We set out for Moab in a 1963 pink Cadillac convertible with a whole galaxy of multi-colored uppers, downers, screamers, laughers... Oops that was a different trip in a time far far away. Lets see, with a brick of Tri-X and a dozen canisters of Fuji Chrome...., no, sorry senior moment, that was from a decade in the past. With Bluberry loaded to the nine's, four photographers, half of them young the other half not so much set out with giga bytes of memory cards and bodies galore, pointing the PT Cruiser south with a course laid in for the Lazy Lizard Hostel, via Idaho's Craters of the Moon. Not finding the inspiration we need from the Craters we pushed into Twin Falls low on gas and tired. After a night of snoring and faux snuggles in a Motel 6, we took off under the radar and landed in Moab in time to unpack and catch a sunset shoot at Deadhorse Point.
This was the official start of our photo adventures in Red Rock country. We shot til the light went away then headed for the Moab Brewery for some fuel and rehydration. Back to the Lizard we set a 4:30 wake up call on Lacey's Iphone, put our ear plugs in, turned on the swamp cooler and caught what was essentially a nap. Promptly at five bells we cruised up to the Windows to catch old Sol rising in the desert sky. Excellent warm light washed over the rocks and arches of the park and we happily tried filling those memory cards with beautiful images from this natural treasure of a National Park. Then we did a little scouting for future shoots by way of the Delicate Arch Overlook. Even though it was only nine-ish the arch was swarming with tourists. One another day we were sandblasted by extremely huge winds. Especially on the hike out to False Kiva. Happy to report all survived and will live to shoot again in spite of some gritty feeling gear.
But we also tried to stimulate the local economy. Many trips to the local market and frequent visits to sample the local cusine left us with a 6500 K feeling about Moab, the National Parks, the State Parks, and the whole Red Rock experience. Its awful tough to top but we gave it a helluva try on the way home.
Deciding to run up through Sun Valley, Bluberry turned north and once again point towards Twin Falls, hooked a right up 93 then made a bee line for Ketchum. Following US 75 we took on the mighty Galena Summit at just a skosh over 8700'. The vistas were so spectacular even at 33° the crew de-planed to shoot some images. Its when we dropped off the summit in to the Salmon River valley that we were treated to more fantastic examples of the creators work. An absolutely stunning landscape of wide green valleys and touch the sky tall mountain ranges surrounded us all the way to Salmon. We were even prepared in case Bigfoot was running amok in the vicinity.
By this time the crew was running on adrenaline and a command decision was made to run it home in one shot. So 2446 miles later, Bluberry pulled into the old digital dark room at 3:00 AM this morning. Bringing a close to another fabulous Red Rock photo adventure. Thanks Lacey, Keith and Blake for a superb road trip.
