It is truly wise to use some intelligence when moving around, some sixth sense regarding where to go and not to go on certain days due to the weather! I remember some riders stuck in Big Bend when it suddenly rained and the ground became slick as an iced lake… they had not believed the weather forecast, 800lb bikes on their unnatural sided position, their were at a halt till all dried up, they were Dr’s… common sense has nothing to do with one’s profession!… even if you stayed at a Holiday Inn the night before. I had all arranged to get on the road this am toward Page, for the first time on this Journey I have been ready to break my compromise of sightseeing a couple hours the "Antelope Slot Canyon" without Spirit! This will give me a chance to post more pictures of Monument Valley, actually a couple of them being my favorites as the two photos below.

It was throughout our early morning ride, first time through that Canyon at sunrise versus the sunsets we experienced, suddenly all the shadows reversed made this traverse a bit mystical, a bit mysterious, showing off though their silhouettes, the work that had been done with rocks and erosion as it is still being in progression under our own eyes. More and more I can stand in front of such grandiose workmanship and just look and feel the presence blending in with all my senses. I cannot help it! I have never appreciated my surroundings as I do today. We are truly the same all created in this Universe, we all have our purpose, path and changing facets, our stay is a bit shorter and we cannot loose the time to appreciate what is being offered to us. 

There is rain in the forecast for Page, near by the Canyon. The same Canyon where water 50 feet deep from a thunderstorm 5 miles away killed 11 people many years ago. The wind gusts from here to there are predicted at 40mph on all the weather sites, common sense… I have to take a "tour", for the first time, without Spirit. The nice Lady that takes care of the office will watch him for me. Of course I am a bit nervous about it, I don’t think I am going to be fully relaxed, it should take two hours all together… they also have the Photographer Tour where the visitors are left alone for an extra hour or so… but too expensive. I will figure out the situation when I get there as we have only spoke over the phone, I am sure it will be alright, Spirit and I really never part!

Lately it has not taken too long for the sun to create a harsh photographic day even if the temperatures are bearable. We stayed into the loop for quite a while however, there was no one else around at that time of the morning as it is generally for the visitors time to take off for another destination and the ones coming in do not arrive till late. We even experienced a bit of the Wild Life… alright… that was a joke… but I think the horses were wild…

The leader of the goats as I had witnessed it a previous day was again a dog! No one else around… he lead them to their destination and brings them back at night! I don’t know if Spirit could be trained for that… it would be fun to see him work for a change!!!

I am myself looking at those pictures, transported by my thoughts back to those couple days spend as now, today, finally the rain has shown up, winds, the cold is back and I understand that it might even snow just a bit north of us. I still don’t do very well, neither of us actually, what I call "vegetating"!… not that anyone tells us what to do… I guess it just my nature not to sit around too long even thought sometimes I wish… wrongly so… to be bored! Just one day… do nothing! Eat… sleep… read… repeat! Life has become definitely relaxed, I don’t think one has anything to do with the other as it is only a state of mind. A definite change from the first day we left… night and day!

I actually need to go back to day one as I have been asked, not for the first time, to publish a book about our story, its message into the Journey. It is a monumental task as I know my writing has changed since day one, definitely not saying that it has any exciting factors tied into it, but I know it has changed and so should the first "write ups" also be changed or left as is? I was having a conversation the other day with a writer that has published over 20 books, explaining him my thoughts. He smiled and said that writing, in one’s hand and mind constantly changes. If I were to start changing my first chapters, by the time I finished it, it would be time to start over! That made sense… so I will just start chipping at it slowly and try to condensate the more or less 300 present Blogs into a few chapters… with pictures!

Utah and its beautiful Nature has made a big change in us. Specially going back to the East Coast from Terlingua, feeling the busy vibes of the Cities and enclosed spaces we use to live in and backtracking the country, arriving here, as being on the other side of the coin of Life itself. I had a great time spending a month with my mother, it has actually changed both of our lives as we both grew so much closer to each other. She only calls me at least twice a week! She has become, and I will say finally, my best Friend. It has turned into more than just a Mother and Son relationship, I think finally she has made that leap that I was not fifteen anymore and we could really see and converse eye to eye about so many subjects and situations with respect to our own opinions which often differs. I can only wish that she lives a long long Life… as without her I would not know who to call and speak with as openly as we do. It has taken a long time, a Lifetime, but… it has happened. I wish it all on everyone.

As I have done it before I will close today with another sunset… but… guess where this one is from? My Friend Brian, as you know, the responsible person for this web site who gladly donates his time to us as this Blog would not be what it is without him, well, he is in Japan right now with his son for a few days! A man that has never left the country before is on the other side of the Continents now. This is one sunset he has send me… I feel only right to post his beautiful shot and wish him a great time, and please come back quick as I need a change done!!!… If only the World was full of Brian’s… not only for the site that he maintains but for the person that he is and has proven to be.

Till next time… enjoy and all be well…

Have you checked the T-shirts? "Throw the Dog a Bone!"… T-shirts… Mouse pads… Photography… we have been getting great feedbacks.

We are always under deep appreciation toward the readers that have send in a contribution helping this website’s expenditures. For those who have not, continue enjoying the site, pictures, recipes, and if you feel it’s worth $1 a month, the contribution button is above, snail mail is below…

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

Ara & Spirit

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 4th, 2008 at 9:59 pm 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.