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

[beemerchef]

The Oasis of my Soul... Life Under the Stars

Bannack, MT

Finally a real Ghost Town visited just in time as we will be moving on in a couple of days. So many photos that it is going to take a couple Blogs to post most of them. Wandering slow, versus the usual many travelers “warp speed” with mileage in mind more than anything else, we also met up this time with a family of six bicycling the country. “6”! I was thinking about all the meals, the camping gear, the showers, the logistics which must be by themselves just incredible. We also had a long stop over in Dillon admiring the Old Hotel and right across, the new “graffiti”. A contrast in itself.
But the big prize is Bannack. Turned into a State Park where dogs are allowed everywhere, quiet and peaceful with even I was told, the sights of Ghosts at night.
The Badlands will be our next stop before heading south, hopefully to cool weather… we sure don’t want Mr. Spirit to be uncomfortable!
Enjoy the Town…Be well…
Ara & Spirit

 

[XXXpedition]

awesome pics!
you live the dream, man...:victory:

 

[UK4X4]

beautiful photo's and prose

 

[beemerchef]

The Oasis of my Soul... Life Under the Stars

Good Bye Montana, more of Bannack

This State grew on us, it helped me straighten up a bit, understand better what Life is all about under a different light. Odd thoughts one might think. Not to me truly, as the land within every space has it’s own character and personality and gives back what one puts in. Exception being the Freeways! We bonded it seems only yesterday and already it is time for us to leave, only meaning we will come back. It is the beauty of this vast Country, knowing that a Lifetime will never be long enough to see it all, even less, feel it all. It is so fine, it is a thought that will never occur, meaning asking myself “now what?”. It just cannot happen.
I finally posted all the Photos of Bannack, the incredible well taken care of Ghost Town, the quiet one that allows a real walk through of it, and also another real “food find”… The Taco Bus in Dillon. Can’t miss it, you don’t want to miss it. Of course now, none will be up to their standard and Dillon is not on our way for a last real invigorating meal. Well, if we left now we could be there in about one hour… 71 miles. We have ridden much longer for a good meal!
Enjoy…Be well as always.
Ara & Spirit

 

[beemerchef]

The Oasis of my Soul..

Thank you for your kind words above...

The Dream? MT

I am aware of being a book of complex nature, aren’t we all? No soldered board that could ever match our own elaborate circuitry. Valleys and peaks are put down in words, sometimes “someone” would like me to change those ways. Some understand, some don’t, the comments differ, either way my path has been created, subject to change, but not today.
We have left Ennis, already planning to come back next year, so many roads, such vistas still unseen. It has been quite an experience moving on to this State as slowly building the foundations of a strong relationship with it’s rugged and yet inviting space.
We are headed East, for finally our descent South which makes me feel as the one of this airplane after a long flight. Ron Dakotah should be on our path tomorrow with the hopes that we can again camp together. He has only gone 300 miles or so since we parted, it has to be the ultimate Journey…
Some photos of West Fork Road, another one to again try to experience with some day better weather. Life goes on!!!Be well… always.
Ara & Spirit

 

[beemerchef]

The Oasis of my Soul...

Highway 212 to South Dakota

This is the furthest point North we will be coming to this summer and also the furthest point East as we will start our descent back to Texas soon. South Dakota, a new State and we are right in the middle of it all, much attractions even if I feel as this weekend will be a Zoo due to the Holidays. We might track back a bit and stop along Highway 212 which we hurried by looking for Ron Dakotah, my “Sheepherder Wagon Friend”. His own Journey is moving right along as he himself is on his way to Texas. The big difference is the hardship of his own logistics and the time it will take him to reach by then warmer weather, about 3 months. I feel here as “fall” is making a bit of it’s mark. Cooler temperatures, dry, almost as if on borrowed times the days I sense are as a warning for winter around the corner. All I can say now is “how big and beautiful this Country is!” as every little town, every bend and even seemingly every mile passed by is an inviting space to slow down within and feel it’s own presence.
Familiar photos on the Blog… the red wagon!Be well, always.
Ara & Spirit

 

[suntinez]

I have been following your journey with admiration and appreciation for some time, and have yet to let you know how much I've enjoyed your posts. So THANK YOU for taking the time and effort to share your healing journey.

Livin life!

 

[beemerchef]

The Oasis of my Soul... Life Under the Stars

Could Life just be a big “Quote”, SD

Every little town we pass by is a turn around. A structure here, an odd display of man made accoutrements designed to attract the attention, all works for us. The imagination of so many are indispensable, it is what makes “Americana”, it is what creates the smiles while running down mainly the back roads from point to point when time is not much of an issue. The Artists of the road are of many, their original thoughts maybe have not been of creating Art, only to get the attention needed to swell their businesses, but I see it as a free form of Art. So was the case stopping at the “Stoneville Saloon” in Alzada, how can one not. The same when in Deadwood to check out Kevin Costner’s memorabilia in his Casino called “The Midnight Star”, a bit more crowded arena that I care for, but worth the detour through Spearfish Canyon, a beautiful riding road adorned with waterfalls worthy of their hike. None of this ever stops, one mile at the time we cover the spaces that presents themselves ahead of us enjoying their moments and vision offered incessantly.
Enjoy the Blog…Be well, always.
Ara & Spirit

 

[beemerchef]

The Oasis of my Soul..

I have been following your journey with admiration and appreciation for some time, and have yet to let you know how much I've enjoyed your posts. So THANK YOU for taking the time and effort to share your healing journey.

Livin life!

Thank you, you made my Day... Hope to see you down the road sometime... Live Life!

In Broadus. MT

If every little town was such as Broadus, it would take a few Lifetimes to travel through this Country, stopping and spending the hours contemplating all that is now laid out. I must have developed an inquisitive mind, I always seem to manage to meet the “main” local personality, not in the sense of his “power” in town, but in his/her accomplishment within the community.
In Broadus it has been Doug. An old theatre which at one time had only three rows of seats, now settled for a larger audience, with a gym on stage, a Pizza parlor and more…
We will be leaving headed south in a day or two, it is that time before we get caught in this weather that is now beautiful but showing it’s Fall imprint. And I was wondering how many such as Broadus are lining up our route between here and Texas?
It is beautiful Country here, up in the Black Hills, it reminds me a bit of the Blue Ridge Parkway, if only there were less Casinos and structures lining up the shoulders all along. I see it as quite an irony when a Century past adorns it’s Sacred Grounds with another path not so Sacred.
More on the Blog…


Be well, always.

Ara & Spirit

 

[beemerchef]

The Oasis of my Soul...

Devil’s Tower… Badlands… WY./SD.

Anomaly could be Devil’s Tower! I could not keep my eyes off of it as many around us, including watching the climbers reach the top and going over the final ledge. A strange fact, climbers are allowed to the top but dogs are not around the 1.3 mile path that circles the Tower. Has anyone gone to the top lately and check on the waste left by the climbers?… no offense but… We all know what is happening with Mt Everest.
Another great ride included the Badlands, 240,000 acres of a fingerprint left by Mother Nature, maybe not unlike other geological ones as it even reminded me of some of the foothills in Big Bend, but vast enough to blend with and be transported as in another space.
Today there are clouds and rain, we are not leaving here till Monday morning, the forecast is of the same till then. The Custer Park’s photos might have to wait till next year, we rode it, but again the weather was not conductive for the camera. I call it the “spaghetti” road! No downpour, just cold steady drops covered with steady gray clouds! That kind…
Till next time…
Be well…
Ara & Spirit

 

[Dolomiti]

Good to still see you on the road. I am following you on ADVrider too.

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Keep going! Ara and Spirit!

Thank you for all you do!

God's Speed!

But not too Speedy!:sombrero:



....:chef:...:sombrero:...:costumed-smiley-007...:ylsmoke:



.

 

[beemerchef]

The Oasis of my Soul...

Thanks... just moving on!!!

Scenic, that is the Town of… SD

We should all practice wrong turns, getting lost without a watch, only the sun throughout the days and the stars at night guiding us throughout the back country so opulent here. Forget schedules, routes, you will find so much more richness around you and the unexpected. That is the way we stumbled on “Scenic”, this little almost Ghost Town which took most of the afternoon to walk through and play with the camera. So much History here and even more than History in this part of the country, it is the way how everyone lived. The shootings, the much drinking, prevalent jails everywhere, long horse rides for passing on the news, ancient by then when they arrived to their destinations, so much seems to have changed, maybe however not all.
We are still headed south, the temps near by Denver are already on the warmer side, the days are shorter, fall is here almost, winter will not be long, I like the cold!!!
It won’t be long at all… I can taste my vision and hear Spirit again running free, his eyes always locked on me, must be “Love” I think… as my own eyes and ears also are locked on him. Build a fire within minutes of our arrival… those are all my thoughts for the day.Be well… always.
Ara & Spirit

 

[beemerchef]

The Oasis of my Soul... Life Under the Stars

Garden of the Gods, Co.

It is not Valley of the Gods, barely over 400 acres, however it stands as a pleasant, free, and dog friendly Park near by Colorado City. Give me dog friendly anytime and you have a winner. We have left the crowded spaces of Denver, We are dropping fast through Amarillo and in my mind I can already smell the flavors of the BBQ at City Market in Lubbock. Not a detour, our true route, a grand entrance back to Texas. We had BBQ a couple night ago, a resemblance of it… not a very bright idea to order BBQ in Colorado. Truly, how distasteful. If I remember well there was more than City Market around Lubbock, maybe someone here can remind me of the two other establishments worthy of stopping.
We enjoyed Garden of the Gods, one needs to get there early, the crowd even off season can be overwhelming and the roads are narrow and tight with not that many parking spaces. It is as being within a mini Valley of the Gods, some thoughts about Utah came back to mind, thoughts that will have to wait till next April, the last weekend of it when again the balloons will fly…
In the meantime, be well… always.
Ara & Spirit

 

[beemerchef]

The Oasis of my Soul... Life Under the Stars

The Windmills of Lubbock, TX

I felt myself being caught in a giant windmill these past days! Stopping over through the big cities (anything over population 500), at the mercy of a world getting noisier by the day, the moving boom boxes, the trucks and cars exhausts reaching jet engine decibels, a foreign English language glad that Spirit does not understand it, last minute errands as to avoid the 130 mile round trips to Alpine which is the closest decent center for supplies, all concentrated over a few days for the first time allowed within me a stress level unknown for a long time. All is past now however as we have safely reached “The Oasis” where time stops and whispers are enough to communicate with “Two Feathers” and “Spirit”.
Lubbock’s “Windmill Museum” was however worth the visit as it was last year. Seeing the World’s largest mural depicting the History of Windmills almost completed was a feast to the eyes covering over 5000 square feet. A few projects here are awaiting, being 3 is half as much more as being two… no dwellings, only thinking about more water and more fire!
Enjoy the Windmill and mural photos on the Blog…
Be well…
Ara & Spirit