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

[beemerchef]

First of all today I would like to mention that I decided to keep one thread going... instead of starting a new one for every episode of my Blog! As I am learning myself about bandwidth and its limitations I am sure this 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

PS: the boat featured on the Blog by the way I am sure will open up some minds to some mods on your... 4 wheeler!..???

 

[beemerchef]

A great ride today...

Today was a great day... it always is when nothing breaks down, the ride is good and the food even better... no rain always helps!
A nice loop, the Tabasco factory, a great late lunch... what more can a homeless person and his dog asks for?
It is all posted in today’s Blog with a lot of pictures... love that SmuMug!

Hope you enjoy... Ara and Spirit

 

[goodtimes]

I can't access the smugmug site chef. It is saying a password is required.

 

[beemerchef]

Sorry... I had forgot to unlock it!!!... done...

Be well... Ara and Spirit

 

[Scott Brady]

YUMMMMMMY!

Please be sure to stop by Arizona on your way west. We promise a big turn out to greet you :clapsmile

 

[goodtimes]

Nice! As Scott said, be sure to let us know when you roll through Arizona.

 

[calamaridog]

My oh my, look at those crawfish:beer:

(Why would you leave all that good food anyways?)

I'd just stay there

BTW, I was checking out your recipes for about an hour and now I'm VERY hungry:violent-smiley-031:

 

[beemerchef]

A fine levee ride...

I honestly, and I am not writing this to make you feel any better, God forbide!... love Arizona... the most pictures I have ARE from AZ!
Will plan a big cookout... one that will last days!!!
So glad I got to do the rides I had planned early on the week as today is a rainy day... of course rain has never stopped me... Spirit even has his raincoat, but I have to get ready for my departure from here Friday or Saturday toward East Texas... It is time for some serious camping, maybe even a bit of cold weather again, some adventures and some new scenery... try out all this cooking gear that I have been carrying with me all this time.
Yesterday was a great ride by the levee... I will not say on the levee even though a few miles did see me riding it...
Hope that you enjoy the report in my Blog...
You be well... Ara and Spirit.

 

[beemerchef]

Forward West...

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]

We are moving on... Texas!

I think I am pretty sure you are going to like were I am going...
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

 

[mutineer]

:smiley_drive:

Hi Ara

me and some ADV boys are looking at Moab in April

you still be out west around then?

 

[beemerchef]

:smiley_drive:

Hi Ara

me and some ADV boys are looking at Moab in April

you still be out west around then?

I should be... I don't intend to criss cross the country like mad!... Let me know when and where... should be fun!
Thanks... Ara and Spirit

 

[beemerchef]

A restful Sunday...

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

Anyone caring to join me in Big Bend???... I can cook!!!... well... some riding too!

 

[beemerchef]

Parked in San Antonio... Texas of course!

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]

A bit of Texas Hills...

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