Letting Go!
May 13, 2021
It was a day with no assignment work. In fact, it had been a week since I photographed the sheep shearing, and it would be six more days until I photographed the second one. Most of my days, in-between, had been spent running errands - such as dropping off film for procession, and of course domestic errands. But you must understand that “running errands” is not a casual as one might think. To drop film off at the lab, run to the grocery store, and make a stop at Sam’s Club, is a full-day event, and logs in about 450 mile - roundtrip.
But on Monday, May 10th, I decided to take a day just to make pictures, and to explore! I pulled out of the driveway at 6:00 a.m on the dot. And 12 hours, 24 minutes, and 47 seconds later - after having logged 405.2 miles of backroads, off-roads, and interstate highway, I pulled back into the driveway that I had pulled out of that morning.
My first stop - approximately 36 miles into the drive, was along Highway 191. I had been wanting to make a photograph of this sign for nearly a year. The problem has been in the timing. I had a window of about 20 minutes to access the ideal light.
For me, this sign was the quintessential statement for the Dine’, with regard to fighting COVID.
Just another couple of miles along 191 I pulled onto my first dirt road. It is known as the ‘road to Nazlini’. There I was treated to the most magnificent vista - enhanced by the perfect timing of the sunrise.
My next stop, which had nothing to do with photography, but rather it had everything to do with tradition; it was a drive through stop at the Burger King, for a breakfast sandwich, tater tots, and a coffee.
My next photographic stop was not for another 90 miles, or so. Again, it was a photograph that I had been wanting to make for several months. This time I timed it [again] for the perfect light. It was a roadside tourist attraction, and gift shop, that touted its Petrified Wood - which was only a natural thing to do since Petrified National Park is only 10 miles, or so, to the east. Much to my surprise, the place was out of business, however, the photo op was still available!
Not far from the, now defunct, Petrified Wood Souvenir Shop was another abandoned establishment: the Painted Desert Motel. It’s demise, as I would think was also the demise of the souvenir shop, was the creation of the I-40, which replaced much of the Historic Route 66.
What intrigued me, as I walked around the abandoned motel property, was the remnants of what had once been there: pieces of children’s toys, mattresses, furniture, a few suitcases, and a variety of other left-behind objects.
From there I continued west, on the I-40, to a place that I had photographed on my first-ever trip out this way - some four years ago. It was the “Meteor City” road side attraction - also now just a ruin. Since the light was good I decided to spend some time making photographs. There is something about these places that intrigues me. And they also fill me with a sense of adventure, exploration, and even [I suppose] a bit of voyeurism, in a sense.
Just another six miles, or so, back on I-40, I exited the interstate - turned left, and drove for another six miles to the Meteor Crater attraction. I just admit that it was amazing. On one hand, it is just a big hole in the ground. But when you realize that it was made by a meteor impacting it, 50,000 years ago, it becomes much more intriguing. It is also where the Apollo Astronauts trained for their missions to the moon.
At this point of the journey I turned back to the east, stopping in Winslow. This time it was not to photograph “the Corner”, which has become a very famous tourist spot because of the song, “Takin’ It Easy”, by The Eagles. Instead, I stopped for a bite to eat, at a cafe/restaurant that I had discovered four years ago while out there on assignment. A “New Mexico Dog” is what was the special for the day: a fantastic hot dog, with Green Chili’s, and Cream Cheese! Yes… I did take a bite before photographing it.. I was hungry!
After a leisurely lunch I left Winslow and, rather than returning to the interstate, I decided to drive northeast, on Highway 87 - but not before making a quick stop to photograph the Trading Post, which sits at the junction.
About 26 miles, along Highway 87, I turned right onto Dilkon Road. This road passes through the back side of the extinct volcanos, and rugged landscape. The views are beyond breathtaking. This is a road that I have travelled many times, but never at the optimal time for photographing. On this day I made sure that I timed it as perfectly as I could.
The wind, by now, was gusting regularly, and near-constantly, at about 30 - 40 mph. In no time at all my mouth, my nose, and my eyes were caked with the fine dirt that becomes airborne, and ferociously penetrating when carried by these winds. I stopped in several locations to make photographs; and this is where I really made use of my various film cameras - including the 4x5 view camera.
That was the last location that I photographed that day. Clouds began moving in, even as I was photographing there. But it was ok. By this time I had been photographing, on and off, for about 10 hours!
It was indeed a day filled with magic! The kind of magic that can only come from letting go…
Tomorrow I do an errand run again - back to Flagstaff, to drop film off at the lab, and retrieve the film that I had processed. This Sunday I will photograph the second sheep shearing - at Helen Grayeyes’. As much as I am looking forward to photographing the shearing, I look forward, even more, to see Helen, and her sister, Alice, again…
Until next time….
_David
Map of my route…