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
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
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
April 9th. 2005
Turtle Bayou Texas
Just ran across Ric Seaberg’s site
Great Rock and Roll check it out
click on link below
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
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 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 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 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 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
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
