July 14,2005
Somewhere in America

Overheard in a small rural gas station in Nebraska

Attendant as I pay $50.00 for a half tank of diesel:
Have fun (as he looks out at the airstream and the bike)

Me: can’t have too much fun when ½ a tank of diesel costs 50.00 bucks

On looker: at least beers still cheep

Attendant: yep but we’d really be screwed if Bush owner the breweries

Heading to Omaha to get the printing done then over to Minnesota to look at the bus a bit more then north and west hopefully back into the trip.

Been thinking lately that this all is the trip. I’d like it to be this idyllic slow paced, nothing goes wrong journey through out america with perfect light and perfect subjects around every corner. I’d also like the perfect vehicle that during the day could grow real small and fit between the lines when I want to pull off and photograph. But at night it would grow into this great and magical work/living space with everything in it’s place and ready for me to go to work. I’m beginning to think I won’t find it. But then I’d also like to have the same recognition in America that I got in Poland.

This discontent with the space issue had begun to interfere with the purpose of the trip and it needs to be put back into perspective. Just started re reading Walden to try and regain some insights into that search for simplicity that started this whole journey. After all wanting – needing more space is what started all the problems to begin with.

Real or Imagined disadvantages to the Airstream
1. need more room to print and run film so I do not take over the entire space
2. need grey water holding tank
3. need generator to make electricity when we boondock
4. security would be much greater when I leave the bus in out of the way places.
And at the present time I do not leave the trailer if I do not feel it is totally secure which interferes with image making. It is way too easy to break into or just hook up a pickup to it and drive it away. Ain’t paranoia a powerful thing.
5. Easier to deal with the bus as a one unit deal- you live and drive in the same
vehicle which allows you access and the ability to monitor your living space as you drive down the road. As in “Honey please get me a cup of coffee”. Or “damn, did that bump just knock all the shelves open and is everything starting to fall out?!”.

A flash from Poland
Shirt look familiar? Yep, it’s just like mine. While in Poland Andrzej took a liken to mine so we sent him one and he set us a photo of him wearing it.

Andrzej Roslonski and his new shirt.
aho!

July 4,2005
KOA Kampground
Granger Indiana

Happy independence day!
Drove the most awesome FLX Bus yesterday in Minnesota. Power steering and automatic transmission. Must be getting old cause those two things really impressed me. Spent a wonderful afternoon with Rick and his wife in Jenifer They own the bus and really don’t want to sell her but…. I would of liked to have stayed a day or two and worked out the detail of the bus but I’m running down the road to Connecticut and Mom and Dads so it will have to wait.
After a peaceful day in the Minnesota hills we hit Chicago and the world went to hell. Do not run I-90 through Chicago, just about the time you get a bit use to the traffic and totally rude people the tolls start. Seemed like every two miles another $2.50. Must of cost us close to $25.00 to do about 30 miles of the poorest slowest roads in the country.
Someone asked me about my doing urban landscapes. I don’t think so, fer sure not in Chicago!
Had planned to stop and see Scott and his friends in a small town outside Detroit but due to the bus stop will not be able to do that. Spoke to him this am and his friend Stephan is in a rock-a-billy band and they are on their way to play at the local country fair. Sounds like a great day and a great photo op.
And I opened the computer this morning to the message
“Continuing Failure”
“hit any key to continue”
Happy independence day.

DMK Henry Rick Jenifer and Jesse