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“My  Personal Daily Therapy, published Weekly or so…”

Our last ride through Big Bend National Park before leaving. One more breath taken throughout what I often call “Home” as the Years indulge their own existence on us.

Morning. Fervor is present. We are leaving today and I need to calm down. I am surprising myself. How many times have we left? Do we really leave or is all this the continuation of the links offered from a few years past? Countless and "that feeling" is always there if not heightened from the times passing.
I cannot ever leave "The Oasis" in the morning. It has to be later on the day as we always end up only a few miles from here. I thought I had repacked. I have not. My attention having been on "Old Faithful", on the more physical demands of our vehicles, on… I forget what. I cannot handle a list, the game would be unfair, too easy. I have to think or not and move on one step at the time as a 12 course meal which eventually presents itself ready for the taking and rolling on with ease… yet, always a behind the scene questions if I have forgotten anything. Of course I have not. This is Old School. I only make it harder on myself because I like it as such. The certain challenge has to be present.

In Ancient Civilizations, when the Family was ready to move on to their next destination, when all was packed, when all was said and done, they would instead all geared up and all dressed up sit for a while and "think". Think about their packing, they would think about their destination, they would already be as traveling with their Soul, be prepared for what the road and the elements might or would throw at them. Calm… they would become. It is a fashion I have learned to profess and has saved me more than once from forgetting some gear or being mentally unprepared for the road.

I also follow a similar aspect when I am breaking camp… when I am fueling… . As others might approach me, I do not speak and go on with my doings. They understand, or more often I very quickly explain in one sentence as to myself not being distracted. The one time I broke my own rule as also when rolling away I have to make sure Spirit is fine, do a quick visual on "Old Faithful", no wires are crossed, I forgot my phone loose on a saddlebag. By the time I found it returning a couple miles later, it had already been run over by a truck and I did not have insurance on it, which I do now. Flat as a pancake.

First night away from The Oasis in a while. We did not get very far. Marfa’s Lights. Maybe we will see them. We will sleep here. They have bathrooms and such luxury is nice while on the road. The skies again tonight turned red. The horizon here is flat, the sky is not. We saw the lights. What a mystery they are, at times seven of them. It must have been a good night. They are not headlights as they have at one time on one evening even closed the roads to prove such a point. There was no crowds, just a few as us as the word "headlight" was present however amongst them all. I don’t have a lens to accommodate such a photos. Maybe some day.

We did not spend the night on "that" Parking Lot but went back to Marfa a few miles away. It seems at times I do not pay attention as well as I should. Half asleep the first time I thought I was being getting trampled by a train as even Sherpa and my sleeping bag shook. I was parked only maybe 150 feet from the train track. It was amazing and while morning came and light made it’s presence I could barely wake up groggy from the multiple awakenings of the worse kind. Great first night away.

My anticipation is heightened while in Las Cruces now. Going over maps with my Friend Jake who knows this State better than anyone else. I already am aware a couple months as slow as we move on is barely going to scratch the surface of the spaces present throughout this State we never quite explored.

It is nightfall. Las Cruces is also now behind us after in such a short time probably gaining a few pounds. Food and the Cities. There are no compromises there. It is all or nothing. Generally all. Much mapping, a few hours, notes written and some stored in memory hoping it will remain active. Three Rivers Petroglyphs site for the night or most likely a few as this is a good Base Camp. It did not take me long to fall into that Homeless Groove as I now call it. The plans went out the window very quickly. And again I was lucky to stumble on some free BLM camping and a hill with a path leading to more than 20,000 Petroglyphs. Amazing. Amazing as is the weather just right while bundled up and sitting here in the dark writing my mind.

You be well… Always. We will be also…

Ara and Spirit