Crossroads of times. TX

Saturday, January 4th, 2014

Writing our book spanning 7 years on the road “Freedom on Both Ends of the Leash” has taken me to those past times when the future was uncertain. Yet, we still don’t know the day before that day. It is now only a matter of editing those past days we did make it through.

New Year's Eve-2 xxx

“No human relation gives one possession in another—every two souls are absolutely different. In friendship or in love, the two side by side raise hands together to find what one cannot reach alone.”
~ Kahlil Gibran ~

Photos from a New Year’s Eve gathering.

New Year's Eve-6 xxx

I am sitting here next to Spirit, back from a New Year’s Eve gathering with friends, lounging under the sun so bright today, yet, with a welcomed coolness. Slowly the present is re-emerging from having spent much time on our past pages of a book which with many edits is cleaning up nicely and taking a life of its own. A few more weeks and its true birth will take place. For some unknown reasons, I cannot help looking at the months ahead. A crossroad is the image I am seeing. There is no sharpness beyond it, only the knowledge of an intersection on which the road signs have not yet been placed upon. It is truly such a mystery.

New Year's Eve-7 xxx

New Year's Eve-8 xxx

The spaces we have camped on are calling me back as I know I will experience them differently while they have been submitted to their own erosion as we also have. To the many travelers, changes are unseen. To the ones, such as us, who live on and off the roads, there has been transformations. I do know I am not the only one feeling as such after having had a few conversations with others who have chosen the same lifestyle as us.

Bread pudding in solar oven xxx

Bread pudding in solar oven-2 xxx

Sadly enough, the present variation is our own safety and the one of our belongings. Society has changed over these years. The number of homeless has increased and amazingly they are mostly the drug addicts and alcoholics. Meth labs have popped up on National Forests, on BLM lands, on Native Indian reservations. I have seen them, we have stumbled upon them a few times. I have witnessed the white beat up Taurus driving around the 17 mile loop in Valley of the Gods stopping at a distant camper left behind for the day. They were not there to take photos, but to steal to sell to buy.

Grilled vegetables xxx

Grilled vegetables-2 xxx

The knowledge of such a situation truly brings on a certain uncomfortable feeling. Will our gear still be there when we return that evening? What frame of mind is all of this going to create? This is not the first time being at a crossroad. Most have been mental more than anything else. This time around it is much being towards our free land creating such a junction. What could be the solutions? Campgrounds where a “Camp Host” would watch out for our “stuff”? We both dislike campgrounds with a passion and the fact is that nowadays because of rising costs and budget cuts, one host oversees many campsites making them subject to thievery.

New Year's Eve-3 xxx

Steaks on the grill xxx

Roasted Bananas with chocolate chips and marshmallows xxx

Much has even changed here on “Terlingua Ranch”, “Big Bend flats” as we also call this area. While attending this New Year’s Eve get together, I had the chance to talk to some locals about the subject, ones that live here full time. As I do now, they also lock all their belongings when going to town for the day. Dogs have been poisoned with anti freeze not too far from here, others have been shot at, some dwellings have been broken in and if not, tried over and over. I keep thinking if I am making this up! I am not. It is reality. How sad is all of this? We are trying to protect ourselves from… each other. This cross road has slowly been creeping up into our lives. I wonder if I was unaware of it in years past having been fairly lucky or has changes actually has taken place? They have.

New Year's Eve-4 xxx

One path will be to discover spaces even more out of the way not quite reachable by many. And we will. Nothing will keep us off the roads once we are done here. I cannot allow such uncertainty trickle in into our lives. So, in the meantime, with great present weather these days as the clouds today themselves so unaware of such a dilemma while playing hide and seek, meaning short sleeve T-shirt throughout daylight hours, back to the keyboard for the second book edit in progress.

Spirit and his morning play xxx

2014 Happy Sunsets Calendar          LuLu Journal

2014 Calendar

Stay well,
              Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy New Year,
                                                                                      Ara and Spirit

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4 Responses to “Crossroads of times. TX”

  1. carolyn Says:

    What a quick shot of Spirit. Great!

    Sadly, the thievery goes on constantly here also. Meth labs, languid, lazy law makes for trouble also

  2. Don McGilvray Says:

    Ara, I wish I could dispute some of the feelings you are having about the security of yourselves and your belongings, but I’d be blowing smoke if I even tried. I have lived in the same area for 15 years now, and have the pleasure of walking my Husky dog each day through the neighborhood. The changes in the past 5 years are disheartening, to say the least.

    It seems to me that the country is devolving into two camps: Producers and Takers. It is not ethnic nor racial, but a mindset certain among us seem to have developed. Not that their parents taught them to respect and leave alone things which don’t belong to them, but instead, “If this idiot is stupid enough to not lock everything up, then it’s MINE! I walk through the grounds of a hospital every day, and have become friends with some of the medical staff I’ve met (Chinook is a wonderful conversation starter!), as well as the on-site security staff who patrol the grounds. They report a large increase in vehicle prowlings and break-ins in the past two to three years, as well as problems with people stealing from supplies for a remodel of a portion of the hospital; mostly copper wiring and similar items.

    The complete lack of respect for private property and general surroundings is astounding! I am so tired of looking at the trash thrown from open car windows: Burger wrappers, empty soft drink containers, contents of ashtrays dumped on the street, etc. Where the hell has the concept of pride in oneself gone?

    I wish I had answers, but I do not. Keep Spirit safe at your side. I feel sorry for dogs who are left alone to dissuade prowlers. It is all too easy to poison a dog or shoot it to gain access… Anyone who would kill an animal with anti-freeze should be dragged behind a vehicle as punishment!

    Stay Safe!
    Don

  3. Pleinguy Says:

    I surely hope you both stay safe in the coming year. I enjoy following your journey, and your thoughts on the life. And, of course the photography is great! Take care.

  4. Ara & Spirit Says:

    Carolyn, Don… Thanks for writing. There is indeed no answers. I am not that concerned about our own safety when “out there”, more about what we leave behind at camp throughout the days. So, what do we do? Like a turtle carry all everywhere? Stay at camp with short hikes and ride? Move? even if it is a few miles? I guess i will find out when we leave here. Never thought it would come to this. Stay well. Ara and Spirit

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