We make people smile! UT

Saturday, April 5th, 2008

I thought I would spare you more "Arches" pictures! Funny as I talk to local Galleries, either paintings or photography, sometimes mixed, the word "Arches" will make the owners eyes roll a bit… of course that is only after realizing while chatting that I am not in the market for a purchase, they can be frank with me. Living on the road is kind of nice for the fact that one cannot buy anything to hang or collect dust. I use to have a lot of stuff, even when living on a sailboat and paid for a storage for over 30 years. It took the help of my mother literally forcing me blindly to throw away the junk accumulated or sell the artifacts saved. Some of the locals have been here for 20 years, maybe more, it is understandable, but to me, they will always remain wonders of the Earth, never the same, their moods changing as much as the weather does. There will be more, we have not seen them all yet.

Moab 11

For some reason I expected the town of Moab to be something different, maybe because of its surroundings, a town maybe as unique as Terlingua is, but it really is not. You will find the same Mc Donald, Burger King and Dollar Store as anywhere and if suddenly transported downtown, you will know it is not quite anytown.USA, from the many bicycles, dirt bikes, Jeep and other toy rentals, but its character was not what I thought it would be. No criticism on my part, just a statement, as it is also the people that make up the personality of a town and it is awesome to be out and about.

Moab 10 

It turns out that one of my favorite hang out, as again we needed some groceries today, is the Food Supermarket’s parking lot! We always end up spending more time on the parking lot than in the store. Sometimes we have a crowd, could be locals, tourists, kids… they all smile, laugh and point… and flash their cameras. I start wondering how many people have Spirit’s picture in their home by now? Has to be in the thousands! I have what I call "leisure cards", they are nice cards with rounded corners and a copy of the Logo you see above. Its quality is so nice that they generally ask me it they can keep it… that is what they are for. When they write to us later on, could be weeks gone by, I try to remember their faces as I generally associate them with a trademark or even a card that they themselves give me.

Moab 9 

We did go for a ride yesterday, and we did get pulled over twice… cameras! We stopped at the Arches campground where Howard and Linda are the hosts and also Bloggers for Rv’ers, even putting on some Rally’s with seminars for the ones fresh out of the city wanting to live on the road, and a couple cars which had been following us pulled also to a stop behind us… cameras! The local Rangers stopped… well, they did not have a camera but had seen us a few times earlier, I gave them a card. Since they love the cards I am having some stickers made, oval and with the identical Logo… I thought about carrying some T-shirts with us… but I am saving those for… you’s. It will put on some smiles when others will see you wearing it… trust me. How can you resist that picture!

Moab 8

This is another hangout of mine. I am pretty picky about my Coffee as I roast my own twice a week, (will need to show you that operation sometime!), "Arches Book Company" does too and for $1 it is a bargain, considering the entertainment that comes with it when we are parked right in front, yes, more smiles… and you guessed it… cameras.

Moab 13  

 

Moab 12

The monthly local Free paper "Moab Happenings"is always good to have. Every town has interesting events, a bit limited for me because of Spirit as I will not leave him behind, he goes where I go. Wish you could actually see his face when I am maybe away for a few minutes or when he sits or lays down in his sidecar when I go for a short hike where he is not allowed! Heart breaking… "please don’t leave me here" his eyes express… a big sigh… he does know I will always come back for him as when I do his ears stand up, his eyes sharpen up, only if he could vocalize his thoughts as "where have you been!".

Moab 5  

We have been together 24/7 for quite a while now, both on our healing Journey, seeking the sights, seeking some answers from past events when realizing a while back that this World is just not perfect and makes us wonder why such malice exists and why tragedies occur. I personally have come to the realization that the answers will not be found in my Lifetime and that in itself was a big step. That we can only do the best, mourn some events with acceptance never disregarding the offers of the "now", even if it is human nature to seek those answers as we are always on the path, we so desire, of discovery. I have accepted, sometimes struggling as everyone does, the dark side of some events. As the philosophers go on, we would not know good health without sickness, we would now know pain without joy, we would not know struggle without "good Karma" as at times everything can fall in its place and at times everything is just out of order. Every day we dodge those darts aimed at us the best we can, we try to pull and  find the positive aspect of it all, and that is the hard part sometimes.

Moab 6

If Spirit had not been abused for the first year of his Life, he would not have been here today enjoying his time in his own World! If Lance would have been here today, I would not have been on this healing Journey seeking my own Peace, my own answers through Mother Nature’s offering which to me is the backbone of our well being. Every day is a new step leading to this destination which is still a mystery to me!One day at the time, one smile at the time and even with a heart that panics at times facing some uncertain realizations, my sentence engraved in my days is always "its all good…". We really do not have a choice!

Moab 2

So this is a "tour" of the City of Moab!… and more thoughts… We are leaving Tuesday morning for Durango. Wednesday we will have a new starter and hopefully put behind these mechanical difficulties. My thoughts on this?… at least those parts will not break again for a long time! We will then take a different route to come back here going through "four corners" as I would like to take a picture of Spirit sitting on that intersection of the four States. We will then head out to Mexican Hat, we have a tip from a friend about some good views and camping near by as I have never been there. Monument Valley will be next, followed by Valley of the Gods and on to the Natural Bridges National Monument. Quite a route, all in the same neighborhood. Wonder when we will be back here at the rate we go. We are planning to camp on some BLM land west of Bluff, some free and primitive camping on the San Juan River and do our outings as they happen.

Moab 3

Today at the "Spanish trail arena", a bit north of town is a Dog agility contest… but non-enterees dogs are discouraged to attend… I wonder what that means. Well, I do know what that means, wondering if we should disregard those fine lines. Discouraged does not mean "no"! There will be a Moab Art Walk this month and a Speed Art Show also at the Moab Art Works Gallery. I would like to be back here the 24th for the Annual April Action Car Show when the town will be filled with all kinds of Classic cars, Hot Rods, Custom cars, Muscle cars, Street Rods and more. What can I say… kids will be kids!

Moab 1

This is a little strip of stores, right passed the visitor center, a great source of information by the way, and for the first time as I love "Thai Cuisine" I decided to make an exception and have dinner out, specially sitting by a bay window enabling me to keep an eye on Spirit. To be avoided, the worse I have ever had as I almost left half way through my Pad Thai, what a disappointment that was specially knowing I could have had groceries for a few days for the cost of it!

Moab 7

My favorite picture of the town!… no need for a caption here. For the first time the water in Spirit’s bowl did not freeze last night, but it is a dark day, gray clouds making up the ceiling I am looking at with 20% chance of rain for the coming days. I have been planning to do a loop from the Park through Salt Creek Rd, a mild "grand ma’s Buick" type of a road which drops into 191 and back to Moab. An isolated road as the Old Faithful’s starter complains at each turn of the key but keeps on rolling. Maybe we will… Durango will be colder as I checked the weather forecast for that town, below freezing both nights we will be there… we are used to it by now and we will be camping in the shops’ parking lot, actually only one night.

Moab 4

It is a weekend town right now here. Once school is out the bicyclists will take over, there was not even a chance for me to get runned over while taking that picture! Till next time… come and visit.

"Throw the Dog a Bone!"… T-shirtsMouse padsPhotography

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Ara Gureghian   853 Vanderbilt Beach Rd #245   Naples, Fl 34108

You be well and stay well…. Ara & Spirit

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6 Responses to “We make people smile! UT”

  1. camera56 Says:

    Ara and Spirit

    I just found your site. Very, very, very . . . not even sure what word I want to use. Good for both of you. Keep going. I love Moab. I have a story tucked away about a trip there with a very good friend involving a dog, but sadly no motorcycles. Makes me want to go back.

    Cheers

    Kevin
    http://www.midliferider.com

  2. Melinda Says:

    I am so enjoying reading your blog and seeing your beautiful and inspirational photography. The Durango area is lovely (former Coloradan here) and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. Looking forward to reading more of your journey!

  3. Andrea Page Says:

    Great photography, you feel as if you’re right there. I just found your site.
    Thanks for sharing!!

    Andrea

  4. Barney Says:

    You are 25 years too late for the Moab you wanted it to be. Six years ago I came through Moab after about 20 years of being gone. It had become what you found it like now. Nice area but the town is no longer as special as it was a long time ago.

  5. Ginny Says:

    Hi Ara, I haven’t stopped in for a while now. I’ve been busy gardening and spring cleaning, etc…and have little time for blogging myself much else hit anyone else’s for a read. But I made it a special point this morning before my day got going to say hello. Your blog is one of my favs and I look forward to the day when you do come to Austin again. 🙂

    I might be living on the road myself for a little over a month. Mom and I are trying to arrange a trip that takes us to Colorado Springs for about two weeks, then up to Montana almost to Canada. I’m VERY excited and hope it actually happens. I’ve never lived in an RV on the road so it should be quite an adventure. In Montana we plan to do a lot of big river trout fishing, hiking, camping, etc…

    Don’t be a stranger!
    Ginny

  6. Lyle Says:

    Moab is dear to my heart, and I hope you enjoyed it… it is hard to tell.

    I visited there for the first time in 2006, and since I had never seen the Moab of 25 years ago, I liked what I found. I tune out the worst of the touristy claptrap, and enjoy the rest.

    I cannot imagine ever rolling my eyes at Arches or Canyonlands. I once rode up into Arches in the dead of a moonless night, and the experience was really beyond words. I’ll take my son down there this summer or fall, and I expect he will love it, too. I have a lot to see in the area (a couple more parks, for example) before I get bored with it. I suppose I’ll run out of lifetime before then.

    Thanks for the words and pictures!

    –Lyle

    (P.S. Folks, don’t forget to throw the dog a bone!)

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