On the Road to 1600

Saturday, August 9, 2008

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, West Sacramento, CA

This one was little tough. A lot of contrast. Either almost full shadow or low direct sun light. Should make an interesting print. Spoke with the home owner for a while, very nice man, retired for about 10 years there. The Polaroid doesn't show it but there's a small American flag on the house as well as 1600 numbers. Since the sun never hit it directly it might just be come out black, but that's okay, a little mystery. The tree in the front yard kept the light from hitting the house until about midday, then the light looked just terrible, so this is what I'm left with. It could work. We'll see.

View from the room

America's Best Value Inn, Evanston, Wyoming

Even more 1600's

Doing a re-search for 1600's and I found five more. Yeah, five. Two are both in Denver, which is okay since I was already planning on stopping in Woodland Park, CO. One in Wichita, KS, not too far off route, one in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, a town I could have easily stopped by on my way west, but wasn't aware of it, and another in Fruitland, Idaho. All of this has me a little rattled in not fully knowing how many addresses I've missed. The two in Denver are Streets, not Avenues, but I think that's close enough, what do you think?

Long story short, there isn't one in Fruitland, Idaho. I found out the hard way, by driving there. So my 1100 mile trip from West Sacramento, CA to Colorado turned into a 1400 mile one via 50 miles north of Boise, ID. Ugh. I ended up driving until about midnight to make up the time, spending the night in Wyoming and making it to Denver. 1400 miles in two days, that's a lot of gas. Here are the pretty pictures.

I wonder what Bliss, Idaho looks like. Potatos of all kinds perhaps.

This is sand in the beaufitul deserts of Nevada.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

View from the room

Rodeway Inn, West Sacramento, CA

1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Richmond, CA

I think this came out nice. I got there pretty early as the light was a little iffy and I wasn't sure if it was going to happen. I setup and there were two cars parked in front, which would have been OK, but I also knew I'd probably have to come back the next day and see if the street was clear. And then like magic, a construction truck pulled up to the house next door and 4 guys piled out and into the cars blocking my house. Beautiful. I then spent the next hour pleading with people not to park in front and everyone was very kind about it. The light never got perfect, but the house faces north, maybe a little northeast so the setting sun just barely hit the front of the house. I think it works though.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Yosemite

Seemed a little silly to have to pay a $20 entry fee just to blast right through the park without even stopping. But, I guess I'll file that receipt away as a toll.

Pretty pictures

Pretty pictures aren't really my thing, but how can you possibly ignore this?

Death Valley

This a place I've always wanted to see and given more time I would have at least stayed overnight. As it is, I took a little detour to see it, making what would have been an 8 drive from New Mexico to San Fran into about an 11 one, but well worth it. It was incredible. 4000 feet, down to sea level, back up to 5000 feet in just a few miles. The landscape was surreal, I don't think the pictures do it justice. Tons more pictures from the rest of the drive, along the Sierra Nevada mountains and through Yosemite. California is beautiful.

Rhyolite, Nevada

Something about a ghost town, that's what it's called on the map, that really peaks my interest. I think ever since I was a kid the mystery of a ghost town has always spoken to me. This place was pretty interesting. Not a whole there, but seeing that sign about rattlesnakes did freak me out and made me watch my step.