RonHardestyPhotos

The Adventures of Ron and His Trusty Sidkick Buddy…

I started this project of driving the “Route 66″ and taking images as we go. That started on 11/08/06 and today is the 26th. Crossed atleast 2 time zones, replaced 3 automotive batteries, 2 flat tires etc. Its been a little work BUT, the things we’ve seen has made it all worthwhile. I have a bunch of images I’ll be putting up when we get to the end of the trip.

But, it has made do a lot of thinking about back then (which then?) and now. Which now? Wheen I was near Portland, OR. or the more current now of Kernersville, NC.

Tonight we are about 300+ miles east Kingsman, AZ. Which is the time I start going in to looking at RV parks.

Anyway, More of that later. I just thought I’d plant a seed in your thoughts!
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The Red Dirt of New Mexico

This is an image of Dead Man’s Curve found on old Route 66. As the sign suggests, the curve is about 270° and when your hauling a travel trailer around it you wonder if your going to see the license plate ;-}

Very pretty saturated color. That’s saying a lot from a guy taht used to be a techie ;-}

This “project” that Buddy and I are on is to start in North Carolina and finish somewhere around Phoenix, AZ…

And I thought that I would try and get some pictures of “Route 66″ on the way out from North Carolina. I researched before I planned. I talked to people, I went to the bookstore and I researched using the internet. And after all, I did drive I40 that parallels “Route 66″ last year.

WOW! It’s a lot different than what I researched and planned back in North Carolina. It’s taken a lot longer to drive (than what I researched and planned), there’s more images to take (than what I researched and planned), there’s more interest in “Route 66″ (than what I researched and planned). So, do you get the theme of this blog entry?

Well, something happened that I DIDN’T research and plan. I lived in the Northwest for a longtime. There are nice people there. Through the media there, your told over and over again that the Northwest is an exceptional place to live.

Let me say, it is an exceptional place to live, you have had to accept as the norm, the poisonous social environment there to live there. Everyday they’re are murders, rapes and physical and mental violence there. Everything is backwards. Those that charge others with racism, are the real racists and are trying to use the system to their advantage.

It is an exception to live there. Not the norm. The people in North Carolina and on Route 66 are the norm. What a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Doing this “Route 66″ photo project has been somewhat a hoot! Being able to go to museums. Its a stroll down memory lane sometimes. However, this isn’t one of those.

Buddy and I have been on this trip now since the 8th of November. We have our good days and our not so good days. On the not so good days we are grateful for those that are good. Sometimes the good days are just a few hours long…

We’ve been in Elk City, OK for a few days now. At the ELK CREEK RV PARK. Just a great place to stay. EZ in and EZ out. That’s important. EZ to setup. EZ tto take down. Drive through spaces, full hookup and cable for your tv. And an available community room with tv. VERY reasonable rates.

We would rather not travel when the winds are up over 20 mph or so. The last few days its been higher than that. The four corners of the U.S. mainland has had bad weather. We’ve had incredible weather. Warmer than 70° today.

I met the owner of the RV park. He invited me to go on a ride with him today. As a second job he audits some gas wells in the area.

I had a great time! We went all over the area here. A great loop. Some great landscapes, Bison and rock formations to take images of! They’ll appear on the website here.

I can remember when hamburgers were 5 for $1.00, can you?

So much of Route 66 is 2 lane. Created for cars of a century ago. I doubt much thought was given to trucking and hauling things. I doubt that ANY thought was given to towing a travel trailer.

When driving along Route 66 (how I did that is fodder for another blog entry) and I see a visual attraction that I want to snap an image of, it takes a minimum of an 1/8 of a mile and usually a 1/4 of a mile to stop in a place that’s safe for me and the vehicles behind me. Since the roads were never thought of for vehcles as wide as they are today, shoulders on the side of the road were never thought of for these vehicles either.

I’m not wanting to bore you completely with ALL the “why’s” and “how come’s” of this but, being an amater photographer, most of my photography experience is in auto racing (my first love). My second love, looking through the view finder that is, is nature.

When first working in Portland, OR. I was waking up every morning and on the way to work, I would see the 2 major mountains that were there: Mount Hood and Mount St. Helens. Seeing those Mountains would give me a jolt for the day like coffee does for some people.

So, what place seems to have the most National Parks? Phoenix, AZ.

Looking at the photography magazines where are alot of the photography and Photoshop classes? Phoenix, AZ.

So, what can I do as a photography project on the way to Phoenix? Route 66!

Since my body doesn’t work the way it use to, I can try and maybe take an image or two and try and sell them online and through stock photography websites. We’ll see what happens!

Taking pictures of this building and seeing what was housed inside was an emotional experience.

It brought back memories

Well this signifies the start of images from Route 66. I’m in Mt. Olive, Missouri or is it IL? Anyway, the things I see run all the emotions. From the terrible eyesore of downtown St. Louis to the wonderful little town of Cuba. More later!

Sometimes the prettiest things you leave are at home…

This image is of Pilot Mountain, NC. Near where the TV show “Andy Griffith” was produced from.