September 3, 2005 Bemidji KOA Bemidji Minnesota

September 3, 2005 – 9:56 AM

September 3, 2005
Bemidji KOA
Bemidji Minnesota

So glad we were able to stay up here. It’s been great going out each day and exploring the dirt roads and back country around Bemidji. Upper Red Lake was amazing- huge lake more like an ocean.
Feel so much like fall the colors are changing the air is getting cool and crisp

Had a grand time here at the KOA Mary and all the staff are great. Also made a good new friend in Bob Riddle. Hope to run into him in Quartzite Arizona this winter. Met Tad and Deanna McBlacne who are here for the summer as work campers. They just started full timing this year and have an interesting web site:
www.rvhappenings.com
They will be at Quartzite as well this winter.

This KOA is run like no other I’ve been to, pancake breakfasts, steak dinners and even raffle drawings! Additionally the wireless internet, that works flawless is free. The whole feeling here is one of family and friendship. The Bemidji KOA is up for sale so I’m not too sure how long Mary will own it but Mary also has a KOA in Terre Haute and after getting to know Mary I’m sure it just as magnificent a place. It’s Mary and Keith Davidson
Terre Haute KOA
5995 East Sony Drive
Terre Haute Indiana
Be sure to stop by and say hello when your in the area!


The KOA Crew cooking us a steak diner lets’ see that from left, Jane Unash, Virginia Youngdahal, Denanna McBlane, Mary Davidson, Gunar Youngdahl, Tab McBlane and Bob Unash


Bob wins a prize at the steak dinner raffle


That’s Mary raffleing off an origional oil painting


a hand panted mail box by Mary goes up for raffle.


another night at the chile cookout they did, that’s Bob dishing up a bowl for Heather


Tad and Bob at Bob’s camp


First fall color


And second fall color


Heather DMK and Henry at Upper Red Lake


Henry at Upper Red Lake

By dmk | Posted in On the Road March 2004 to October 2006 70,000 mile 2 year road trip across America living in and working out of a 1960 Airstream Travel Trailer | Comments (0)

August 31, 2005 Bemidji KOA Bemidji Minnesota

August 31, 2005 – 8:10 PM

August 31,2005
Bemidji KOA
Bemidji, MI

Spent the last few days exploring the Headwaters of the Mississippi River and the adjacent neighborhood. Truly good to drop the airstream at the camp and head out on day trips. Opens up so many little dirt roads. It’s good to be at a campground where you feel safe to leave your rig.
The Mississippi ain’t such a big river up in these parts. I walked across it, up at the Headwaters at Lake Itasca, Henry swam across it numerous times and Heather took pictures of us doing it.
The back roads lead you to such varied landscape, from the largest Peat Bog in the united states and what look like swamps to me, to wooded pastures with great rock piles and weathered birch trees. Small streams are everywhere and many wonder through these pastures. Then into dense forests, that I just can’t figure out how to photograph, and back around another lake. Lakes are everywhere! From small ponds to a huge sea in Upper Red Lake.
Great part of the country but I still want to know where the lobsters are? After all there are sea gulls in most of the fields and it sure feels like Maine.


dmk shoots the Mississippi River at Lake Itasca


Lake Itasca


Bridge over the Mississippi just below Lake Itasca


dmk henry and heather at the start of the Mississippi River


upper Mississippi River


more of the upper Mississippi


Henry in the upper Mississippi


Henry in the upper Mississippi 2


Henry swam ALOT in the upper Mississippi River!

By dmk | Posted in On the Road March 2004 to October 2006 70,000 mile 2 year road trip across America living in and working out of a 1960 Airstream Travel Trailer | Comments (0)

August 31, 2005 MORE PHOTOS

August 31, 2005 – 9:17 AM


Black Hawk River


Campbell Lake


dmk shoots Campbell Lake


another view Campbell Lake


old church northern Mi


Road around Lake Itasca

By Desert Elements | Posted in On the Road March 2004 to October 2006 70,000 mile 2 year road trip across America living in and working out of a 1960 Airstream Travel Trailer | Comments (0)

August 30, 2005 Bemidji KOA Bemidji Minnesota

August 30, 2005 – 11:12 AM

August 30, 2005
Bemidji KOA
Bemidji Minnesota


my new best camping buddy and photographic consultant Bob Riddle

By dmk | Posted in On the Road March 2004 to October 2006 70,000 mile 2 year road trip across America living in and working out of a 1960 Airstream Travel Trailer | Comments (0)

August 29, 2005 Bemidji KOA Bemidji Minnesota

August 29, 2005 – 12:35 AM

August 29, 2005
Bemidji KOA
Bemidji Minnesota

Crazy 24 hours…
After leaving Sal’s we headed north again on HWY 2 and arrived in Bemidji Minnesota in late afternoon. Of course we stopped at the statue of Paul Bunyan and Babe the blue ox. Then off toward the Red Lake Res. The countryside is so great and I was excited about finding a camp site unhooking and getting out on some back road to shoot. Stopped at a few places on the res. but no camp sites so we headed back toward Bemidji and the KOA. More than centrally located enough to head out and explore. BUT after one of our stops we realized my wallet was gone! Knew right where it fell out of the car and rushed back but no wallet. After speaking to motor vehicles and the other ID producing outfits, that seem to have a great control over our lives, it looked like after all the time trying to get up here we were going to have to burn rubber so to speak back to New Mexico to get outfitted with new ID before we could continue the trip. Okay won’t bore you with the details of the last 24 hours but we ended up driving back to the res and posting reward signs and one right by the side of the road where I lost it. Sure enough tonight Lisa Stayely and Darilyn Cloud called and had found it. So off to Ed’s gas station we rushed to retrieve it. It was my wallet with everything in it. Hooka Hey! Lisa and Darilyn thank you!

So tomorrow thanks to these two lovely ladies I can start work.

Side bar: before we left Grand Rapids I had the opportunity to meet Mike Kenjlo of the Grand Rapids Barber Shop and the Grand Rapids Leather, Boot and Shoe Repair- both at 313 NE 3rd. Street in Grand Rapids
http://geocities.com/shoeboy_4u/
218-326-1569
I called Mike at 11:30 on Saturday to see about having my boot healed, Literally.
He told me he closed at 12 but to come on in and he get em done. Spent an amazing 2 hours with him. First as a barber while he finished up his Saturday regulars and then as my shoe repair man. Let me tell you his shop is old world and he’s proud of his vintage barber chairs as well as the vintage tools in his leather/shoe shop. Never have I seen such care and quality work all done with great conversation. Almost cut my hair today…….


Darilyn Cloud DMK and Lisa Stayely
Aho, Mitakutye Oyasin


Mr. Mike Kenjalo


Mike’s workspace. It’s interesting how different all our workspaces are!


Mike’s shop in Grand Rapids MN


Paul Bunyan and Babe and Heather and Henery and David


you know your in Minnesota when the ice boxes look like this but where are the leaches????

By Desert Elements | Posted in On the Road March 2004 to October 2006 70,000 mile 2 year road trip across America living in and working out of a 1960 Airstream Travel Trailer | Comments (0)

August 27, 2005 Sal’s Camp Warba MI.

August 27, 2005 – 5:49 PM

August 27, 2005
Sal’s Camp
Warba, Minnesota

Back at Sal’s enjoyed (again) the trip up HWY 2 from Duluth and the weather was overcast so I got to photograph two of the old homes along the way. Last time through the sun was out and the lighting poor. One of the advantages of re-traveling the same roads.
Got to Sal’s late in the afternoon and it was like coming home. Had planned on staying a few days and doing some printing, but realized this morning that we have been trying to head Northwest for so long and now is not the time to set up and get any printing done a bit of wanderlust is in our blood after being in the same area for so long. Also this morning the air was so crisp and cold we realize that our time in the North is a bit limited. The leaves are beginning to change and there is a smell of fall in the air. It’s beautiful running through the Fond du Luc Reservation


Along HWY 12


Heather’s View


Another Heather shot


and another


Back at Sal’s

By Desert Elements | Posted in On the Road March 2004 to October 2006 70,000 mile 2 year road trip across America living in and working out of a 1960 Airstream Travel Trailer | Comments (0)

August 25,2005 Pattison Park South of Superior WI

August 25, 2005 – 5:23 PM

August 25,2005
Pattison State Park
South of Superior WI

Arrived at Arne, Mary Anne and their daughter Phoebe’s farm yesterday afternoon. Such a great place! Lots of beautiful land, forest and meadows, with a view of the lake and a trout stream nearby. Both Arne and Mary Anne are working artists. Arne is a painter, sculpture and maker of fine art rugs while Mary Anne is a weaver and rug hooker. This description really is inadequate though, as their art is reflected through out their lives and you see it everywhere from the cement castings that are placed around the property to the details within their home. Arne is also working on five Spartan Travel Trailers from the 50’s and will someday have them all full restored and parked around the property.

Would of liked to of stayed on longer but Mary Anne is working on a major show and Phoebe heads back to school in a few days. Additionally they have a foreign exchange student on her way over from France so their plates are quite full. You should check out their websites:

http://www.maryannewise.com
http://www.arnenyen.com/

Do look forward to being back in the area someday soon Western Wisconsin have definitely become one of our more favorite places. So after a great lunch and a beer run to town we headed out again going west and found we where headed back toward HWY 2 and Sal’s camp.


Arne, Phoebe, Mary Anne and Cookie


Mary Anne’s Studio


Mary Anne at Work in Her Studio


Arne makes our photograph


One of the Spartans and Arne’s Studio


Arne and the Fleet behind his Studio


The Bird Bath


Cement Work


Henry gets a new ball


The three of Us by Arne


Mississippi River Lock #6


Swimming in the Mississippi River

By Desert Elements | Posted in On the Road March 2004 to October 2006 70,000 mile 2 year road trip across America living in and working out of a 1960 Airstream Travel Trailer | Comments (0)

August 23, 2005 Merrick State Park HWY 35 east of the Mississippi River WI.

August 22, 2005 – 4:32 PM

August 23, 2005
Merrick State Park
HWY 35
East side of the Mississippi River WI

Left Sal’s and headed down river toward Don Moritz’s farm just east of Wisconsin Dells. Back in Wisconsin again we arrived at Dons’ late Saturday evening. Don is an old friend, collector and student from my Santa Fe Workshop days. Don has a very good web site at http://www.moritzgallery.com/ Recommend you check it out.

His farm is quite beautiful. Situated in the rolling hill country of Wisconsin it is surrounded by small dairy farms, the Wisconsin river runs close by and we had quite a time riding his motorized mules around the 140 plus acres. Went out site seeing and spent an afternoon in Baraboo, at The Circus World Museum. For many years the town was the home of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus.

After a great visit and a chance to make Don’s portrait we headed out this morning and traveled west along the Wisconsin River then back North along the East Bank of the Mississippi heading toward Stockholm to visit friends of Joan and Jerry my friends who run Dakota Framing in Houston. Still trying to go west….


Lunch at Don’s


DMK and Don


Our Formal Portrait


Boys will be Boys


Off to the Circus


Don


Heather


DMK


Greek Gods


Legs for days


Is that Henry????


and another good day comes to an end.

By Desert Elements | Posted in On the Road March 2004 to October 2006 70,000 mile 2 year road trip across America living in and working out of a 1960 Airstream Travel Trailer | Comments (0)

August 18, 2005 Sal’s Camp Warba Mi

August 18, 2005 – 4:10 PM

August 18, 2005
Sal’s Camp
Warba, Minnesota

Up at 7 am yesterday for a full day of scanning. Took a break around 9 am and fished off the dock for a bit caught- one Northern. Then called it a day around 5 and hit the lake, fished deep for Walleye but no action. Hooked a couple more Northerns- no Walleye to be found. Perhaps the Northerns have taken over this small Minnesota Lake. They sure are an aggressive fish, but not much of a fighter.
Was able to photograph Mr. Clarence Paul Eiynck Sr. of Warba, MN. this afternoon. Clarence is a local boy, grew up here and had a small farm, not far from the camp. A triple by pass, last year, put an end to that and now he helps out around the camp and is “retired”. Had some good stories about serving in the military in North Africa and Vietnam. Another good photograph.

Also photographed Mr. Dwight (Ike) King and his dog Sissy. Ike, as he is known to his friends and fellow campers run’s Sal’s when she is out on the road as a long haul trucker. Sissy and Henry became fast friends and ruled the camp.

Still amazes me how many folks just say sure when asked if I can photograph them. Not many even question why.

Almost have all the images scanned from March through July, hope to be able to finish them before we leave Sal’s. Then I just have the Polish Portfolio to scan and I’m not caught up. Now that we have the redesign done in the airstream I hope it will be easier to scan as we travel and not get as big a back log before we scan again.


Ike at Work


Ike and Sissy


Clarence Paul Eiynck Sr.


Clarence Paul Eiynck Sr.

By Desert Elements | Posted in On the Road March 2004 to October 2006 70,000 mile 2 year road trip across America living in and working out of a 1960 Airstream Travel Trailer | Comments (0)

August 16, 2005 Sal’s Camp Warba MI

August 16, 2005 – 3:52 PM

August 16, 2005
Sal’s Camp
Warba, Minnesota

My birthday today. Spent the day scanning negatives, playing with Henry and fishing with Heather up here in Minnesota. Dinner was a great Polish Meal right out of the Polish cookbook we got while in Poland. So very good. It amazes me the meals Heather cooks in our small kitchen. Quite impressive!

In the am had to go into town for supplies- Grand Rapid is about 12 miles away. It is quite a large town population of 8,000. One would think one could find what one needs there. Wrong. Strange how some towns you can just pull into and find what you need. It seems the town is laid out in some sort of natural way and the flow of the town leads you through it. Grand Rapids is not such a town.

Headed down to the lake around 6pm and fished from the dock. Again we both caught Northerns released them and headed home.

Excellent Birthday and a call from Jesse ended it on a great note.

Tomorrow we go deep after walleye.


Henry Sand Lake


End of a very good day

By Desert Elements | Posted in On the Road March 2004 to October 2006 70,000 mile 2 year road trip across America living in and working out of a 1960 Airstream Travel Trailer | Comments (0)