One Year later, 200 Blogs later… Texas
Tuesday, October 23rd, 2007
There is such a diversity of thoughts going through my mind today. This incredible and powerful tool we call the “Internet” has allowed me to publicly document, narrate, show in pictures this last year of our Journey through the States. One cannot help reflecting on where one was and where are they now. Did we miss out on the Life we left behind or have we acquired a richer path into that deep asset we live with called the mind.
So many reasons we are on the road for. And why write about it? Why not just wander as I did in the past years every six months and live with the untold stories hoping that only my memory will not fail when looking back at the scenes that passed by, sometimes just a bit too fast.
We live in such a beautiful country, what a shame it would be not to let others know about it. I read myself a few ’ride reports’, even though “The Oasis of my Soul” is not a ride report, about travelers gone to the Far East or South America or around the Globe, and it makes for exciting reading. But in reality, how many of us are truly going to have the ability to do so. A one week vacation, maybe two week vacation only allows certain distances to be traveled, and I have always been hoping that through reading about our own destinations, they will awaken the desires to be and experience where we have been.
As we have slowed down our pace, realizing after the initial route the first few months that moving too quickly was at most times making us only skim the surface of an area, the experiences have only increased. As a matter of fact this past weekend proved it as we spend a couple days with about 150 dual sport riders, most of them from this great State of Texas.
It is nice to feel “accepted” within a group, it is nice to feel the handshakes and hear myself answering questions as “how are we doing?”. The group had a blast those two days riding a well planned course, a course which we could not ride as our rig would have not made it through the rough terrain. More reasons to enjoy our acceptance, to hang out with them, even invited to share a great lunch on Sunday. More pictures are inserted in the “My First 100 Years” Magazine part of this site, feel free to use them or inquire about the Smug Mug Gallery they are parked on if you would like bigger sizes, it has been our pleasure.
This Blog has also been my sounding board throughout this past year. It has opened a channel never experienced before allowing us to meet so many of you, on line, in person. You have added richness to our Life, you have shown that this World is filled with kind hearted people even if the interests are so varied coming from all walks of Life. That fact alone to me has made these efforts all worth while.
Unfortunately sometimes there is a flip side of the coin that shows its intolerance for us and I have to read its expressions. I don’t quite understand their meaning as I do not claim, or even remotely think about this Blog being for everyone or the most popular one around. That was never its purpose… There are 50 million Blogs worldwide with 200,000 new ones started everyday! It truly is an honor that already so many of you read it.
[quote] Twenty years ago, before the Internet and Blogs, riders found sufficient fulfillment by simply making the trip and enjoying the ride and adventure. In that sense it was a truer, more noble endeavor. I cannot say the same for what transpires today. [quote]. I thought the above comment was the least sensible one of them all, however rare, I always thought we had the freedom to read or not, for that matter “freedom” period.
And last, my Hero, my Buddy, the kindest soul of them all… Spirit! Words cannot describe my feelings toward him as he has stood by me 24/7 unselfishly, never once raising his disapproval toward any situation we have put us through. As time has gone by, the growth between us has never stopped, the amazement of his understanding of my moods and words has never reached its end and I don’t think will for the years to come. The only expression I can use, if it makes any sense… “what a great human being he is”. As a saying goes “always be who your dog thinks you are”, I can only hope to be fulfilled with his qualities…
Thank you all for all you support this past year, thank you for your generosity allowing this site to go on, hoping that with your continuance it will not find its end in any near future.You be well…
Ara & Spirit
————————————————-You contributions more than ever are keeping this site alive. If reading it is worth $1 a month… Each of you can make a difference on how long this will last… the PayPal (contribution) button is above to the right… snail mail address is below. We always “thank you”.
Ara Gureghian
853 Vanderbilt Beach Rd #245
Naples, Florida 34108
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October 24th, 2007 at 7:47 am
Hi Ara, thanks for the new post and pictures. It looks like a great time and these look like really nice people. 🙂
October 24th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
Ara keep up the great work. The enduro’s where fantastic