While driving I’m always looking, looking for that next image to capture. Of course, driving on freeways is one of the most frustrating experiences as most the time you’ll see something that, by the time you find an exit and return to the spot, if that’s even possible, the light has changed, the sky has changed, something has changed to remove the magic you saw driving by. That’s why I love to get off the freeway and try out the side roads and get lost a little. And sometimes, I love going right to a predetermined place to see what’s there.

 

Just past Joseph City, AZ, spotted these huge smokestacks off I-40. Exited and spent a little while driving around trying to find a good viewpoint to capture the stacks.

 

Another interesting spot off I-40 near the border with New Mexico, found this abandoned tourist stop, just across the highway from the Yellow horse and Teepee Trading Posts. Reminded me of some of the old pictures off route 66.

 

Arizona’s Petrified Forest and Painted Desert are two national parks right next to each other off I-40 about 20 miles or so from Holbrook, AZ. A dedicated landscape photographer could spend weeks, months exploring and waiting for just the right light and sky. I had about three hours – in the middle of the day – with no clouds in the sky. Oh well, the land creates its own textures. Images are of Petrified Forest only.

Every time I’ve been in this park I always see crows.

 

But once in awhile you need to help nature a little – take a little sky from New Mexico and plop it down in Arizona, and voila – Storm over Petrified Forest!

 

Stopped over in Santa Fe to explore a little. Was really interested in finding the spot that Ansell Adams took “Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico” (story at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonrise,_Hernandez,_New_Mexico), which is located about 30 miles north of town. Of course, even in a small rural community, a lot can change in 74 years. Ansell’s view doesn’t exist anymore, but I was fortunate to have ‘interesting’ skies and did get some images of the surrounding area, although not of the caliber of ‘moonrise’. I can live with that.

 

So, more to come. Love to hear what you have to say about our travels.