On the road again...

Well, I'm finally on the road again!

It's taken a few months to perfect the veggie conversions, but I have to admit, Shane at Rover Hybrids did a fantastic job. Everyone I've shown the vehicles to thus far has been impressed with the quality of work and the attention to detail.

I drove the motor home from Redding to San Diego, via Interstate 5, towing the Land Rover. I periodically switched back and forth between diesel and used veggie oil and was pleasantly surprised by the power, acceleration, and fuel economy. Comparable to diesel without the greenhouse gases. It's an amazing transformation... and a work of art. Free fuel! Life is grand!

I'll post up some photos of the completed project shortly. Imagine... fueling up on used oil that restaurants are throwing away. Who'da thunk it?

Latest publication -- RV Life Magazine

RV LIFE Magazine

I haven't been doing much photography while I'm here in Redding, but I have been working on my articles. I'm not sure when it will come out, but RV Life Magazine will be publishing my first article soon. In the meantime, the editor, Mike Ward, has written an article about my Vanishing America project:

http://www.rvlife-digital.com/rvlife/200712/?u1=texterity

By clicking on the image above, or on this link, you can see the online version of their magazine, which can be viewed like a PDF file, complete with page navigation. The article begins on page 6, and continues at the bottom of page 7. There is also a collection of my images on page 14.

Yeah, I know... Me, Me, Me. But, I'm excited, dammit!

Responsibility of Ownership...

(Click on any image to view it full size.)

Back to Redding...

It was a whirlwind tour through Oregon, so many beautiful things to see and so many perfect examples of Vanishing America. I will definitely be back before this journey is complete.

There are a few things worthy of mention from my drive back to Redding.

1. The wild mustangs will have to wait a week or so until I get the Land Rover prepped and ready to tackle the off-road trails necessary to reach these elusive creatures. (This may take a little while -- the Rover isn't finished yet...)

2. There were so many abandoned and deserted buildings along the way, that I could have spent months documenting them all. And, they're not just in Oregon. I've seen them in California, Texas, New Mexico, Nevada, and Georgia, and I'm sure they can be found all over the country. I hope that as I photograph them, I can get a glimpse into their histories and their heydays. Gas stations, hotels, barns, and even churches top the list of buildings that stand alone as progress passes them by. I look forward to being able to tell their stories.

3. The most obvious example of the changing American landscape was to be found in the numerous lakes and streams that, for lack of proper rains and improper water management, have dried up or are in the last throes of life as a source of water. I know this is happening all over the country (even my hometown of Atlanta may be out of water soon), but it seems to stand out all the more when the parched landscape left behind glows white with the cracked salt of the western lakebed.

---

As I sit pondering the past three weeks, I find myself confident in my ability to capture interesting images, but unsure of how I feel about this changing country of ours.

People have often asked me if I’m an environmentalist. I’m not sure how to answer that. I love Nature. I love to see the massive forests, the wide-open plains, the tree-lined and snow-capped mountains, the swamps and wetlands, the sweeping deserts, and the diversity of the seashore. I love seeing such a vast array of wildlife in their natural habitats, from the tiniest shrew burrowing into the warm earth, and the herds of elk grazing the highlands, to the largest grizzly catching its lunch in a run of spawning salmon. And, I adore the idea of this land as it was two hundred years ago, teeming with uncountable forms of life.

But, that bountiful landscape is only a memory. When humans began to significantly populate this country, Nature was forced to take a back seat while we shaped the land into something more suitable to the way we wished to live. And, it will always be that way. As a very dear friend of mine noted, "Human beings have to come first. Otherwise, we'll become extinct." That may be an oversimplification, but I believe the intent is correct. We put ourselves at the top of the food chain in order to survive. But being at the top of the food chain comes with responsibility.

For, as long as we’re kings of this mountain, as long as we're in charge, we’re changing the face of our nation to meet our needs -- for good or bad, right or wrong. We continue to grow, and we have to continue to accommodate that growth.

In my travels to big cities and small towns, I've talked with people from all walks of life, and have gotten opinions as varied as the species on this earth. But, regardless of who a person was, or where they lived, one common thread ran through the pattern: Management. More specifically, management of the natural environment. In essence, we can continue to grow as a nation, without destroying the planet or restricting our personal freedoms, by managing this land we call our own.

It's very difficult to do, but there has to be balance in order for both man and nature to thrive. And, since we’re the ones taking over, we must be the ones to take that responsibility. We must be the ones to manage the forests so they don’t go up in uncontrollable wildfires. We must be the ones to manage the herds and their range so they don’t overpopulate and destroy their lands and themselves. We must be the caretakers. Not zookeepers, but caretakers.

Long ago, we decided we wanted this country as our own. Well, now we must take responsibility of ownership.


And, as I continue on my journey, I'm constantly exposed to new ideas and perspectives, and listening to other people's opinions, and keeping an open mind, are two of the greatest advantages to making Vanishing America a successful project.

RAIN!

Finally!

Since I left San Diego in May to travel through California, I haven't seen a single drop of rain. Not one. Now, I know it's rained in California since I left... I just haven't seen it.

But today, it's raining. And, it's been raining all day. I love it. The ground needs it. It helps even out those 100-degree temperatures. It's wonderful.

So, I'm spending the day in the RV working on images, listening to the beautiful sounds of rain falling on my roof.

Redding's Sundial Bridge

A marvel of modern architecture... right up my alley!

Tuesday night, just before midnight, when they turn of all the lights, I went out to photograph Redding's most prominent landmark. The Sundial Bridge, designed by international architect Santiago Calatrava, crosses the Sacramento River just outside downtown Redding, and has become one of the most recognizable (and most photographed) features in the area. Calatrava (www.Calatrava.com) is known around the world for his sensual, organic shapes and creative support methods, changing the face of many cities with his memorable pieces, including the Athens Olympic Sports Complex and the Lyon Airport Station in France.

As some of you may know, Architectural Photography is the one commercial avenue of photography that really intrigues me. Weddings don't do it. Traditional portraits don't do it. Sports don't do it. For whatever reason, I have a deeply rooted connection with compelling architecture. I studied Architecture for a year at Georgia Tech, and was intrigued by the ancient architecture of the Olde World that we studied in Art classes at UGA, but my interests in the field go back much farther than that, although I can't quite pinpoint the actual moment of epiphany.

Where it came from, I don't know. But, what I do know is that it inspires me to this day. And I seem to have a natural talent for it. I was even doing regular pieces for San Diego Magazine, and Trump Resorts, and had my work published in three separate international coffee table books before I left San Diego to embark on this journey.

What really got me into architectural photography was the discovery of my Una Nuova Vita series of San Diego's North Park Theatre by architect Wallace Cunningham. He asked me to shoot one of his creations for San Diego Magazine, and, with a little tutoring and some loaner equipment from my good friend and photographer Pablo Mason, I got a cover shot and a 10 page spread. Everything else snowballed from there.

Since then, I've shot in Mexico, Palm Springs, San Diego, and Atlanta, and, during this trip, I'll have the opportunity to shoot all over the rest of the country. And, with the right exposure, in the next several years, I will be able to make it over to Dubai to shoot some of the most incredible modern architecture in the world. (Do a Google image search for "Dubai" and you'll see what I mean.)

Like the phenomenal designs in Dubai, the Sundial Bridge is one of those unique examples of architecture that inspire me. And I'd be remiss if, during my delay here in Redding, I didn't go out and shoot it at least once. Now that I think about it, I may just go back and shoot it again!

Biofuel, biofuel, biofuel!

Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel...

I haven't found any Biodiesel yet, but this is getting close. Today, I found ULSD (Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel) at a local Redding TA Travel Center. ULSD is the government's latest response to reducing emissions from diesel fuels. As opposed to conventional diesel sulfur content (which can be as high as 500 parts per million), ULSD is limited to 15 parts per million -- a significant reduction. And, it's relatively affordable. Prices hover around the same price as traditional diesel (which can vary from around $2.85 to $3.99 per gallon). I've been running my generator on ULSD for much of the afternoon while I work on my images and try to keep the RV cool while sitting in the hot parking lot at the Rover Hybrids shop, and have noticed a significantly reduced exhaust fumes. So far, so good!


And, ULSD is just one option. There are numerous others, including Biodiesel, Vegetable oil, Ethanol (for gasoline engines), algae... the list goes on. To help keep things straight, I've provided a "bio fuel chart" from the Sierra Club's latest online newsletter.


Click on the chart to enlarge itChart Courtesy of Sierra Club

My first appearance on TV!

Hi Mom, I'm on TV!

Redding's ABC affiliate, KRCR, came by yesterday to do an interview with me about my Vanishing America Project. It actually went well. I felt good in front of the camera, said what I wanted to say, explained the project well, maintained a neutral ground in the political battle over the environment, and was pleased with the whole process.

Unfortunately, my first time in the spotlight wasn't to be...

The Redding News ran my story at 6:30 and 11, but had technical difficulties, so both pieces were cut short... but, I had fun with it, and I'll use the experience to help me improve my technique for the next time.

And, I have to admit, I look good on camera! Who'da thought? ;-)

Catch-up time at Rover Hybrids...

Not much went on yesterday. I caught up on some work, researched information about where to track the Wild Mustang herds, and interviewed Shane (the owner at Rover Hybrids, where we're doing the veggie conversion). It was a busy, but uneventful day.

Today, Shane and I will take some measurements of my RV storage compartments so we can have some custom fuel tanks made, and then he's going to teach me to weld! (We should probably have the local fire department on hand for this one...)

Tomorrow, I head up to Weed (population 3300) with a friend to do some exploring.

And, Monday, I have my very first interview scheduled with Redding's local ABC news affiliate, KRCR!

Redding, California... Veggie Conversion Time!

Well, I finally made it to Redding!

It was a fairly uneventful drive -- a little traffic in Reno -- but other than that, it was gorgeous. The majority of the drive took place in Lassen National Forest on Hwy 44. Hundreds of acres of trees, streams, and fields -- picture postcard landscapes everywhere you looked.


After coming out of the forest, and winding my way down some quaint country roads, I pulled in to the Rover Hybrids lot in Redding to meet with owner Shane Ballensky just in time for lunch. And after a huge burrito from Burrito Bandito down the road, Shane and I went back to the shop and, well, talked shop.

He showed me everything he's been working on for my project... from the vehicle all the way down to the individual components that filter the used vegetable oil that I'll be using as fuel. We're actually converting not only the RV to run on veggie oil, but we're converting a 1994 Land Rover Defender 90 series as well. And, since you can only run veggie oil through a properly converted diesel engine, Shane has replaced the stock Land Rover V8 gas engine with a Cummins diesel engine. Not a small task, but definitely a necessary one.

Now, all of this actually does have a purpose: I'll be towing the Defender behind the RV so I can have access to all those wonderful places that the RV can't get to. And, I can't very well protect the environment in a gas guzzling V8 now, can I?

While Shane is working on the conversions, I'll be trekking through Northern California, Oregon, and possibly Washington to get some images and video footage for the project. (Washington, and in particular, Walla Walla, is where my friend, Lisa Curtis goes to school. Lisa has been working on a fantastic presentation about how climate change affects California's Mono Lake. You'll be able to see her PowerPoint slideshow on the Vanishing America website once it goes live.)

And, of course, I'll keep you all posted on my progress... stay tuned!

Next stop: RENO

From Lone Pine, CA to Reno, NV...

Today, I head farther north up the 395 to Reno -- the next stop on my way to Redding.

Yes, I know there are quicker ways to get to Redding, but that's not the point of this trip. The idea is to "stop and smell the roses", not zoom by them so fast that all you get is a pink blur. Since I'm due in Redding on Wednesday, I don't have time to stop and shoot this time around, but at least I get to see it, and then, when I come back through here in a month or two, I can take the time necessary to make some beautiful images.

I'll be pulling out in about 2 hours. I've had a productive and restful stay at Boulder Creek, and look forward to seeing some interesting landscapes as I pass by Yosemite, Mammoth, and Mono Lake. It should be about a 6 hour drive, but I'm sure that time will fly by!