On the way back to Utah…

Monday, April 23rd, 2007

                                                                                                                                                                 

Funny things happen when one lives apart from it all, most of the time, and suddenly drops it all behind, grabs the tent and sleeping bag and heads out for a get together… it is kind of like jumping in another world, where we all have the passion of two wheels in common… but myself, as I cannot speak for others, enjoying the new friends and faces behind the names I have read too often, and at the same time… missing what I left behind!

I I don’t have much on the road… minimalist I would call myself, some might agree and some might not, depending on the comfort level one would define “minimal”, but I do call myself on those terms. And these few days, it was even less. The weather I know did not help… suddenly I did not see the fun sleeping in freezing temps… I did not see the fun packing up this morning a wet tent and whatever else that was soaked… But I did see the fun in meeting till now unknown members of the riding community… I guess as everything else in life, there is always two sides to the coin! I think what has bothered me the most is being teased but my surroundings and knowing that I would not have the time to explore any of it all in the fashion that I normally do… I am on the way back to Utah to gather up the rest of my stuff, “stuff” that in itself will then allow me to stay as long as I want to in any given area… as it has been in the recent past. So what am I saying?…

I think what I am trying to express is that next time… nothing will be left behind to allow me the freedom to stay where I desire…

Because… I would have stayed near by… Kernville is a great little town! In a short couple days I met many people at the local Cafe/Internet establishment… a couple from the local Newspaper (?) even came by to take pictures… of Spirit of course. A man and his kids together offered me tools and food… wanted to make sure that we were okay! And a bit north of it starts the Giant Sequoia Natl Monument… Sequoia National Park… Kings Canyon Natl Park… of course due east a few miles, which we crossed again, is Death Valley Natl Park… it is like so much to digest… as a great 12 course dinner… but do not taste!

So I think I will be leaving the rest of Utah for the next years to come as I also have to be in California May 12th or sooner for another get together… this time faces I have never met! I am far from complaining… just have been thrown off from riding this trip too fast with much too little time… looking beyond my vision but with no time to see… only to observe how my recent past life handled what I did not these past days.

The storm that lingered over us all night was still keeping us wet and I decided that now with time on my hands, I will ride smarter and avoid any confrontation with it. I also remembered how strongly the head wind was slamming on us on the way west… that wind had not changed, coming from the south west, it was a welcome friend today as I am heading north east! Nothing like a tail wind, relaxing the rig and the body, the fuel gauge barely moving in comparison of such a bad fuel mileage on the way over. The rig by the way is doing great and slowly I am gaining back my confidence… specially right hand turns, but it will not be at 100% till more mods are done very soon…

We started riding south, I will make up a map of all this by the way when we get back…

And then east… By the time we started heading east, the storm was ahead of us and we kept it that way… all the way! Well… we are only in Beatty now, Nevada… regrouping (love that word!) And mainly deciding which route we will take tomorrow after picking up the rest of my stuff… We will try to be south of Bishop… thinking it will be centralized enough for day rides to all above destinations… And maybe save a bit on fuel, nearing $4.00 a gallon in California!

Spirit has been doing much better and it seems that the medication is working, getting him back on track. He was a little taken back from the crowd… made himself some new friends… funny as, when such said new friends came around when I was not present… he would protect the tent and bark at them… As soon as I showed up, he would then wag his tail and ask for a scratch on the back. Just doing my job he said…

Another couple days and plenty of time to get into some new areas… I have been here before… it was over 20 years ago. Will see how much of it I will remember…

Till next time… in transit… be well.

Ara & Spirit

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3 Responses to “On the way back to Utah…”

  1. Kristina Hall Says:

    Once again, great writings and photos and musings on life and traveling and having “stuff!” How do we go about making a little donation? Scratches behind the ear to Spirti!

    Kristina

  2. Ben Devine Says:

    Ara: I have been following your travels for about 3 months now – you are doing what many of us would like to do. Although this is my 1st post, I had hoped to meet you & Spirit in Kernville. I currently live in Long Beach, but used to live “over the hill” from Kernville – up the Kern River to C-190 down into Springville (in the foothills of the Sierras).

    Where will you be in May in California? I have shared your site w/ many of my friends – your pictures are great and the experiences you share regarding your sidecar issues are also helpful. I’m a long time motorcyclist (30+ years), but just recently acquired a sidecar rig – I had a 2003 Yamaha FJR mated w/ an RDS Neptune from France – rig is very fast and comfortable, but I wouldn’t take it off-road…however, my plans are to have my 2004 BMW R1150GS converted w/ sidecar in the near future, as I would like to be able to negotiate some of the mountain & desert unpaved roads…take care & hope to meet the two of you some day soon. Ben

  3. Don Van Zandt Says:

    Yeah, well worth it to me! How?

    (Loved that last picture…beautiful! )

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