Reports From the Road #4: All Gonna Meet Down at the Cadillac Ranch

After spending the night in Amarillo, we began the day with a visit to the iconic Cadillac Ranch just west of town. In case you don’t know, Cadillac Ranch is “sculptor” art installation that consists of ten vintage Cadillac automobiles in a row with their front ends buried in the Texas soil and their tail fins jutted upward into the sky, all at the same angle. The installation is considered interactive, and each colorful car has been painted over many times by visitors and artists. I didn’t actually know where Cadillac Ranch was until I researched hotels for Wednesday night and found that it was only about two miles away. Although we did not get up and out at the crack of dawn, we did check out quickly and set out for it in the bright cloudless morning sun. I stupidly thought that we might be the only people there and that I would have the opportunity to make some photographs of the famous monument with no one else around.

However, as we approached the site, I saw dozens of parked cars along the side of the road. We parked our car and walked through the gate toward the site, and I could see a large number of people gathered around the cars, all actively painting the cars with cans of spray paint. I realized that this probably happens everyday and that, unlike most art, the appearance of Cadillac Ranch is never static. I shot several frames of  Ektachrome E100 color slide film with my Minolta X-700, and while I tried to isolate a single car to show off its bright colors, I also made some shots that included the “artistic” activity that was going on. It was fun, and now I’ve been to Cadillac Ranch.

Next, it was time for a long Thursday drive through west Texas and northeaster New Mexico to reach Colorado and eventually Denver, where our oldest, Megan, and her mate, Devin, live. I loved that the road was all state and US highways until shortly before Colorado. Driving the backroads puts you up close and personal with the landscape and the places where people live, work, and farm. I was amazed at how often the landscaped in Texas, changing from the flattest farmland I have ever seen to rocky hilly prairie to almost desert-like conditions with cactus all around. We stopped once to photograph a church, but we could have stopped again and again if we weren’t on a schedule. I also kept on eye on the car thermometer and watched it climb upward, eventually reaching 102°F in southern Colorado. Suddenly, as we drove north along Interstate 25, the Rocky Mountains came into view. High heat and high peaks!

We finally reached Megan and Devin's warm and comfortable home in the afternoon and spent the rest of the day relaxing in her colorful flower garden. Megan is a very talented landscaper who aspires to have her own landscaping business someday. Because she also is a talented visual artist, she is building a reputation for her creative flower plantings, and this is clearly evidenced by her own beautiful and thriving flower garden. You can feel her love of beauty and nature there, and we had a wonderful evening catching up with lots of laughter and love.

The next day we had a tasty breakfast of breakfast burritos crafted by Devin. Devin works in the restaurant industry and is a master of burrito making; his burritos are rolled perfectly, and they are a joy to eat. Actually, Devin has many talents, but none so pronounced as his musical talents. He is a fine guitarist who also gets around well on bass and drums. As a singer and songwriter, he spends a lot of time crafting his music in his studio, which he has fashioned in the garage. I got to jam with Devin after breakfast, me on drums and Devin on guitar. Fun!

Next, we drove into Clear Creek Canyon and climbed until we reached St. Mary's Glacier. The air was clear, and the Rockies were sharp, present, and beautiful. We walked up to the snow, and I carefully walked out onto the glacier, trying desperately to not fall (unsuccessfully, of course.) I shot a lot of color and black and white film, as I managed to carry both the XE-5 and the X-700 with both a 50mm and a 28mm lens. In a landscape situation like the Colorado Rockies, a wide angle lens is a must. The bright sunny conditions made for a sunny f16 day. Once we had enough of the snow, we set up hammocks and had a great picnic lunch. That with a home-cooked meal back at Megan and Devin's made for a truly great day.

Stay tuned.