A Lifelong Journey on the road...

[cruiseroutfit]

Absolutely! I will even cook for you... I think we are headed south of Salida [CO] near Marshall Pass. There is about a million acres of free camping and gazillion miles of roads. We have camped there before and we love it! 9500', no mosquitoes and cool...

Stay in touch.

Ara and Spirit

Sounds great!

 

[RogueJeepr]

Just finished reading the book last night . Good stuff. :thumbs:

 

[cruiseroutfit]

My book just arrived. Excited to read it!

 

[Beemerchef]

My book just arrived. Excited to read it!

Thank You...

When the body rebels... TX

We packed, packed some more, stored a few things laying around here and as much as we live in the present [as Spirit does a much better job at it than me!] we left anticipating the spaces awaiting for us, the ones especially at higher altitudes and cooler temperatures.


True to form while I always think we never know about tomorrow, we came back two days later, head down and with a sciatica pain tagged at 20 on a scale of ten! There is not much here in regard to Medical help. Yet, I am scheduled for an MRI this coming Friday in Ft Stockton. I lived almost two years now with a pain being a two and sometimes a three which only makes me realize how much we can get used to pain, yet now, it has become unbearable.


Once for all this will have to be taken care of one way or another so we can rejoin the road and live as we have been these past years. Patience, acceptance, letting frustration go, all are aspects to play with while waiting and covering the large distances to see Dr's and a decent hospital for the tests. So far, nothing has helped.


These are not the greatest times I must say, but, this too shall pass and I will keep these moments in the memory bank as to not take future days for granted!


The weather is alright for being the end of the month of May. Shade is good and we have some of that for the afternoon 90's. As previously written I believe last week, "Life is [indeed] like a box of chocolate. You never know what you are going to get".


And now to support our Dr's!!! What an irony...

http://www.blurb.com/b/6185381-hues-of-my-vision



Till next time.

Stay well.

Ara and Spirit

www.theoasisofmysoul.com The Journal and Book "Freedom on Both Ends of the Leash"

www.beemerchef.smugmug.com The Photos

9th Year, the Stars, living under them…

 

[bryson]

Photo book looks great! Best of luck with your back - that sounds miserable.

 

[Beemerchef]

Photo book looks great! Best of luck with your back - that sounds miserable.

It really is!!! I am myself trying to find some humor in it but I cannot... Just lucky we came back to Big Bend where today is like a winter day!

Thanks and this too shall pass...

Stay well.

Ara and Spirit

 

[Beemerchef]

Time travel.... TX

This is when on the path of this Journey ten years almost into the making the red flag is up, flag followed by the red light which will not even blink, which does not even yet have a green or orange light dimmed ready to light up. Such is Life... The culprit is not "Old Faithful" as she herself has had her moments of weakness, it is simply my body and some of its parts giving up.

The lower back and the right hip! We are in Midland now, lucky for us having been offered shelter from some very kind Friends and dealing with four Dr's. The cartilage, the degeneration is not quite up there yet to necessitate back or hip surgery as even if I wanted to Medicare will not approve it. So Tuesday is a spinal shot and the hip, well, I am waiting for "that approval". If such approval is soon we will wait as Medicare only approves one function per day, if not soon, we will return to Big Bend and come back one more time...

How long will all of this relieve me from pain and allow me to again ride? Could be a week, weeks, some say even years. Who knows.

In the meantime unlike any other summers it is Big Bend full time right now. I must say, while I surprised myself, that I have so far enjoyed being there. The canvas has changed as the daily storms are magnificent, the winds pick up every day as to cool us off, much rain meaning longer showers as our water catchment tanks are full, isolation from the World without a watch or calendar except throughout these present times when the appointments are decided from a clock!

Such is Life and another lesson of acceptance, a slap in the face I must say which will result in more physical activities to keep this body in shape toward this Journey, this endless Journey.

We had a chance to be on "Adventure Rider Radio" [link of the interview on our Journal] a few days ago and I must say I truly enjoyed it. Nice people as the conversations were filled with honesty especially toward so many who take on their own Journey not for themselves but for sponsorships and are "owned" by many of them losing their freedom and sense of adventure, their days moving on with only the thoughts "I/we have to do this...."! The conversations encompassed also on the financial aspects of, no other way to put it, "begging" for money to allow for such travel. All and all, very interesting. I hope you have a chance to listen to it...

Till next time when maybe, who knows, I will be able to keep up with Spirit's jumping!


Stay well.

Ara and Spirit

www.theoasisofmysoul.com The Journal and Book "Freedom on Both Ends of the Leash"

www.beemerchef.smugmug.com The Photos

9th Year, the Stars, living under them…

 

[Beemerchef]

Coming out of lala land! TX

Sometimes I feel as these past weeks have only been a bad dream and yet there is so much pleasure being here and finding the real core of this space undisturbed by the tourists and the snow birds who for some reason or another think they live here... but of course do not. They will surface soon enough and their names on giant banners will be self published on the local Social Medias, also soon enough! How about if it remained as such throughout the whole year? It was at one time when Big Bend and Terlingua were just blurs on the map now a destination for many. It is as this space is a coin with two distinct sides. I really like this side! I now understand what the true locals think while at time we bump into one or two and chat a bit.

The off road rides had always such little traffic. Right now it is non existent! It is almost strange as being on another planet. Just like in this video taken just a few days ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6wWTo5MkLo

Such rides right now have stopped as I have taken Old Faithful apart. A new battery is already here and seemingly miles of electrical wires causing a short have been discarded. I am waiting for some new switches, a new seat which will put me up a bit higher increasing my hip angle, new rotors and pads, fuel filter and I would have to look at the list for the rest. She will turn 20 in a few months. She has always sat outside and some aspects of it have become brittle needing some soldering and tender care so she once again takes us away on the awaiting roads.

We are living happily right now within what I call our "bubble". Imagine not seeing a soul for days, listening to silence always undisturbed as I stare at the same mountains, the same skies daily and yet every day being a different painting witnessing storms as never before. They slowly build up during the day and by afternoon lightning, thunder, cool winds and inches of rain keep me entertained. The episodes are endless! There is no reason to change the channel... there are no other channels and none of it is ever rehearsed.

So that "is", this "is", summer in Big Bend!



Stay well.

Ara and Spirit

www.theoasisofmysoul.com The Journal and Books

www.beemerchef.smugmug.com The Photos

9th Year, the Stars, living under them…

 

[Beemerchef]

Coming to Life again! Easton, KS

The past few weeks have not been very pretty, yugly inside out. It happens. A battle within me as I finally came out of it only these days victorious realizing once again, as always, it is my choice to keep my head down or up.

The spine and hip steroid shots are providing "some" comfort as I expected too much. At least we can ride while having had a seat redone one and a half inch taller to increase the hip angle and a true to form well made kidney belt. I should have thought about a kidney belt long time ago with the kind of mileage we put on! Live and learn.

While partially fixed up and now awaiting the end of October to have a couple of discs fused with also a couple arthritis growth shaved off [how much fun can that be?] I decided to head on to Kansas and spend some time with my dear Friends from Germany, the ones who bailed me out so kindly when my Mother passed away a bit over two years ago in Munich. Well... I did expect HOT weather but forgot what 1000% humidity was. In one word, to make a story short as you can read the whole one in our Journal, it has been, upper case, "MISERABLE".

Lucky to ride a bit very early morning and very late at night... That is about it besides being in the house amongst four walls with the air on, lucky us while sitting under a ceiling fan. My choice, our choice. No despair, we will never make it here the whole month of August as planned [plans has never worked for us!] and leaving in a couple days for COOL Colorado where we will camp at 9700", a familiar space desolate of mosquitoes, chiggers, fleas, ticks... all those common visitors we have now encountered.

The upside has been some new goggles for Spirit called Rex Specs K9, a big relief as I always called his old ones "fou fou goggles" and for the price never lasted too long. Minor detail in our lives but a pleasant one.

On to Highway 70 now... A boring one but the shortest route to cooler temps!




Stay well.

Ara and Spirit

www.theoasisofmysoul.com The Journal and Books

www.beemerchef.smugmug.com The Photos

9th Year, the Stars, living under them…

 

[RogueJeepr]

Good to see ya back up and around . That cloud pic is so cool .
I havent been wheeling in months. Starting to affect me as the need to get out builds up.

 

[Beemerchef]

Good to see ya back up and around . That cloud pic is so cool .
I havent been wheeling in months. Starting to affect me as the need to get out builds up.

Just go and do it...

Taking a break for a few days...

We have not been here in a while. Colorado is now behind us and so is Kansas for sure. Bad Internet connections in isolated spaces, none most of the time, bad back while sitting long periods on the clock, New Mexico is also in the past with its daily storms and now enjoying The Oasis [Texas] for a few days before taking off for Midland next Tuesday, a week from now, to see my favorite spine Dr... This too shall pass as this is no way to live on the road for sure. Surgery even sounds appealing at this time and winter ahead will give me the opportunity and time to recoup. Might even get two new hips which then I will call myself the "bionic rider"! That is because riding cannot stop...

It is still a bit warmer here than I would like it to be but for some reason 90 has become doable for us when in the past 80 was the limit. I guess, just like pain, one can get used to much of everything.

Colorado was pleasant and cool as ever even if also with daily storms, a State we never get tired of visiting and exploring its back roads. As far as New Mexico I had forgotten the quiet campground called "Valley of Fire" where we spent a couple next and even bumped into the "Butler Maps" crew busy of course... mapping! As usual we dropped South a bit too early but with our riding limited to under 100 miles a day I thought it would be a good idea. I had not planned falling backwards but it allowed me to move my appointment sooner and as usual, besides the pain, all works out.

We did stop at Three Rivers where at least 20,000 Petroglyph are still weathering and also as I try every year while visiting a little Chapel up the road dedicated to departed Children, "Santo Nino de Atocha", light a candle for Lance and reminisce about our times past times together. Where we were and where we are now, standing a bit taller on that ladder of Life. The Journey within the Adventures.


Stay well.

Ara and Spirit

www.theoasisofmysoul.com The Journal

www.beemerchef.smugmug.com The Photos

9th Year, the Stars, living under them…

 

[Beemerchef]

Trying to find Peace... TX

Is it kind of an intermission while at The Oasis in Big Bend, Texas, in and out of Dr's listening to their opinions? It is! Initially not happy about it [who would be?] I have learned to accept the steps required which will some day give me, us, a better quality of Life hindered at the moment by hips and spine falling apart! The hoops one has to jump through has increased. Just these past months the laws have changed and a simple spinal steroid shot which only had a two to three day wait for an appointment is now three to five weeks. All of course are only band aids for the inevitable surgeries which stare at me throughout the near future. So we wait... and wait some more.

The upside is cooler weather here. Perfection it is which brings up the moral as we can ride a few miles here and there especially when Big Bend National Park stares at us daily. "It's not that bad" I keep telling myself as this too shall pass when we regain our previous quality of such Life. One day at the time... Patience, perseverance and a few round trips to Midland!

This space does give us Peace day after day. It is the true design of The Oasis. It is its purpose while away from it all and undisturbed from the mundane realities. These few acres do not have a pedestal topped with self gratification, they do not have the beaming light with the "look at me" neon sign too popular these days across pages and pages of a social media gone too often haywire. That's my opinion anyhow!

The greatest pain relievers are Spirit and Old Faithful. The roads do not cure but lets me forget the internal damaged body. They always do as they did throughout these years past as we are entering our tenth year wandering. It does not require any pills, only fuel and a helmet!

Regardless of it all, I have to feel fortunate towards what we have, what is present and never lose hope that some day soon our quality of Life will be once again present as it use to be. And it will...

And by the way, if anyone could harbor us in Midland [TX] at times, could be for an overnight or eventually two to three weeks when surgeries happen, please let me know. We are low maintenance!!!



Stay well.

Ara and Spirit

www.theoasisofmysoul.com The Journal

www.beemerchef.smugmug.com The Photos

10th Year, the Stars, living under them…

 

[Beemerchef]

A Sabbatical? Yes... TX

It is not a "closure"... It is a "sabbatical" from the Internet, not the Journey, much needed. It took me a week of writing trying to explain on our last [for now!] Journal entry the reasons and the whys of my decision and so there is not much sense trying to duplicate it here. For those who care to read it, you will understand... or not!

As much as we lived for ourselves, wrote for myself, as it has been now a few days off the Social Media platforms especially such as Facebook, I had never realized how deep the claws had dug in, in more ways than one! I am keeping our Instagram account which I really like while I can admire photos from all over the world [arawithspirit] and our You Tube channel under my name Ara Gureghian. Our Journal will stay open, just at idle for now, the little envelope icon is our email address. Our Smugmug Photo Gallery also, it is under the Beemerchef name. Our Book "Freedom on Both Ends of the Leash" will continue to be available on Amazon or autographed by "us" through the last entry of our Journal.

I thought it would only be fair to come here and post this. The Journey will never stop as long as we are mobile even though some surgeries are right around the corner. I hope and looking forward to them so I can be as a Friend of ours said "second hand brand new".

Colder weather is now upon us here in Big Bend, Texas. This has to be the best time of the year. Invigorating I must say as even Spirit cannot stop running around in circles like a madman. He is a madman! We have passed the nine year mark on the road a few days ago and I have never heard a complaint from him. I think he has even started writing his own book... I will let you know when he is done.

We shall be back sooner than later I have no doubt. This is now almost as living before all this Internet craze started. Truly living for ourselves...

Thank You for all the support these past nine years... looking forward to reopening these pages in the future.

See you on the road...


Stay well.

Ara and Spirit

www.theoasisofmysoul.com The Journal

www.beemerchef.smugmug.com The Photos

10th Year, the Stars, living under them…

 

[Spork]

Best wishes, I've loved reading your posts/thoughts/insights. I'm drawn to living vicariously through other people's adventures and yours have been great. Thank you.

 

[bryson]

Good luck.

 

[Tonkaman]

Thanks for everything you have given us. We will be anxiously awaiting your return