January 20, 2005 – 11:35 AM
January 20, 2005
Peace River Camp
Arcadia Fl
With Key West and the Everglades behind us we pulled in and out of Naples. So much cement and so many cars. Signs saying “no animals” on the beach, huge mansions and cute old cottages hidden between the ever growing cultural on slot of Naples and Key West and so many small towns everywhere…….
We did stay in a great old Mobil Home Park outside Naples the last two nights The Greystone RV Park on Hwy 41. The park was primarily for stationary travel trailers from the mid 1960’s. Most of them had fences around their wheels and one or two small building attached to them. Very pristine old trailers well kept and in good repair. Was like walking back into the early sixties. Then there were a few spaces for travelers like us to camp for a night or two.
So there was some magic left in Naples. I’d spent the morning photographing some of the old trailers and wanted to do some trippy- dippy images of them connected to some images of the mansions in Naples so off we went on a walking tour. No way we were going to drive the airstream through upper class Naples stopping to make photographs along the way. After what seemed like miles of walking we started back to where we’d parked and from over my shoulder I heard what seems to be a familiar voice shouting some unrecognizable words and who should appear but Richard (the artist who didn’t use one of my many photographs of him, or ask me to shoot a new one, for his first book cover, may he rot in painters hell) Segalman. Surprise he was in Naples for a party and we just happened to occupy the same space as he. Met his friends Paul and Eileen, seems we were walking right by their home and he came out just then. Had a nice visit Paul and Eileen and then Paul drove us back to our parking place and off we went .
Left the big road and got onto HWY 17, hit farm country, or what is left of it after the last hurricane. Good to see small towns, people moving a bit slower and no “No Animals Allowed” signs. Ran through fields and swamps all afternoon and arrived after dark at The Peace River Camp in Arcadia Fl. www.Peace River Campground.com Looking forward to seeing the Peace River in the daylight.
Miccosukee indian and alligator show in the Everglades
More of the show
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Paul,Eilene,Richard and Heather Naples
Henry with an additude…
January 25, 2005 – 2:41 PM
January 25, 2005
Peace River Campground
Arcadia, Florida
Been quite a few days here in Cattle country. Didn’t know that cattle is Florida’s largest export. Not beef but cattle, seems they birth them here and then ship out the young calves to places like Wyoming and Colorado to fatten then up and killem. So that beef on your plate was most likely born in Florida.
Spent some time on the Blue Head Ranch with the cowboys and Mr. Wayne Collier, the Ranch Manager and quite a cowboy himself. It’s a big spread something like 72,000 acres. Photographed Mr. Collier along with some of his top ranch hands. Was quite amazing being out on prairies that look akin to New Mexico or Colorado but with Palm trees among the scrub oaks. The first morning we met at sunup and photographed as they turned one herd out into the Rye pasture. As we were working with the cowboys Mr. Henry Darrell Grace, one of the guys who keeps all the machines worken on the ranch drove up and I got to make his photograph as well..
Also photographed Mr. George P. Pratt who when he isn’t working out on the range as a cowboy runs Equine Transportation out of Altamont NY and Arcadia Florida.
If you need your horses moved I recommend him highly. A very enjoyable human being.
One might ask how we met these cowboys. My friend Victor Milt the famous TV commercial director from the old New York City days found out I was up in Arcadia, which happens to be the town his wife Kim Milt grew up in, so he called me and told me about all the great people here. Then he got excited and called me back saying he was going to drive up to visit, so we had some time together as well. Seems he has been working on a documentary about the cowboy life up in these parts. My good friend Michael Kravit’s has been working with Victor on the project shooting stills so I had already seem some great images of the folks and was truly excited to be able to spend time here.
During our time here Victor also introduced us to Mr. Fletcher Brown a true country lawyer and gentleman as well as Ms Alice Williams a sweetheart of a women!
Made wonderful photographs of both of them.
Peace River Camp early morning
Sunrise Fire
Early morning at the barn
Sunrise at the barn
Mr. Victor Milt and Mr. Fletcher Brown
Mr. George Pratt
Mr. Victor Milt and Ms. Alice Williams
Mr. Victor MIlt shooting a top om truck
Mr. Victor Milt removing hisself from my truck
January 25, 2005 – 5:19 PM
January 25, 2005
Arcadia, Florida
Howdy all- we have decided that for the second year out we need a bigger rig and so we are looking for an old Flxbus, GM etc about a 30-35 foot bus with the conversation done. If you know of any or anyone who would be interested in buying the Airstream or Truck please let me know. We have run out of space and as much as we hate to part with the Airstream we need to enlarge the work area.
January 27, 2005 – 3:02 PM
January 27, 2005
Jacksonville, Florida
Left Arcadia this morning and are still amazed by the folks we met there and how much of the Hurricane damage is still apparent. As we were heading north we ran into Sandy’s Big Tree Produce at 906 S. 6th. Avenue, Wauchula, Fl 863-767-0868. Great fruits, vegetables and swamp cabbage (or heart of palm). Also did a portrait of the guys staying next to us at Peace River. The three of them are down from Ohio working here to help the folks recover from the last hurricane.
Sandy and Ron Bryant from Sandy’s Big Tree Troduce
Brian, Carlos and Rob Peace River Camp Hurricane Workers
Hurricane Damage 1
Hurrican Damage 2
Hurricane Damage 3
January 28, 2005 – 3:21 PM
January 28, 2005
Ochlocknee River
Sopchoppy Florida
After leaving Arcadia we started to make a beeline towards Austin Pennsylvania to look at and hopefully buy what we hope will be out new bus. A little history…. Since we’ve decided to make the trip at least another year we have to get larger quarters to live and work. After a bit of research we fell in love with the old flex buses from the 1950’s and low and behold we found what looks like the perfect one. The rock group Raging Slab now owns it. Great music and you can learn all about them at:
www.ragingslab.com
The bus was built by Bud Hoover. Bud and his wife Judy lived in it for 17 years! If you look through the Internet you’ll find Bud all over as a very knowledgeable Flx bus person. Even built and ran a very fine Flx bus site, which is still up but no longer run by Bud:
http://www.flxible.net
Bud and Judy now run The Lookout up in Northern Pennsylvania. Check out their site at:
www.thelookout.biz
Needless to say we are super excited and can’t wait till the snow thaws out and we can go see her.
Anyway to make a long story short after seeing photos and lots of phone calls we headed north but by the time we hit Georgia, the weather had worsened in Northern Pa and it was decided we should put off the trip north until about mid-March to see/buy our new home. Seems the bus is under a bit of snow and lots more is expected with temperatures in the –3 degree range. Greg, from the band assured us that a small deposit would hold the bus until we arrived so we headed back down south… And here we are in Sopchoppy Florida and Heather wants to go to the Sopchoppy Opery after our anniversary dinner tonight, two years today! Aho
But back to the road. Last night we spent in The Okefenokee Swamp at the Stephen C. Foster State Park. Very cool good camps and they rent motorboats and canoes to go out in the Lakes (swamps) lots of turtles and alligators and rather inexpensive. Met up with Steve Donohue of Adirondack Guideboat Inc. They make some very cool wooden and glass boats. Look more like canoes but with oars that work like a rowboats’. Not too technical but you get the idea. Steve is from New Mexico but now lives in Vermont and builds boats during the summer and travels the highways seeking warmer weather and good fishing and boating during the cold months. He cooked us a great southwestern dinner. You can learn all about the boats at:
www.adirondack-guide-boat.com
This afternoon, just south of Tallassee we had hoped to stop and visit Missionary Mary Proctor. Joan and Jerry, from Houston, turned us on to her and her art. She is a very fine Folk Artist and runs the American Folk Art Museum and Gallery at 3919 The Woodville Highway. It runs south out of Tallassee. As we got close we gave her a call only to find out she was having an opening at The Smithsonian and she won’t be back until early February but by then we need to be heading toward Omaha. Oh well, perhaps the first trip in the Bus will be back down south to work with her I truly look forward to meeting her after seeing her art in Huston and her amazing space her in Florida. There are many sites that show her work on the internet, I recommend you look her up. The best site I’ve found on her is:
www.whohadada.com/maryproctor/maryproctor.html
Also met Randy J. Orton at the camp last night. Randy is on a pilgrimage to Caristas of Birmingham Alabama. Had a good time sitting around his camp getting to know him and made a great portrait of him.
The Bus….
The American Folk Art Museum and Gallery
The American Folk Art Museum and Gallery 2
Watch Dog The American Folk Art Museum and Gallery
steve and dmk at okefenokee swamp
3 cypress okefenokee swamp
3 trees okefenokee
trees okefenokee swamp
Aligator
Driving the boat Okefenokee Swamp
Heather on the boat
okefenokee swamp 1
trees okefenokee swamp
Randy J. Orton at the Ochlockenee River
Henry and Dmk at the Ochlockonee River
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????
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
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 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 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!
