Tradition

I have a long standing tradition of having my picture taken with wooden American Indian sculptures, sometimes referred to as "cigar-store Indians".  For some reason, in the Old West, they were always situated outside tobacco stores. This "fetish" of mine started on my honeymoon in the late 60's.  We were in Deadwood, SD and my …

Tortilla Flats

Tortilla Flats is up in the desert hills east of Mesa, AZ.  What's left of an abandoned old mining town is a bar and gift shop. This scene looks like a half-baked set from a spaghetti western.  The rails are held in place by bent over 16d nails, the new ties aren't even ties, not …

Cave Inspector

Somewhere near Sedona, Arizona I spotted this guy on the side of a sheer cliff.  I thought he was a climber, until I saw him dangling from a rope through my telephoto lens.  He was about 100' from the top and God-only-knows how far up from the bottom. His hard hat gave him a look of …

Follow the Leader

This image reminded me of simpler times, when you played all day and into the night, with few worries.  But, this image is a "fabrication", a composite of six different photos merged to create a visual image of distant memories.  The sky was taken 45 years ago in South Dakota.  The dead tree is from …

Urban Cowboy

I met this fellow in  a Mesa, Arizona.  He worked at a place that was part museum, part living history and part tourist trap.  I found this guy in one of the barns; he said he was one of the docents, but I 'spect he was closer to a real gen-U-wine cowboy than he was …

Sun Worship

The last month of oppressive heat and especially the last four days being over 100 degrees reminded my of this chap getting an early start on his sun tan back in February.  But, wait, there's more to this story than just a pretty picture. When I came upon this scene, I was struck by the …

Protected: Mission Accomplished

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

Hoover Dam

After two nights at the Grand Canyon Village, I drove 200 miles west to Hoover Dam.  I've got a zillion more pictures of Grand Canyon, which I'll get to eventually, but I want to keep this photo safari moving. The Hoover Dam, dedicated in 1935, is quite a spectacle itself, but I've been there before …

Hopi Point

When I left Great Sand Dunes NP, I headed west on US 160.  After a brief stop at Four Corners, I proceeded on to the Grand Canyon.  The first night I was there I went to Hopi Point which is one of the premier sites for watching the sun go down.  There must have been …

Fixer Upper

About 900 years ago an agrarian Indian civilization prospered in the high desert area of northern Arizona.  They were cliff dwellers.  It is now a National Monument, located midway between Phoenix and Flagstaff.   Why the civilization died out is unknown -- maybe they ran out of wood for ladders. Thought for the Day:  Why …

Follow the Leader

This is a composite of four different photos: 1) the sky is from Tucson, 2) the mountain on the right is from Sedona, AZ, 3) the kids walking on the fallen logs are from a sculpture in Sedona, and 4) the dead tree is from Ankeny, IA.  I like the concept of this photo, but …

Rattlesnakes Only!

I was in Arizona during the recent GOP Presidential debates, their primary is tomorrow.  This sign was in a sparsely populated area where few people would ever see it.  I thought the sign would be more effective if it was posted at the entrance to the halls of Congress in Washington, DC. Thought for the …