Ashes to Ashes

Yesterday, we lost everything that we own, except our bicycles, trailers, phones, and the clothes we were wearing, in a fire. We want everyone to know that Kayla will be posting the Daily OOMPH! for us until we can replace our equipment. We will not have the Tarot class on Monday, October 22, but will plan to resume class next week, on October 29.

Our friends in Quartzsite, AZ, Eric and Diane, had invited us to stay in the immaculate fifth wheel trailer behind their house. We had moved everything into the trailer, and were sitting on the front porch visiting. We noticed the neighbors gathering across the street, but couldn't see what the fuss was about. Eventually, one of them came over and said, "Did you know that you have a fire in your back yard?" The trailer was up in flames, which were even more spectacular before this photo was taken.

One of the neighbors worked for the fire department, and came over in street clothes and dismantled and removed the propane tanks. As Cougina says, he is a true hero. The fire truck arrived in 6 minutes, and they had the fire extinguished 6 minutes later. We are in awe of, and indebted to the Quartzsite firemen and firewomen. (When the protective clothing came off, one of the sweaty beings who had walked up to our fire was female.)

We've found a few gemstones in the rubble, but the ones that are still in one piece are cracked. We found some wire, which can hopefully be sold for recycling. Soft packages of tuna, and one titanium cook pot, have survived. We will be replacing everything else: tent, sleeping bag, panniers, laptop, video cameras, etc.

We are so happy that everyone is safe, and the house on the property was spared.

THINK GREEN
BLESSED BE
COUGINA and AGGIE

Spirit Trees

A Spirit Tree

Over a year ago, we posted about the death and rebirth process here at An Old Man's Journey: What Happens When We Die. We have writtten about one rebirth option, for souls who have completed their paths, in the following post on the Covina Hermiticia blog: Spirit Trees

THINK GREEN
BLESSSED BE
COUGINA and AGGIE

Across Houston to Cypress: Riding in the Rain

We finally got some cycling in. Our friend and student, Nancy, had invited us to stay out in the pasture at her place in Cypress. (Of course, the house and conveniences were all available as well.) So we got Sabrina to give us a ride about halfway, and started riding on the White Oak Bayou trail from around the northwest corner of Loop 610.

It was great to be back on the bikes. It was raining lightly when Sabrina dropped us off, and continued to rain off and on all day. However,we thought it beat riding in the Houston hot sun by a long shot. The White Oak Bayou was beautiful, and we wished we could take it all the way to the end. If you have spent any time on the bayous in Houston, you know that the city seems far away, even though you know that it is nearby, and that there is an open view of those beautiful local cloud patterns.

After the Bayou, we got onto some busy streets. The height of excitement was when we missed the turn on the Google bike route and went over the 249 overpass at Beltway 8. Oops! We ended up on a major freeway. It was an adventure crossing the entrance ramps to get to the next exit, but we made it safely.

The next adventure was when the thunderstorm kicked in. We were on a two lane road with no shoulder, and school had just let out. We pulled the bikes off on the driveway of an empty lot, put on our raingear, and waited it out. I actually enjoyed being in the midst of the storm and the thunder.

After that, it was pretty uneventful. At one point, someone made a right turn into Cougina that forced him to stop for the vehicle. Other than that, the drivers were friendly and courteous. If you live in Houston, you know how stressed drivers are on rainy work days.

The sleeping barn.

We rode on into Nancy's pasture and relaxed. That's the old horse barn, and the red arrow points to the open space where we pitched the tent: Open on both ends to catch the breeze, but protected from the rain, so that no rainfly was necessary. The barn even had electric lighting if we wanted it. We have been loving it!

THINK GREEN
BLESSED BE
AGGIE and COUGINA

Across Texas to Deer Park

Illiki

We were both really hoping to ride across Texas. The problem was that the Google map showed 70 mi stretches between water and legal overnights, paid or unpaid. With the trailers, in the heat, this was too far for us. We had a friend interested in following us in her car, which would have allowed us to drop the trailers and ride as far as we could each day, but it didn't work out. Therefore, we rented a cute and peppy little Chrysler 200, bought a bike rack, and drove to Houston overnight.

It didn't help when we were informed on the last morning that the motel room we rented for a week at the Belmont motel in Roswell was really only for 6 nights! Fortunately, Avis was able to give us the car a day early with no problems. The Avis manager is an extremely courteous and helpful young man.

We drove straight to Deer Park to stay with Sabrina and Illiki Machek. That's the beautiful and talented young Illiki in the photo. (Too bad we didn't snap the photo when she was decked out on Saturday evening. We got the tired-after-school-and-athletic-practice look, and we like it just as well.) Unfortunately, we didn't get photos of their beautiful home, which has been completely updated and was such a pleasure to stay in. Sabrina made us completely comfortable, and Illiki is a hug master. Sabrina has known Cougina for decades, so there were great stories being told.

THINK GREEN
BLESSED BE
AGGIE and COUGINA

Covina Hermiticia Blog is Now Public

The time has come to offer Covina Hermiticia to all who are interested. If you are interested in the Hermetic approach to spirituality, check it out here: Covina Hermiticia.

THINK GREEN
BLESSED BE
COUGINA and AGGIE

Touristing at the UFO Museum in Roswell

Recognize the humans?

Our mission in Roswell (besides bathing and recuperating) is to locate extra-terrestrial beings. So, it is natural that our first stop was the UFO Museum and Research Center. I have to tell you that, if you were to go through the place, what skepticism you have about the incident in 1947 would probably be reduced.

Testimony of Sat. night bar patron.

Besides the original newspaper articles on display, there are walls full of  signed affidavits from a half dozen or so witnesses and also children and spouses of witnesses. If you click on the photo at left, it will blow up large enough to read the text.

Nurse's story.

The story that is documented is that the rancher who first saw the crash site, while checking up on his animals, took the stuff to the law enforcement office in town. Military personnel came in and threatened him and others to stick to the weather balloon story on threat of death and/or revocation of their business licenses. There are similar stories about the couple who were in Roswell to dance on a Saturday night, the local undertaker, the nurse (left) and physician who were called in to observe the bodies, the owner of the local radio station, etc.

Metallic foil from crash site.

ET Cowboy.

One kind of material that was described by witnesses was a metallic foil that could be crushed into a ball in your hand, like aluminum foil, but sprung back to its original flat shape when released. There is no photograph of the beings, but there is a signed affidavit describing them from an alleged observer. That's an artist's rendering at right, of an ET that has assimilated into the local culture.

Definitely worth a visit if you come this way, and only $5 per adult.

THINK GREEN
BLESSED BE
AGGIE and COUGINA

Through Lincoln to Roswell: Long and Hot!

Lincoln Schoolhouse, courtesy of activerain.com

Lincoln Torreon fort.

We did have a good start on this day, with a long downhill, and even the wind was with us, for only the second time on the journey. We cruised through the beautiful historic city of Lincoln, fantasizing about having a retreat center in this quaint, secluded, gem of a town. Aggie fell in love with the Lincoln Schoolhouse, but couldn't snap or locate a photo to do it justice. It had been remodeled as a wealthy person's retreat, but the character was still there.

Lincoln church.

Eventually, we reached Hondo and the terrain shifted uphill and the wind into our faces.  We encountered the last real monster hill, several miles at a 6-7% grade in the full heat of the sun. Feeling our bodies heating up, we just kept at it until we encountered an open gate. It was for power line maintenance at the Chavez county line. Not too pretty, but it worked just fine.

Room with a view ;)

The next day, we had an easy 18 mi ride into Roswell, mostly all a gentle downhill. We were smelling the barn as the horses do, giving it the last little bit and knowing we could soon shower and collapse on a mattress. 396 miles on the bikes!

THINK GREEN
BLESSED BE
AGGIE and COUGINA