Thoughts, Bits and Pieces from SF, CA.

Friday, May 25th, 2007

Once again we are packed. Saturday morning will see us on the road to Walnut Grove near Sacramento, Base Camp for exploring more of Yosemite, Tioga Pass, Lake Tahoe, Mono Lake and all the other roads that many kind readers have been sending me through their e mails… Nice!

This week has been very different for us… and has able me to look into this path that we have taken through quite a different window… coming to some conclusions, reaffirming some past ones.

We have met some wonderful people… Our hosts Carol and John could not have been nicer and considerate toward our needs and stay… but the surroundings have thrown me off balance, everyday wishing for past scenarios, future ones, has been harder to live within the “now” philosophy that I try to practice, away from the intensity and electricity which fills this space.

It has been as a tight lid slowly taking the air out of my enclosure, as the mind has suddenly been on overload… just wanting to close my eyes and be transported back in time to the rocks… the mountains and the deserts, my recent memories, even knowing well that all is still ahead of us.

Don’t read me wrong, they all have been great moments with friendly neighbors of life making the effort to take a step into our days. Both Spirit and I spend some time last evening with a new friend, Natalie, having dinner in North Beach at a restaurant called “Calzone”. Good food by the way…

Under their awning and heaters, Spirit of course relaxing and people watching, getting attention and a scratch from every customer sitting next to him, we had some very interesting conversations and thoughts. Natalie, as I have, has been a well seasoned traveler in the recent past, and we shared some of its logistics. The one subject that came up, which gave me a lot to think about, was ‘loneliness”… plain and simple. It seems that I deal with it better than she does, but the points made were interesting.

It is wonderful to travel with a companion, as long as of course the path is taken with common chemistry. And the main thought is having someone to communicate with, someone on an intimate level sharing the daily discoveries, feelings and sights. Would it be too harsh to say a “sounding board”, maybe. Sharing is a wonderful aspect of one’s nights and days. And I agreed… realizing that writing as I do fills a bit of that void. It allows me to extend thoughts for the ones that read them… even better… when I read back a comment or e mail send to me about a certain day, a certain picture or situation. I am not going to lie… it does get lonely at time… Spirit fills some of the void… as mentioned, the writing does also… but there is no complain on the choice taken toward this lifestyle, there is never two shiny sides of a coin… a well weathered one anyhow… It was a great time… great company… the memories will linger.

Going back a few days… Alice’s Restaurant was a stop for us on saturday’s ride with the South Bay Riders. Close to one hundred riders, two groups.

A colorful rider with the appropriate helmet…

Of course some great roads, at times with unusual artifacts…

And as we stopped at an intersection, the realization that this was the first time finally, after close to seven months on the road… seeing the Pacific Ocean!!! Coast to Coast… without a world speed record! And to think that there is a 50CC ridden quite often, that is “coast to coast in 50 hours or less…”. Those days are over…

The night before, we had been invited to a monthly gathering at Sue’s house… were much great food was abundant, family style gathering, much fun and laughter and many pictures… These are courtesy of Ich.

It is never too late to have a happy childhood… with, yes, the same Natalie!

Yesterday also included a visit to BMW of San Francisco, definitely an upscale dealer who also sells the cars… and the Minis… Included is a dispenser for Mini Toy Models… Hummmm…

And admiring this Isetta, a BMW little car from the times past with entrance from the front door…

A beautiful mural adorning the Chocolate Factory near by the Dealership…

This would not be a complete “bits and pieces’ if I did not mention the local Ural Dealer, owned by “Ski”… with an incredible complete inventory of tires, complete beautiful rigs of course, spokes… bearings… I did not need the bearings, but yes, a new tire, a couple spokes.

Ski did a complete thorough job on that wheel checking each spoke, checking for cracks… and even… cleaning the wheel! I have to now cover it with dirt… just for it to match the rest of the rig.

Walnut Grove being only about 80 miles from San Francisco will allow us to come back and see more friends we did not have a chance to visit… close to the Sierras… more space… mental and physical…

Till next time… you all be well…

Ara & Spirit

A “DONATION”?… I have been asking if reading this BLOG is worth a dollar a month to you?… in the form of a yearly donation. Some think so and I thank them for helping the increasing posting costs…

For those not using PayPal, here is my snail mail…

Ara Gureghian

853 Vanderbilt Beach Rd #245

Naples Fl 34108

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2 Responses to “Thoughts, Bits and Pieces from SF, CA.”

  1. Brian Jones Says:

    Ara:

    Wonderful photographs as usual but the story of your journey is what’s special for me. Photographs allow us to see what you see but your naration is what allows us to know you. It’s a wonderful journey to be a part of. Thanks for sharing.

    Brian

  2. conchscooter Says:

    A provocative couple of essays on the meaning of loneliness and the need for communication which I hope you will continue and expand on. I spent 20 years in Santa Cruz and still feel guilty that I prefer living in the Keys. Every year I visit my friends and want to apologize that I just couldn’t stand the cold, the damp,the fog, the waves, all so eloquently portrayed in your ponderings. A sense of place is often best expressed bya nomad.

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