“We do not have a schedule besides the one Life has given us”. I keep repeating this these days.

“If one advances confidently in the direction of his/her dreams, and endeavors to live the Life which he/she has imagined, he/she will meet with a success unexpected in common hours… Why should we be in such desperate haste to succeed, and in such desperate enterprises? If a man/woman does not keep pace with his/her companions, perhaps it is because he/she hears a different drummer. Let him/her step to the music which he/she hears, however measured or far away”
~ Henry David Thoreau ~

I might have used and read hundreds of times this above quote, I might have, yet even so, I felt bouncing it back on this page.
Coffee tastes good this morning. The bright Sun woke me up as I dug my head back into the covers to avoid being blinded. A while later I could not resist sticking my neck out to look at the skies which by then had dimmed from a show of clouds, kind Mother Nature trying to rekindle our relationship.
Brrrrrrrr…. I went as a first in a long time the early morning deep cold penetrated me. This was the first sign of a true Fall and put a smile on my face as rejuvenating me instantly.

It is so silent here besides the winds in burst playing their notes in deep bass. It has been a while for such besides the few days past at “The Oasis” when we picked up “Old Faithful”. I think this was the best night of sleep I have had in a long time. Much got away from me these past weeks. The many components which makes our Journey what it is. Too much of a roller coaster I have encountered earlier. The core was lost in hiding. Too much of thinking “where are we going?”, “how long?”, “here or there"?”, and “if and but…”. Those weeks past with a calendar in hand, glances at a clock too many times an hour toward appointments coming up, must of this and that, all I now realize imprinted the path strayed. The ancient programming which had resurfaced and followed me taking away the amazing luxury we have “no schedule”, only the weather guiding us.

Spirit himself has not moved yet. We have this understanding. Nothing happens till my first cup of coffee empties. Lucky me to have besides me such a pawsome Buddy. Understanding, patient and yes, stubborn. Stubborn because I let him live his own Life with the much respect and Love he deserves. It is a two way street for sure. A sidecar rider is called a “monkey”. He is my monkey! The best. As long as we are together he is fine. I could be behind the trunk of a tree 10 feet away and he already misses me as his eyes like 2 well trained and finely tuned radars don’t leave my sight. It truly is one of the most comforting aspect of Life and companionship. None of this would happen without him.

Yesterday was the first day catching up on our path, merging gently into it. There was no decision as to where to go and none neither for how long. It was again almost as the wheels themselves had made up their own minds and we followed them heading North. They almost made a left turn as we arrived in Blanding taking on the direction towards Natural Bridges. It did not happen and we found ourselves in Moab. A town I like, a center for all outdoor activities one can imagine. We did not stop however as the streets were of a construction traffic nightmare. The banks of the Colorado River were the same tightened to one lane every few miles and more of those portable traffic lights letting us bake in the sun while waiting for the green. Moab is still hot.

There is no more free camping in this area. BLM lands, those wide open spaces have been replaced by concrete slabs and cement porta potty’s. A generic fire ring, all for the mere sum of $15, half for us since I am old [er]. I remembered some dispersed camping up by Deadhorse Point. With no choice in the matter while we arrived at the gate.
She: “do you have a reservation? we are full.”
Me : “no I don’t, but would like to make one for May 16th 2015 at around 4:30pm please. If the masseuse is not booked that evening I would like my massage at 6 o’clock and for dinner I will have my steak medium rare. Cheesecake would be a plus…”
She: …did not think it was funny.

Backtrack to another campground.
“Horsethieve”. Not a very trustworthy name.
I must say we got lucky with a corner site away from the other 54 sites [!] and an uninterrupted view of the Western horizon. I am not moving for a while. More important, this is away from the oil and gas drilling stations with their huge green cisterns which at least are painted green. Nice touch. I was told they will built a pipeline for the gas. This is the Urban infrastructure coming in with a hurry to meet us as never before. The area is one of the most beautiful and most visited in the Country. So why not banking on it? Thinking about all this my mission should be to find unknown spaces less visited and unadvertised. I know how to find beauty everywhere, even on those forever straight roads lined with cornfields as far as the eyes can see.

It might be the key of our future while avoiding these too often overcrowded spaces which we have experienced before. This is where the Tourists will ask what can they feed the bears. This is where they will test with their hands the water temperature of the geysers. This is where they will come to an abrupt stop in a blind corner while a squirrel is crossing and with their driver’s door open trying to take a photo while the back up traffic is suddenly measured in miles. I am of course talking about the National Parks in general. And the list goes on and on. Every square mile of this Country has a story to tell, a charm unlike others. Most are untouched from the Urban brouhaha so present within the more frequented wonders. Yet, as I shrug my shoulders, wonders one should experience one way or another throughout their own Lifetime.

The days are lingering here in Canyonland. This was a good choice. No more of “Tourists” talk. We are here, I cannot let it get to me. I spend hours watching Sunsets these past couple of days. Always an unraveling show of colors and shapes as also last night at the same time the full Moon rose amongst the present clouds. By the day the path is calming down. It must if I want to keep a resemblance of sanity. Unnatural is swaying back to natural. The weight is lightening yet I am not there, almost. Who has this Lifetime achievement luxury, this one aspect money cannot buy when finally one realizes it does not cost much to be as such on the road.

We are riding locally and aimlessly here and there without any kind of a structure. Shaffer trail, Potash Rd, much of Canyonland with their points of view while being mesmerized by the White Rim Trail having never been on it. Following with my eyes the road circling the canyons. I would not mind doing it some day but it would have to be in a Jeep. The views from above are truly incredible. We came across other riders and have had nice chats. A big group from Mexico, a lone one from Eastern Canada, all here before winter sets in. This morning the skies are pure without a cloud and the temperature has dropped to a very comfortable number. A little heat wave is on it’s way and that will then be afterwards a true Fall present. I look forward to it.   

Stay well,
              Ara and Spirit