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

[beemerchef]

The Oasis of my Soul..

I think my eye balls where going to pop!!!... That figures... who else but Thomas!!!... HU maybe??? THANKS my Friends... and say hello to the yellow woman!!!
Xavier... should be here. I'll be at the Burr Trail Grill a couple day a week! Cool place... and the wallet needs it... what a better place to be at!!!
Great shot! is that the slot canyon off Burr trail in the Canyon? we have not seen that yet...

*Picture above has been HDR digitally enhanced.

Up to the “T” on the Burr Trail…
We turned around at the “T” on the Burr Trail, we were not ready to go any further that day, but will next time and camp out going south to Lake Powell. There is an incredible isolation here on and off the roads. The “space” has changed, it is not Moab, it is not Monument Valley… it is an entity of its own, the closest being Valley of the Gods. Having lived on a sailboat for many years, it is as being out to sea, all alone and with a bit of constant thoughts, an inner, I might call it, “apprehension” maybe, as not to break down as these are not at all well traveled roads.
They are mostly demanding and definitely require an advance knowledge of the weather, they require much water specially being in in summer time. Tools and food a must… they stay on the rig 24/7 never unloaded, cannot afford to forget anything.
Much changes in the sceneries, rocks formations and even roads… that is what is on the Blog today…
Be well… always… Ara & Spirit

 

[beemerchef]

The Oasis of my Soul...

Wodstoe, a ghost of a Ghost Town, Utah

You definitely have it all here. The Red Canyons, the flat Desert and the high altitude unpaved forest roads of the Dixie National Forest. Take your pick as we did trying to find the ghost town of Wodstoe passing right by the area that was on fire last week. From what seemed to be Wodstoe, southbound to the entrance of Bryce Canyon, a little detour while closing the loop back to Escalante to Grosvernor Arch and even as we were by then loosing the sun just a few minutes at the Kodachrome State Park where the trails are many and so are photo opportunities. Sometimes I feel as we are still scouting the area as some of them we need to go back and spend more time.
The big aspect of it all has been the lack of traffic in this area. Maybe this will all change as the Fourth of July weekend is coming up? This all feels as we are in a separate part of the World, so far from anything one might have a need for… even finding decent food sometimes is a task waiting for the days of delivery! Be well… Ara & Spirit

 

[beemerchef]

The Oasis of my Soul...

Saving Spirit and the end of “that” ride, Utah.

A reader asked me, rightly so, how it came about for Spirit and I to be together… It is amazing how some moments are never forgotten and one can relive them! It was then, 3 years have passed and I can just hope for many more to come by one day at the time.
And then the end of a great day’s ride to Gosverner Arch, a bumpy road with much washboard and deep sand combination testing again the limits of the rig with a knobby that is almost gone. We are going through rear tires a bit too fast, those knobbies disappear “like butter”, but it is our only way to handle the local back roads. Riding the black top to get to them does not help either.
Happy 4th of July to you all… be careful with that BBQ! We need to find one ourselves, it is good weather for it.
Enjoy the Blog, the long weekend… till later, you all be well.
Ara & Spirit

 

[hrjaw]

Ara,
thank you for sharing the story of you and Spirit. not many things make me shed a tear. this was one of them. thank you for saving his life, and as always, for sharing your story with us. enjoy your 4th and be safe.
Roger

 

[kcowyo]

To see Spirit now, one would never guess how brutal the first year of his life was.

He is a mass of muscle and character but as playful as any puppy. He is truly a ham, wanting his belly scratched one minute and smart enought to savor some shade the next. I was quite captivated by him as well, despite never having spent any time around a Pit Bull before.

A wonderful and heart warming story Ara. It's amazing to see how close he was to having his life ripped away from him, to now being one of the luckiest dogs on the planet. Just a total transformation of the 'Spirit'.

He's right where he's supposed to be. Just like his running buddy Chef Ara.

Hope you two have a fun 4th in Utah. Mia and I are headed over to Idaho for the long weekend. Hopefully we'll be scouting out some suitable areas for you and your knobbies somewhere down the line. Assuming you ever leave Utah....

Safe travels -

- KC

 

[beemerchef]

The Oasis of my Soul...

Assuming is right!!! Thanks for writing... as it does get even better!!! Come by and see us...

“One door closes, another one opens up…”

If you believe in above, well, it will happen as it happens to us quite often, one reason to stay calm when some doors shut hard, the draft of Life will ajar another one fairly quickly!
The bottom line? Cost of living has tremendously gone up these past two years, in fuel, food, tire and oil changes alone the budget has been screaming! We are here to explore this incredibly large area, at the same time stumbled on a two days a week work situation that you need to read about! Just too good to pass it up… it is a Dog loving circle where… you “have” to bring your Dog to work with you! For now it is all good and will just see what happens later as the cold weathers will come back and will need to move on as we always have done… I cannot even think that far ahead… So no excuse to not stop by and see us, either in Escalante or Boulder where we will be two days a week… working hard, meaning I will… with Spirit’s supervision! As usual…
“The Burr Trail Grill and Outpost” is the name by the way…
Be well… Ara & Spirit

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

God Bless you Ara and Spirit............

In all your travels!

Thanks for all you do!

Much.........Aloha!


......be safe always!



.

 

[beemerchef]

The Oasis of my Soul...

Thanks Scenic WonderRunner... we are really not doing anything! Just trying to be a good human being as everyone should... Plan for Utah!!!... There are places we cannot go! we need a 4x4... ah!ah!ah!... I'll cook dinner...:chowtime:

Kodachrome Basin State Park, Utah

Hard to believe how long we have been in Utah and the discoveries just will not cease! Kodachrome Basin State Park is a “gem” to be savored, all the colors throughout the many intensities of the sun rays culminating with the incredible hues of the “pipes” and rocks at sunset makes one wonder through the photos if it is even real or Photoshoped! It is not!!! Almost fluorescent for a few moments, for the last minutes of the day they are as unseen anywhere else.
It was a hot day, a bit absent minded forgetting many things we needed, but… with a bit of imagination a couple hikes were possible!
Hope you get to experience it soon… and yes, Dogs are allowed on the trails, how refreshing.
You be well… Ara & Spirit

 

[beemerchef]

The Oasis of my Soul...

Hell’s Backbone loop and bridge, Utah

A name that stands for the fact that it follows a ridge with sheer drops on each side, but also must have been given for its washboard quality unseen from my part before!
It is a spectacular trail, they say suited for a passenger car, I say “not really” unless an SUV, some good suspension and patience.
We have the company of a reader, Pete, from near San Diego, with a unique trailering device as he is riding his 1974 Honda Sabre pulling his Suzuki DR 350... You read right! 2 motorcycles, one rider on his own Journey for a month.
An unhappy “morning grouchy” Spirit… a 5am wake up call is too early for him, I will let him sleep in a bit today!
A bit wondering where winter will take us, where would be interesting good weathered lands for those cold months, the third round for us since on the road…
All in the Blog… As always, be well… Ara & Spirit

 

[beemerchef]

The Oasis of my Soul...

Is it more than just a road? More on Hell’s Backbone… Utah

Since joining American Road Forum, the more scenic and difficult the road traveled gets, the more I want to read about it, find out its history, and cannot help thinking about its past, sometimes visualizing the hundreds of people that have built it at a time where the machinery used was definitely not what we have today! Hell’s Backbone has been one of those, specially when around a curve one can suddenly see about a mile of it as a ribbon following the curves of its mountains.
I am also finding myself having to be detached from the kitchen where I spend my first day working solo. Finding out that all these years have followed me, are still part of me. It is a great job as I have to tell myself to go in, do the work and leave without any thoughts of… improving this or that! When I see Spirit behind that screen door I am content that Karma has presented this path for us, we could not have asked for more.
I think the Blog says it all… Be well, Ara & Spirit

 

[beemerchef]

The Oasis of my Soul...

Vagabonding to Capitol Reef, Utah
In the beginning “nice” was having an Internet connection… today nice is taking off knowing that there will be none. “Destinations” were planned, today it is just wandering with only a eye out for the weather going the opposite direction of the clouds. There will always be a surprise in Utah that will materialize as it did these past days. It was Gooseneck Point and Capitol Reef and a nice cool shaded campground. Shade is good these days as we are entering the hottest days of the year. It makes it for interesting viewing when finally coupled with the laptop looking back at all the pictures taken.
I felt bad for some riders the other day on their way up to an Annual BMW Rally. They still had 10 days to get there but their leader never taking his helmet off while gassing up kept honking the horn while others and I where chatting and taking pictures. Memories of blurred miles markers versus seeing so much beauty they will miss… hope that some day they will slow down… Been there, done that… “this” is much nicer…
Check out the Blog… and be well, Ara & Spirit

 

[beemerchef]

The Oasis of my Soul...

A bit more of Capitol Reef, the “Grand Wash”, Utah
Great commercial shot above!… it is a great helmet with the visor really protecting from the sun quite often. One can do the “Grand Wash” in an hour or spend all day as we almost did. Walking part of it is also a great experience between the walls of this Canyon with a constant change in the rock formations and endless colors of red hues. Stay away if ever storming, you will see the signs anyhow, the flash floods must be tremendous and happens so fast.
The “space” at the campground is real peaceful and as much as I don’t care too much for them we had a great time, a social time exchanging stories with the tourists passing by. Spirit of course is always the highlight, myself… more and more I feel as a Travel or Tour Guide agent! It has been nice to share the little bit of knowledge I have acquired from Utah…
Enjoy the Blog… and till next time you all be well.
Ara & Spirit

 

[Ursidae69]

That is a superb photo Ara, as always, I enjoy the blog. :coffeedrink:

 

[beemerchef]

The Oasis of my Soul...

What do you think? Should I send it to ARAI???

Into the Gorge of Capitol Reef, Utah
The incredible sceneries do not stop in Utah. Water sure has created so much, so many Canyons that we can actually ride through, Canyons where in the past recent years “humans” have worked hard at it for our vehicles to witness what has taken so many years to accomplish. The “Gorge” at Capitol Reef is definitely one of those places where one can spend much time as we did when we arrived into it before sunrise, one of the best times of the day.
The ride out of Capitol Reef through Dixie National Forest is always also so spectacular, more and more I feel as being in another part of the world as traffic is almost inexistent and slowly one can feel detached from it all, “all” being the outside World.
Spirit is doing great, we are not hitting hot spots anymore, keeping the hiking mainly in the early mornings or late afternoon and looking for some shade during the day.
Pictures? Too many really… for sure some great memories we will have.
Be well… Ara & Spirit

 

[kcowyo]

Excellent Ara.

Capitol Reef NP is my favorite area in SE Utah, even though that's like trying to pick a favorite type of chocolate.

Send it to Arai. You never know what could happen..... eepwall: