We are back onto the other side of the coin, away from the waves of the tourists and the circus atmosphere that prevails upon Zion, that would be the main Park. Just bad timing, not the first time and I am sure maybe not the last. We arrived at Michael and Sandra’s Home a couple days ago and as I did look at the calendar today I realized that I already had lost a day somewhere, who’s counting… right? Sandra is away on a rafting trip of a Lifetime down the Grand Canyon, its complete length and it is now Michael and I holding down the Fort! Michael should be named the "guide" of the State of Utah… I have been challenging him these past couple days with sights that we have seen hoping he has not! Not yet… Will boredom set in while here taking care of errands in St George alternatively while sight seeing? Improbable as I know that again we will leave with unseen wonders filed in for the coming years!

We rode a nice loop yesterday, nice weather, not a cloud in the skies and the temperature turned its knob on high only when dipping south through St George to head back north. Our first stop what "Mountain Meadows", the site of the Mountain Meadows Massacre.  I will post the "Plaque" of this not very well known fact, a sad time in the History of this Country made even worse seeing the age of the children on the Wall erected.

It is a powerful place to be at, as one’s mind can only wonder, and through their own imagination reenact the horrors of those days made worse by the fact of being Americans against Americans all in the name of Religion and different beliefs. I have read the different versions, but regardless of their each slightly different theories, the facts of such loss of so many lives remains written in black and white. Much to think about and feel.

We continued on our planned loop. The ride was of a welcome change on these wide open roads with barely any traffic, a tailwind smoothing out the efforts of "Old Faithful" which has just turned 190,000 miles yesterday! Smooth as ever and still going strong without ever missing a beat. We made a right hand turn on a nice maintained dirt road call "Pinto Rd" that would take us a couple miles later to a rock formation unknown to many called "Lion’s mouth".

It is a very large overhang as it can be seen by Spirit’s size in the background. It is one of the lessor known Rock Art site in southern Utah and the walls will take you back in time as covered with many colorful and well preserved Pictographs. The Pictographs here are mainly part of this huge 45 foot panel, an incredible story book and creation made by the Ancient people that once camped under these cliffs.

A three legged figurine is in the center of it all, surrounded by what looks like rabbits maybe, another little guy on his left with crooked horns, or maybe he is on fire. No one really knows what all this represents only assuming that this place was a sacred one, as I believe that it still is. The Journey yesterday had already taken us from an area with much historical incidents happened only 150 years ago, to now a dwelling going as far back as thousands of years.

Situated above the others, this Thunderbird below probably represented a "flight" or maybe a dancer fully dressed for a Sacred occasion. I kept thinking that maybe also the three legged figurine and others with antennas might have been the sights translated while being in contact with Aliens from another planet… Vivid imagination maybe, but one never knows as in my own theory we could not be the only "beings" around in this vast Universe.

A quiet and peaceful place to spend the day so conductive towards thoughts of Life. We walked back to our bikes and headed east arriving in Cedar City just in time for lunch bought at the grocery store in the form of fruit, Pico de Gallo and some tortillas chips. We realized by then that we were to early to go through Kolob Canyon road if we wanted to catch the sunset. Way to early… about 6 hours! Will get in anyhow, only I know to return again for the Golden Hour.

Michael went on home, he had his two dogs waiting for him, advantage of having a sidecar and having Spirit with me 24/7! With the harsh light and not a cloud in the sky, the sights were incredible, so was the ride and not so for the pictures. I much prefer this side of the Zion National Park as the cliffs I feel are much more picturesque and the roads pretty much empty from any traffic. It is a 10 mile round trip with many overlooks and as always the red asphalt, a trademark for the Park.

I am getting ready to go into St George in about an hour or so. Spirit will stay behind allowing me to relax a bit while in the stores or Dr’s office, at the same time I will be loosing my alarm that works so well when parked anywhere! Little towns, as when we where in Escalante, do not concern me too much as within a short time everyone knows us, but the big cities such as here, is just not a comfortable feeling to leave him in the sidecar by himself. One never knows what could happen.

I feel as I have regained my Life back being here! I had never been so aware of my surroundings as now, there is Peace and Harmony throughout these days and I am not even thinking much about what lays ahead of us, a big step in stone for this Journey, the physical location of "The Oasis of my Soul" near Big bend. There is slowly a picture being formed regarding what will be erected on that land, they are however vague, just some thoughts. An outdoor kitchen for sure, a bathouse, and that is about the extend of it for now.

Two years of Photography is finally in order on SmugMug… In "Your Favorites", organized also in "States", some even labeled "first year" and second year". Feel free to browse, you can even use the slide show mode and have fun. I still have 20 T shirts that need to be sold at cost, $20 including shipping… I do! Some day they will be "collector’s items". You don’t believe me? These are the sizes left.

With the "ADV" (Adventure Rider") logo:   2 XXL ~ 4 XL ~ 2 M 

Plain:  2 XXL ~ 3XL ~ 5L ~ 1 M ~ 1 S

Your participation toward the site is always welcomes and accepted through the "contribution" button above… 323 colorful Chapters with many destinations for $1 a month?… now more than ever. Help the site stay alive.

Be well, always. Ara & Spirit

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 21st, 2008 at 9:00 am and is filed under travel, spirituality, pit bull, sidecar, motorcycle, cooking, photography, riding, homeless. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.