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
April 9th. 2005
Turtle Bayou Texas
Just ran across Ric Seaberg’s site
Great Rock and Roll check it out
click on link below
http://www.ricseaberg.com/
Back here again…… Seem to be repeating patterns in my life. Do like it here and will get to go to VR’s Church in the morning so that makes it just right.
Left Heather in Portales after a short visit with Mr. Jack Carr (her granddad). He’s doing better since the stroke but it’s a long road back. Then headed down back roads toward Houston and the BIG PRINTS.
Traveled small roads for the first time coming this way and am still amazed by how beautiful the country here is. Rolling hills and lush greens fly by at 50 mph. Stopped in Mason, Texas a really great small town, then through Fredericksburg a larger town with many galleries, antique stores and a Starbucks! Would like to spend more time in this area perhaps find a place to stay and work for a while, but that’s down the road fer sure!
Arrived in Houston and set up camp in Joan and Jerry’s back yard. Had a great week of printing and meeting folks. Even got to spend some quality time lying in the grass with Henry. Finally it’s warm! Spent most days barefoot and in a tee shirt, it’s a great time of year to be in Houston. Don’t think I’d like July and August though! Sister Reddie, Bed Gordon Nebraska and Baby are now all 40 x 50 inch prints. They are awesome fer sure! It’s truly amazing to see them so large.
On the way down I noticed the running light were off on the trailer so a stop to investigate was in order. Opened the trailer door to acid electrical smoke and a shorted out battery with burn marks on the wood floor where the wires had been. It was a two hour stop to rewire the battery and electrics and then on the way again. Needless to say I carried the fire extinguisher in the truck with me and stopped all too often until we reached Houston. Upon arriving in Houston a safety check found that the main harness that holds the front axle springs in place has busted. That was a bit scary and a bit of a problem. The trailer is from 1960 who will have the parts? After a serious talk with myself- David Hylton came to mind. David is VR’s son and a very good man with metal. He owns a welding and fabrication shop a few miles east of Houston. Sure enough a phone call to him and he was on his way over. Took measurements and fabricated the parts for me. Even put them on! God Love you David Hilton! So now the trailer is rewired and has a brand new harness. Better check out the brakes tonight…… Perhaps the bus will not be so much more maintenance?
Henry and I had a good walk along the bayou before I got set up and did some “small” 4×5 palladium prints this afternoon. A much needed reality check after working all week on the big images. There is something calming about working small. And working in the Palladium Medium as apposed to the computer realm. Painting on the emulsion, the handwork, it all goes into the final image and the interface with the materials as apposed to the computer suits me. But the big prints are quite impressive and give a whole new dimension to the work, which I truly like.
David Hylton hard at work
Santa Fe Skies
More Santa Fe Skies
Downtown Mason Texas
House Mason Texas
House Mason Texas
House Mason Texas
Just outside Mason Texas
March 27, 2005
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Following those small roads through Oklahoma, Texas and finally New Mexico.
It never fails to amaze me how whenever and wherever I cross the New Mexico State line within minutes everything changes, feels and looks different. There is a magic, a spirit here in New Mexico that I have not found anywhere else. Something’s happening here…..
Arrived mid afternoon, yesterday, to snow falling and majestic New Mexico Skies. The snow was one of New Mexico’s quite fluffy ones where the snow just floats down to cover the world. Pinion and Juniper trees become white regal beings against the dark skies and the cottonwoods become white ice trees etched into the night sky. The rv park is just down the road from my old house so the views are all too familiar but never the less the magic is cast, the journey into the night begins. If you’re really lucky you’ll hear more than see the great white owls fly by just above your head. The night snow brings a peace and warmth to this land. It holds down the juniper and pinion smoke and surrounds the villages in timeless incense from the wood fires within the old adobe homes. Had hoped to go out and photograph but the flu bug is still with us and could only lie in bed and watch out the window as the evening unfolded. Sometimes that’s enough.
Trains in Oklahoma
New Mexico Skies
Pullen into Santa Fe
March 25, 2005
Council Grove Lake
North Eastern Kansas
Left Omaha behind a little after noon today. The plan, what plan? That plan, was to be heading back to PA around the end of February. Well, only a few weeks late and going in the wrong direction so I guess I’m about where I should be. Heading toward Santa Fe to deal with tax business and then to Houston to do some new work with Jerry. Printing 3 of the trip images 40×50 inches. Then back towards Pennsylvania and the bus……
The trip seems to be become fragments of time between obligations I have to fulfill. After the Polish Show I hope the focus can again become the traveling as apposed to the destination. It becomes very distracting and dilutes the purpose of the trip. It feels easy though, to slip back into the drivers seat and head down the road. All good two-lane roads traveling through rolling hills and small towns of Nebraska and Kansas.
self portrait in Kansas
Still in Omaha finishing up the Poland Show only a few more days but here are some photographs Mike sent me of our time in Key West and Arizona…..
Alway enjoy traveling with him and his super lady Lorene and seeing how he sees and photographs as we travel together
aho Mike
February 16, 2005 – 6:52 PM
February 16, 2004
Elyse and Greg’s Farm
Austin Pennsylvania
Amazing past 6 days. Left Omaha on the 10th and once again boogied on the interstate arriving on the 12th in Austin PA. It’s a great little town feels a bit like Vermont. Elyse and Greg’s Farm has a great fishing river running through it and acres of fields and forests for Henry to explore. Feels more like visit friends than going to buy a bus, speaking of which…. Have spent the last few days getting to know the bus- seriously getting to know the bus- working out the kinks of it having sat for almost two years. First getting her started, draining fuel tanks and lines and changing oil. Then a new starter was in order. Going over the entire bus with Bud and starting internet searches for a paint shop and numerous other necessary steps to go through before I buy her. Still lots of unanswered questions but I know enough now to know I want to be able to get this bus on the road and that it will be a better live/work space. But it’s not ready to just drive back to Omaha and I still have to finish the work for Poland so it’s back to Omaha we go. Once the show and scans for the book are finished, hopefully in the next two weeks, it’s back to the farm to work out all the kinks and figure this all out……
Perry’s Store and our introduction to Austin
Henry, Heather, Elyse, Greg and me at The Farm
Yep, it looks like a bad starter to me whata da ya think???
Good local brew Thank God!
February 10, 2005 – 12:22 PM
February 10, 2005
Omaha Nebraska
This interstate driving is making me nuts! Arrived in Omaha yesterday, unloaded the airstream and had a good visit with Dan and Joyce then went to see Dan’s show at the Botanical Gardens and are on our way to Pennsylvania today. Dan’s show was great. It’s amazing how quickly he has picked up the digital negative process and the palladium printing process as well. Truly a beautiful show! Aho Dan!
Dan at His Show!
February 8, 2005 – 12:12 PM
February 8, 2005
Santa Fe Skies RV Park
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Back in Santa Fe, again! Just can’t quite seem to stay away from this town. Had a good trip over to Arizona. Discovered a new area around the town of Aguila, Arizona.
Great landscapes and people. Hope to return here when I have more time to explore. Also met Dave and Cleta who own the 1961 Western Flier we went to see. Great bus and a real contender but we still have to see the bus in Pa. Somehow without even seeing it in person it feels right to me. Almost wish the Western Flier had been magical enough to of made me say yes to it then the 4,000-mile trip to see the Flx bus would not be necessary.
Found the Wigwam Village Motel #6 in Holbrook Arizona! There are only two left that are open and this is one of them. Ws driving down I-40 and looked over to the South and saw a mess of tepi’s and had to go investigate. Was super surprised to find it there, along with lots of old vintage cars from the 30’s to the 50’s. Very Cool! The folks who run it are super friendly and you really should stay there. Their website is: www.galerie-kokopelli.com/wigwam/press.html
Right down the street is Kester’s Volkswagen. Another great place, so many VW’s in so many weird configurations.
All in all I’d run down I-40 past Holbrook numerous times and never thought twice. But once you get off the big road and start to explore all these old towns you find a history and uniqueness well worth the time spent. After this Pennsivlania trip, the bus registration (will have to go to New Mexico to do that) and the printing in Omaha I vow not to take another interstate until it’s time to go to Poland!
Wigwam Motel Holbrook AZ
Detail Wigwam Motel
Kester’s Volkswagen
Kester’s Volkswagen
February 5, 2005 – 11:42 AM
February 5, 2005
Becky’s Home
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Been here a few days and Uncle Phil’s surgery went super well and his recovery has been magical. Already he is tired of his “Babysitter” and has told me it’s time for me to continue the great Bus search. So it’s off to Arizona to see a possible bus and then on to Omaha and Pennsylvania.
Serious Chief
Playful Chief
January 31, 2005 – 11:34 AM
January 31, 2005
Rest Stop west of San Antonio Texas
The best laid plans……
Becky called to say Uncle Phil (Chief Crazy Bull) had a mild stroke and was going to have surgery in a few days and wanted me to come be there so we’ve been making a beeline to Albuquerque. Should arrive sometime tomorrow. Had planned on going down to the Big Bend area for a few weeks before going to Omaha but I guess Big Bend will have to wait. Just straight interstate driving for a while. Will head back to Omaha from Albuquerque and get the Poland Show done.
Was able to stop and visit VR and attend his Church on the was through East Texas. Always good to see him and pray with him. Thank you VR! Unfortunately Jean was sick so we only got to say hi to her through the screen door. Sure have made some good friends out there.
VR Hilton at Church
Can someone tell me where to find this????
