"The Oasis of my Soul"... a Lifelong Journey...

[beemerchef]

Last night was as beautiful... but the storms were not there. Pretty hazy here... hard to photograph during the day.



Our First Day in “Big Bend”, Texas

First day here, first day there, all is a first including a beautiful sunset and a sunrise, the ride… it is all first row seat here.
The nights are filled with more stars than I have ever seen and 24/7 there is silence, that is total silence. One can get used to this and too much of it will make it hard when the coin is flipped as it will be when we start some short adventures.
Without a watch or clock the days flies by and only the sun lets me know to get a move on if I want to accomplish anything of any value.
Getting into the Park has not changed, it is that content feeling while riding the familiar roads and stopping at the familiar look outs. It never fails to see a hill, a rock or colors I had never noticed before, an amazing fact for as many times as we have been here.
The rest of the day is on the Blog…

Be well and thanks for the company…
Ara & Spirit

[beemerchef]

Took a little walk, Texas

Not stranded but needing to get some tire situation straighten out. The “wheel” has arrived and the tire needs to be seated properly, “Old Faithful” needs a new front mounted and things do not move too fast around here. We just rode 120 miles today and the tire guy stood me up… So we will try Monday again, plan B. closer this time.
We have been going on many walks lately. Getting over this sense of responsibility being here and somehow for some reason feeling different than just setting up camp anywhere.
1400 miles of dirt roads to walk on, ride, and right behind us is a little hill filled with flowers and the daily Sunset always better than the day before!
Spirit does not stop attracting the photographers as it happened again while in Alpine. Better him than me!
I just feel so unorganized suddenly as there is much to do and seemingly at the same time nothing to accomplish! We just need our wheels to get rolling again.
More on the Blog… till next time.
Be well…   Ara & Spirit

[beemerchef]

Are the Stars “misaligned”?, Texas

I have to this morning take a step back and move slowly on the path of “fixing” things, or more truthfully think about on how to go about it all! Suddenly it is a full plate…
After numerous attempts my new wheel is still leaking air. I won’t even go into the details, it could be the subject for a humorous play with too many scenes. “Old Faithful” herself is diagnosed with a bad right throttle body and a slipping clutch. I am not even thinking about her annual physical such as what everyone calls a “tune up”, an involved process that requires the sidecar to be taken apart. Without a phone here, e mail is my only resource and, not surprisingly, the BMW Dealers I inquired about are not returning any breath of my inquiries. I guess they do not want to sell any parts!!!
A few miles away my cell phone will work but its battery for the second time is not charging! I often wonder if “mechanical” objects have a Life of their own. Must be…
More on the Blog…

Be well, Ara & Spirit

[beemerchef]

Karma looks upon us, Texas

What would be the chances for an incredible mechanic such as “Paul Glaves” to be our neighbor 4 miles away and offer his expertise to install a new clutch, throttle body, throttle cable and a complete maintenance schedule as “Old Faithful” is in need right now? Slim?… well, it is reality! The parts have been ordered, next week we will be not only watching but as he expressed himself learn more about this bike than I ever have.
There is no denying it, once again the road has become smooth as also there is not harm for us riding around in the meantime.
A ride to Terlingua, the Ghost Town, seeing the familiar sites and faces as not much has changed since last year.
The weather has been perfect with tolerable heat throughout the days and cool nights. This at time “puzzle” is emerging as an image with much more definite outlines.
A recipe for a quick meal, a tasty one…
As always, more on the Blog.

Be well…   Ara & Spirit

[beemerchef]

Unprepared for the storm, Texas

The future? I will be prepared! Good weather day in and day out makes me forget the other side of the coin sometimes. It only took “that one” burst of wind to knock the Dish down. Already with no phone service here yet, we both went on to Alpine to find a solution. And what luck… a slightly bent Dish was waiting for us… all is well again!
Much play with Spirit every day on this vast open land, one happy dog he now is and has become my shadow 24/7, his sight never leaving my movements.
Thinking about next week, about “Old Faithful” being dismantled as it is always a mental hardship, but for the first time I am truly so relaxed about it, how can I not be when it is Paul Glaves running the show. The parts are here… we are ready.
We took a ride into Big Bend Park, always feeling this peaceful aura descending upon us, an easy pill to swallow. More great Sunrises and Sunsets… I try real hard to not take anymore pictures of them… but that is not happening!
More on the Blog…
Be well… always.  Ara & Spirit

[beemerchef]

On our way to Ft Stockton! Texas

In company of a good Friend yesterday, Lance’s Birthday passed on with more ease this year as I only hope that I some day return the incredible support that I received on this bitter sweet day. I feel so much to want to reach others wearing the same shoes, “I owe” I feel… “what can I now do” I feel…
Plagued by mechanical let downs it is now the turn for the solar power to malfunction! No “DC” power when inverter or generator off! Luckily another Friend will meet us today in Ft Stockton to figure out what is wrong. What happened to the simplicity of living in a tent? This is so complicated and so much can go wrong…
Tomorrow “Old Faithful” will come apart, she will be in good hands hoping for no bad surprises… thinking positive here.
Just another day on the road as the full moon is upon us… on the Blog.
Be well…. Ara & Spirit

[beemerchef]

As simple as a tire change! Texas…

It has been some smooth days even if the photos look daunting! It was first meeting Ryan who attacked my solar system and rewired it from scratch. I’ll skip the details… the bottom line? It had been wired very very wrong and unhealthy! It was a relaxed day with so much confidence inspired. Same confidence going on this third day with Paul Glaves. What an inspiration it is to be taught and witness a bike being torn down and put back together in about the same way I would make a cup of coffee! And done right with so many attention to details… no joke… It is beyond mechanical ability, it is a “Zen” like process that leaves one actually enjoying the day and learn so much. I might even ask him when we are done if we could tear it up again!
The Desert is our Friend. Always has been but more so now than before, it is never just the land, it is also the People even as isolated as it is here.
More photos on the Blog.
Be well, Ara & Spirit

[beemerchef]

Rolling again in Texas…

“WOW’ has always been a nice word for me expressing the inexpressible! Hollow, brainless expression, yes, but yet it defines for me anything I cannot quite define or would have to use too many words to do so… “WOW” is all I could loudly say when riding again, when rolling again down the road with a huge grin on “our” faces. A true “Master” and a “Teacher” as I have never had before, “Paul Glaves” has opened up a new avenue of thoughts regarding my own mechanical abilities. For someone like me that has spend their Life in a kitchen I guess it is never too late to plunge into the “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle maintenance”! Never give up, one step at the time and above it all, stay calm as, and I quote him “it is just a bunch of nuts and bolts”! Terlingua had their own “Friends of Big Bend” ride going on… much fun to check out the bikes customized to their owner’s train of thought. A “Tilapia” quick recipe… it makes up the Blog today… or was it yesterday?
Be well…  Ara & Spirit

[beemerchef]

A ride to Presidio, Texas

Always a fun road to ride, to photograph, to stop and meditate, think about the reality of it all on how all this came about.
The road itself has been closed since the floods, all cleaned up now and open to local traffic when nearing Presidio only because of some cracks on the south side. It was a quick ride, a bit shorter in time for us from the norm as I know we will ride it again and probably again! Our phone is in! DSL is in at lightning speeds, all being an incredible task from the Big Bend Telephone Company. They showed up a couple mornings ago with semis and tractors, trench digger and a full crew to extend the line .3 miles! All in one day of work. They have a no non-sense operation and were back this morning for the final hook up and activation.
Spirit again is ecstatic to be riding in his car and between the all day ride and fetching the ball he is passed out… The “Do not disturb” sign is up… Maybe food will change his mind! The Sunrise and the Sunset yesterday where both an incredible gift from Mother Nature… you can see them on the Blog.
Be well…   Ara & Spirit

[beemerchef]

More riding, some Friends and more cooking, Texas

Since “Old Faithful” ( might have to call her “Young Faithful” now!) has been revamped, we have been as they say “burning up” the roads, mainly to Alpine. Many “Motorcyclist Café” Forum riders have been in town for the weekend, “Aprilia” motorcycle demos, a great dinner and much chatting. Putting some faces on all those names, those handles everyone uses, has been quite a great experience. Big Bend after all “is” a destination as it feels being at the end of the World, and it is.
It was winter for a couple of days, the electric heated gear was out, today again the warmth has come back, one could not ask for a more perfect day on “The Oasis”.
Cooking some left over ingredients, pictures of how Big Bend has come about, it is all on the Blog.

Be well…

Ara & Spirit

[beemerchef]

The dirt road to Marathon, Texas

One does not realize how vast this area is till they traverse a region less traveled as it was riding the “Old Marathon” Rd, only 23 miles of unpaved road with long stretches of deep sand and rocky slanted sections and challenging. It is an area where one does not even see the glimpse of a roof at any distance, close or far as within other areas around here. It is again a “road” which makes one wonder how it all came about. This one connects east and west dropping into the Park in its end. We never took a stroll down Marathon’s main street as instead we stumbled onto a group building “papercrete” homes. A real interesting concept as they say it will change the future on how homes are build, utilizing much paper in need of recycling. It gives me ideas for putting up here at least for starters a “storage” structure. Of course it is a catch 22, I would need much water to accomplish that task… so we have to get the water situation under control first! Time will tell…
Enjoy the ride…
Be well… Ara & Spirit

[beemerchef]

“Papercrete Homes”, Texas

Quite an alternative for structures which would do well in this climate. A “paper” shelter! Who would have thought…
But of course as everything else there is a catch. Need for a mixer and above all water which we do not have to spare… Some kind of a pick up truck to haul “stuff”… some tools. A tent is sounding better and better! Always two sides to the coin.
This land tears me up sometimes in the sense that I don’t want to leave, such silence, quiet, peace and serenity surrounded by beautiful landscape, at the same time the road calls, the wind on my face while rolling down the stretches is also part of the present Life. I try to balance it utilizing warmer times to do so.
It is now the perfect weather for this area, it was a good decision to anchor down for the winter, not saying there will not be some freezing spells! I am hoping for some blankets of snow sometime in the near future.
On to Alpine today… there seem to be always and errand to run!
Be well… enjoy the “papercrete” homes…

Ara & Spirit

[Al]

Ara, that last house would be the easiest to put up and if it was done right could last for many years.  There are obvious design flaws though such as the staircase.  You are right about wind loads, I'd want some anchors into the rock or soil and cross bracing in the walls for sure to hold it down in a high wind.

Al

[beemerchef]

That would be... no need for 2 floors however! Thanks!...



To Boquillas Canyon, Texas

With much going on in the neighborhood such as mainly the Chili Cook Off, meaning “stay off the roads”, we went in hiding into Big Bend’s Park. Very few cars, a couple bikes and much space. Lets face it, it is the least visited Park in the USA.
We spend some time by the Rio Grande, across from Boquillas, Mexico, a small town separated from the World by a closed border and a River.
Such little distance separates us and yet in reality a different civilization is there, we are the same but we are not. We should be… maybe some day?
The ride back was as pleasant as the ride in, maybe a bit more thoughtful, unless totally insensitive to others it would be impossible to not start thinking at a population so close to us and yet so cut off from the mainstream.
The photos are on the Blog…

Be well…   Ara & Spirit

[beemerchef]

Matters of the Heart, Texas

The ride to Alpine the other day was of a different tempo! There is a first for everything. What a better way to celebrate two years on the road with an Ambulance ride to the Hospital!
The heart just gave up. Spirit was left behind and I went ahead for some care and maintenance. First the bike, now myself. We will all be brand new soon. We are going back today as we made it here when released, more tests and needing to spend some time with a Cardiologist, either here or in Odessa.
I feel a bit in limbo as they say! The bike is even covered right now as we will be away for these couple of days. What a sad sight!
Coincidentally it was also the celebration of the “Day of the Dead” in Terlingua.
More about it all on the Blog…

Be well…   Ara & Spirit