I did... I know now that Texas is not as flat as I imagined it!
Some pictures and ride report here on the Blog...

Hope writing to you from Big Bend next time!... really!!!


I could not resist the picture...




Be well... from Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

Made it to Big Bend... today!

I wanted to make my first sight in daylight and we took two days to get here... Sanderson was last night’s stop... but today I am in Terlingua... and without say... breathtaking... this is not having even been into the Park yet!
All I can hope is that my camera does justice to the scenery for the days to come...
Hwy# 90 was a nice ride... deserted... and as one might say the ocean can be boring and is not... the same scenario plays here. I have heard over and over... but there are no trees... of course not... but if one looks closely there is so much more to the eye... and the mind!
I will go on posting on the Blog as much as I can... lucky to have WI FI here from 6am to 10pm... and amazingly the days here are longer!... daylight till about 7pm... summer approaching?
Better not fool myself... winter is going to be here for a while...
Till then... till tomorrow... be well... I am breathing again!



Ara and, of course, Spirit...

[Beemerchef]

Some black top riding in Big Bend today... what a huge Park!... Asphalt only and did not even cover half of it!... which you will see tomorrow...
I had still however some untold thoughts about the past couple days before arriving here and some hopefully interesting pictures!... for the Blog.

Hope you enjoy them... we did... Ara & Spirit

[Atlas68]

Thanks for sharing the adventure Ara.
Keep them coming.

[intimid8er]

Mods...is it possible to collect all his posts, and get them in here?

This is some good stuff.

(Next person reading.....click the triangular shaped red and white "I" button on the bottom left of my post so the mods will be alerted to this.)

[Beemerchef]

Glad you are enjoying... we are too!!!
We are riding... we are cooking... we are eating... A peaceful blanket has descended from the skies, what more can someone wish for. Spirit is a changed dog!... I think he is finally realizing that there is no home to go to, this is it, changing daily from our unplanned destinations. We have been taking long walks, longer everyday as I myself need to ease in to it! His appetite has been great, well, so has mine... wish he could tell me about all the smells! Mountain lions maybe?... cousins from the past hovering upon this beautiful land in spirit... who knows... his smile is good enough for me... all this after all was not such a bad idea!
Anyone cares to join me for the Holidays?... this is where we will be... I am looking for a strand of lights for the bike... it will be my tree... she has had a rough life and deserves some kindness too!
Might even go as far as feeding her some fresh oil!... and yes, a nice new filter also!
Enjoy the Blog...



Be well... look up the skies and smiles... that is the bottom line... it is always the same for all of us!

Ara & Spirit

PS: all the posts are on the Blog...

[Beemerchef]

I may be the millionth one visiting this Park... I so much wish now I had a better camera!... looking into it... will try to find optical zoom lenses for a great Nikon Cool Pix 990 that I still have... there are thousands of pictures just more stunning than mine... but this is my story... and... as they say... I will stick to it!
I will start getting into the Park at sunsets... sunrises... I am finding a lot of haze during the day...
I am trying... I want to stop every 100ft... the rock formations resembles so many scenes and people of the past daily life... and it will be fun to post the pictures and write about them...
It was a different ride into the Park today... the West end including Chisos Basin at 5401ft... and the Blog has it all...



Be well... and enjoy...

Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

Guys... Gals... I feel so lonely on this thread!...

It almost seems unfair to be here today... Friday... I remember the traffic jams... everyone getting ready for the weekend getaway... myself mentally abusing my mind to feed the hungry patrons of the late night restaurant scene... or trying to be the object of abuse by the capricious moods of the rich and not so famous billionaire clients, when catering in Naples, Florida, as a Personal Chef...
The brain waves screaming “WOW”... and “OH”... or was it “HO”... just don’t cease... whichever direction I am headed the scenery is just on a constant overdrive, so much that I just wonder how can I describe my being here...
But there was more today than just riding... seeing some familiar faces and a great time with Voni and Paul Glaves... and some... which I tried to put in words on my Blog...
Tomorrow is another great ride, the river drive to Presidio... I hear stunning... keep tuning in!



Be well... have a great weekend...

Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

This is in response to a comment on my thread on BMW MOA... “sensory overload”, truly I agree describes the indescribable... and after a while, a few days, one just wants to stop describing and just look.
Every few miles, a 360 degree span offers a new background, new silhouettes against lately the clear blue skies I have been spoiled with... the feelings are actually beyond the scenery, the space here itself is magical and spiritual as being transported in a different medium, which it is with no doubt. I have a tendency to always think about years back when it was the land of the Native Indians and sadness always occurs in my mind. I see families living here off the land, only using what their needs where, the children playing peacefully, the women going on to their chores... it is always the biggest puzzle for me as to what happened? How did this happen! They call life in the past “the dark ages”, I call the present years... “the dark ages”. None of the natives now are here and it was not so many years ago, their Spirits are still lingering, probably tearing constantly to the loss of their lifestyle and ancestry , manhood and civilization... It is to me one of the most mind boggling part of History... I am not even comfortable to the fact that it is now a National Park, sure, trying to conserve the beauty of it all, with rules and regulations needed for the masses that would ruin it all in a heartbeat... how sad would it be to witness some day a descendant of a family that lived on this land, walk to the front gate and pay his or her $5 to get in... can you feel his heart and emotions?... What a World we live in!... driven by greed... materialism and no fondness for the past in real sense... if it was... all the land would be given back... all of it!
NO... I am not a political person or would ever get political... this statement is purely from the heart!
On a different subject... it was a fun time meeting some of the San Antonio riders for a run through the Park, will also the presence of Voni and Paul... as written in my Blog...

Be well...


Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

I feel today ever worse then yesterday, but the weather was too nice to stay cooped up...
One always feel better riding anyhow... right?
Just had to ride “Old Maverick” road one more time going the other way... with many stops
and pictures which you will find on the Blog...
Tomorrow will be a trip to the Clinic, I was told that there is one in a little town called Lajitas not too far... otherwise, will be a 160 miles round trip to Alpine! A Z-Pack has always done wonders in the past...

In the meantime, you be well...



Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

All I can say is... do not take your good health for granted!... What a difference a day can make!
It seemed like such a long day yesterday in search for a Doctor in a town where everything seemed to be moving in backwards...
More pictures and report in the Blog...

Be well... we are again... Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

The wind had its fun yesterday, it blew with full force, took my “dining room” down... we rock and rolled most of the time! Just like in a good Western the tumbleweed was trying to make a touch down on the goal line, as the night went on, the other team won however as the wind changed direction by 180 degrees!
It was an anticipated ride on river road to Presidio and I returned just on time before its full strength, still my arms sore... what a work out it was!
Today is a down day... a catch up day... again the good stuff... laundry, reorganize this place and brace ourselves for some cold weather... it is all in the Blog...
Be well...



Ara & Spirit

[Beemerchef]

I have been trying since my departure to switch places with Spirit some days! But no deal... he is a stubborn dog!... and last Sunday was one of those days, courtesy of the San Antonio Riders visiting Big Bend, that I tried really hard to convince him... hey, riding ain’t that bad buddy... the bike runs good, you can build up a bit of your upper body muscles, get a bit of adrenaline rush here and there... you will still get to eat, drink and mingle... but no go...
So I guess I am stuck in this position, witnessing sometimes on a daily basis all the attention he gets, and the petting, and the scratching... where did I go wrong?
And there is more on the Blog... I hope this situation lingering ahead does not alter my mind...
I am after all, only a human being!

Enjoy... Be well...



Ara and Spirit... I had to sign for him, he is too busy...

[Beemerchef]

So this is where I lived...



This is where I live now...



How ironic that public “progress” is the reverse of my present life’s progression...
Thought I would give you a tour of Terlingua, a little town unlike others... with a lot of local flavors and inviting little spots... all in the middle of some of the beautiful landscape I have ever seen... I will be leaving in about 10 days... and I know that I will miss it... but the road is already calling... more Texas? New Mexico? Arizona? Southern California? Maybe Spirit can decide...

Be well... enjoy the Blog.

Ara and Spirit