May 5, 2005 evening
Fallen Nevada
Pull over to make a photograph and discovered the front window in the airstream was shattered and the rain was beginning to fall. Twenty minutes latter and a lot of gaffers’ tape and plastic and we were on our way. But to where. No towns in any direction for 60 miles and who knows who might have tempered glass, Reno? Headed that way and as we drove trough Fallen we passed Fast Glass then an RV Park so that was the town.
Stuck in Fallen waiting for the Glass Company to open up…..
Drive through Coffe Hawthorne Nevada
Flower Bomb Hawthorne Nevada
Henery Crow Dog Currant Nevada
Cloud Nevada
Road Nevada
Nightfall in Nevada
May 8, 2005
Lake Isabella, California
Whirlwind tour the last few days through many states. Heat, cold sun snow ice you name it we experienced in through Utah, Arizona and California. Mainly in pursuit of the bus. Saw a few but nothing that works. I begin to believe we are meant to continue to make the airstream the home/office each time we stop to work disaster happens. I know I could be so much more productive if we had a bit more space. But for now it’s time to stop chasing busses and get some images made before we head off to Poland. Having said that we do have one more to look at in Riverside California in the next few days.
Headed out to The Pinnacles at Trona California. Damn digital photography! Had seen a photograph of them and really wanted to go work there. We arrived in late afternoon and was I ever disappointed. They are quite impressive really, tens of thousands of years old Tuffas but not nearly as impressive as the photograph made me believe- additionally they had retouched out the parking and added what looked like roads up into them. One of the things that increased their size. I found the exact spot the photograph was made and they sure changed reality. Worked for a few hours and made a few images then it was time to move on.
The campground turned out to be 7 miles from the lake so our fantasy of Henry getting a swim and sitting by the lake went up in dust. Some days you bite the bear and some days the bear bites you. Ouch. Did see some Joshua Trees on the way though.
Pinnacles 1
Pinnacles 2
Detail Joshua Tree
DMK shooting Joshua Tree
Airstream and Joshua Tree
California Clouds
May 6,2005
Gooddale Creek Camp
Aberdeen, California
Arrived a bit before dark. Felt like the dudes in the covered wagons pulling up to the foot of the mountains and saying whoa, how we gonna get over this one? So camped beside a small trout creek and took stock of the situation.
Got the broken window fix this morning in Fallon, Nevada and headed south down Route 6 . Made a few good images of old building and pulled through some great old towns.
Made a stop at Janie’s Ranch just before the California boarder. Sign on the post said “Closed…Beat It.” We pulled in to 7 old deserted trailers hook up side to side to make one big building. It was quite a romantic setting out in the middle of nowhere just under the shadow of Boundary Peak. The highest point in Nevada. Well inside were rows of smallish bedrooms and one large reception room. Janie was ranching the oldest trade so we beat it and split.
Camp at Gooddale Creek
Barns at Mina, Nevada
Boundary Peak (we think) Nevada
California Sky
Hay dude and dudet it’s time to stop
Homemade RV 1
Homemade RV 2
Grandma’s Recipe
Red Hill California
May 5,2005
Ely Nevada
Arrived in Ely late afternoon yesterday to a snow sun sky. Felt too warm to snow but the sky is telling a story of snow and the peaks are still white with memories of winter. Anyway it’s been a bit of traveling.. Heard about a Flx bus in Fruita, Colorado and the pictures look good so… off we speed from Needles California to Colorado. But the bus just didn’t have the magic so headed west again Found different roads and ended up in Ely, Nevada as night fell. Now back to making photographs. Ran the film from California last night and made some good images. That is what the trip is supposed to be after all.
This morning is cold and windy and feels like snow. Can barely see the mountaintops as the snow cover blends into the sky. Not sure of direction yet. Do want to get back to The Pinnacles in Trana, California but Michael says going North on Highway 50 is great and has some hot springs. Will see which way the wind blows.
Heather shooting the road
Road Utah
Airstream Utah
Night Utah
Nevada Road
Nevada Road
Nevada Road
Road Nevada
Road Nevada
May 2, 2005
Needles Marina Park
Needles, California
Gotta be careful what you wish for! It’s hot here 9am and 90 degrees! Quite a change from the high mountains of New Mexico. Flat arid desert then mountains of rock and pinnacles jutting up into the ski. Makes for some awesome photographs.
Arrived here after about an hour drive from Kingman. What a difference, the people are so friendly and it’s a great space. We are parked a stones throw from the Colorado River and Henry has been swimming numerous times already. Yesterday, leaving Kingman, we heard about Oatman, Arizona an old mining town up in the mountains above Kingman. As we rambled down the interstate along came the exit so we jumped off and started to climb. After about 6 miles the sign showed up “no vehicles over 40 feet”. Well, the airstream and truck gross out at over 50 feet so being the law abiding citizens that we are my new “Homeland Security, Fighting Terrorism since 1492, T shirt not withstanding we turned around and with tail between our legs headed back down the interstate. As we drove by the mountains they looked too good to pass up so we found the RV park in Needles, unhitched, swam and headed back towards Oatman. Well the town has all the charm of any Tee shirts, trinkets and assorted junk quality tourist town you’d find anywhere although the wild burros are kinda cool. But be warned they are federal property so sitting on one or putting someone on one or feeding the babies or god forbid hitting one with your car is a federal offence! But the landscape is spectacular. Found an amazing graveyard on the mountainside overlooking the town then started to explore the back roads that wind through the mountains. Made some great images and truly enjoyed the heat. As the sun set and we headed back to the river the smell of sage and wildflowers was intense.
overlook outside oatman
Grave yard outside Oatman
detail graveyard
Heading to Arizona
Arizona Sky
DMK at River
Heather at overlook
Arizona Cliff
Heather DMK at Graveyard
DMK outside Oatman
Arizona Plant
Shadow on Road
Henery Crow Dog the Road Dog
sign in Needles California diner
Crevice at diner
Mr. Henery Crow Dog
Sign at edge of Town
April 29, 2005
Fenton Lake,Rio Cebolla, New Mexico
After two great days here it’s time to get back to the business of making photographs, finding buses and moving down the road.
Arrived mid day the 27th the campground was deserted and we got right to the business of fishing the Rio Cebolla, which flows out of Fenton Lake. The river has a good population of German Browns and as you’ll see from the pictures Heather is the true fisherperson among this crew although Henry di prove to be the best dang fishing dog a man could ever hope for! I did get a few strikes but the score remains Heather 2- DMK 0. She caught enough for dinner and it was truly delicious sitting up in the northern New Mexico night eating browns’.
Rio Cebolla
Camp at Rio Cebolla
Henery and Heather fishing with airstream
Heather and Henry Camp Fenton Lake Rio Cebolla
Henery and DMK
Heather and Henry with first fish
First Fish
Second fish
DMK and Henry still trying as night decends
End of the day on the Rio Cebolla
April 26,2005
Santa Fe Skies
Santa Fe, New Mexico
After what seems like weeks we are ready to leave Santa Fe, again. Behind the scenes this week I had the privilege to work with Orion Studios, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, doing some more digital printing. Thomas A. Parks, owner/general director and Susan Young, manager, where great to work with.
No website but they can be reached at 505.820.0987 or thomas@orionstudios.biz Personally I don’t think a website would do justice to their work!
Have found the large 4×5 foot prints to be fundamentally beautiful and hope to produce many more from this series. After working small and delicate for the past year producing the 4×5 inch palladiums it’s exhilarating to see them as 4×5 foot images. I was a bit worried that they would not hold up so large but they are impressive and I look forward to doing many more. The images seem to cry to be large. The size brings out the strength in the People and the details within the Landscapes.
Susan, DMK and Thomas
April 25,2005
Santa Fe Skies Camp
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Amazing few days. Behind a backdrop of getting some more digital prints made- more about that later- Mike and Lorene came in from Florida so we got to be tourists in Santa Fe.
Prior to their arrival we had another electrical problem and out came Action RV to our rescue. A great mobile RV service composed of Randy and Vanessa. They are based in Santa Fe and if you ever need RV fixen I recommend them highly, their phone numbers are: 505.660.9582 or 505.699.7825. Seems I am besieged with mechanical problems as of late. Perhaps Grandfather is telling me I should get a bus?
So Mike and Lorene came and we spent a great day driving up to Las Vegas (New Mexico) then on the back roads through Mora County – truly Northern New Mexico at it’s finest. Stopped at the Montezuma Hot Springs, located northwest of the town of Las Vegas on the grounds of the United World College. Three clusters of concrete soaking pools of various sizes and temperatures. Bathing suits required. Then a visit to the La Cueva Historic District and the Salman Ranch raspberry farm and old mill. Dinner at Rancho de Chimayo- food was great as usual. To learn more about them go to: www.ranchodechimayo.com/ After a great weekend Mike and Lorene went back to Florida and we continued our quest.
Henry at Santa Fe Skies RV Park
DMK shooting Action RV
Mike has fallen in love with Santa Fe and as a true artist can now be found selling his photographs out of the back of his car in downtown.
Heather getting ready to enjoy the hot springs
Mike shooting the Mill as DMK looks on
Mora County Landscape
Mora County Church
April 17, 2004
Becky’s Camp
Corrales New Mexico
Arrived a few days ago at Becky’s house in time to sweat and help get ready for Hanblecya, a very special Lakota Vision Quest Ceremony. Due to commitments in Santa Fe we were not able to help nearly as much as we would of liked but we did lend as much of a hand as we could. Was good to see Becky and Uncle Phil and sweat! Being in the lodge truly helps to re-center oneself and remember your own personal power. To withstand the heat, the darkness, the small space and ones own personal demons reminds us that we have tremendous power and that we have all we need to get through our daily lives.
After arriving in Corrales we discovered that even though David Hylton did a magical job on the one suspension support the other one, as a matter of fact the entire suspension system was shot. We discovered McBride Inc. at 1010 Second Street, Albuquerque, NM 87102, phone: 505.242.2174 and they saved the day. Theirs is an old family owned shop that is one of the few welding and spring makers that still temper their own steel. Warren Wild, the owner and Shannon Easton took a look at the springs and suspension system and gave me the heads up that it need a major overhaul. But they could take it in tomorrow and have it done in one day. So at 9am the next morning the Airstream went into the shop with 25-year-old springs and suspension gear and at 4pm she came out with all brand new gear and re-sprung springs. They had to fabricate the parts as replacement parts don’t exist for the old girl but the 25 year old springs were still in good shape so they just re-bent them. She always pulled straight and true but now there is a new bounce in her step and things don’t move around quite so much as we go down the road.
We’ve been blessed to find caring strangers that have made the road much softer for us and we are forever in their debt. Without out all these folks the photographs and the trip itself would not be possible. Needless to say I made a portrait of the McBride crew.
Henry waiting to Sweat
Chief Phill Crazy Bull, Heather, Buffalos, and Beckey
The McBride Crew and DMK after their portrait, Shannon Easton, David Reid, DMK, Warren Wild and Steve Billy
April 14, 2005 – 10:31 PM
April 14, 2005
Portales, New Mexico
As always VR’s Church was inspirational. The folks there are so friendly and warm and it’s good fellowship. Had time for lunch with VR and Jean and then it was back to Houston and North West to Heather. Returned up 87 and enjoyed the route immensely. Drove through Comfort, Texas and caught sight of an old Spartan Mansion Trailer flying the Confederate Colors. (trailer below is not the Spartan) The front yard (really a field) was full of Rooster houses with the Roosters tethered on short leads by each house. Had to stop. As I walked over to the gate Benny Barron of B.B. Mules came out of another trailer to greet me.
Turns out his Grandson and friends live in the Spartan. Benny and I had a fine time sitting on a Rooster house and talking about the weather, how things had been and how things were now in the Hill County of Texas. Benny’s been living there about 40 years and runs a mule and rooster business. If you need fighting cocks or any mule skinning down in the area he’s the man to call. Takes his Mules up to Colorado for the hunting season as well. You can reach him at B.B. Mules 830-995-2033. US HWY 7 Comfort, Texas 78013. After photographing the trailer I was able to do a portrait of Benny and the back on the road.. Quite a good morning. Stopped in Mason again and look at some real estate, one house and one warehouse. Both interesting places and priced right. Could be a good place to come back to when it’s time to settle down but that seems a long time coming.
Pulled through Muleshoe Texas about midnight. It’s always disappointed me when I travel through Muleshoe. With a name like Muleshoe you come to expect something but it’s really just a typical small West Texas town. Somehow the name conjures up the 1800’s and I expect to see more of the old west then there is there.
But this trip I discovered the grain elevators just south of town. It was midnight and they were lit by huge tungsten lamps. Quite beautiful so Henry and I stopped long exposures and lots of fright trains but I think it is going to be a good image. Then on through Muleshoe and into New Mexico.
VR after Church
Benny Barron and DMK Comfort, Texas
