Images From The Road

Here are some images I took of the trip down here. Not much to say so far since, well........I am on vacation! Deep thoughts and ramblings about bicycles can wait. Here are the pics so far, I hope you enjoy these.

Once again, I will forewarn you that all these were taken with a cheesy point and shoot while Mrs. Guitar Ted was driving at a high rate of speed. No apologies. These are the ones I like out of the ones I took.

Lonely Grain Elevator

We had driven almost all day in a fine rain, and at about the 11th hour in the car, the sun started breaking through, which lent a surreal look to the landscape of Western Kansas.

The Lonely Tree

As I stated, the Great Plains doesn't feature much in the way of "vertical", so when you see a tree, or a grain elevator, they really stand out. Both are featured in this photo.

Silhouettes

I try to imagine living out here and riding bicycles. I have to admit that I would find myself missing the rolling hills of Iowa, but this vast horizon is really impressive. Soul crushing comes to mind. This image is probably my favorite of day one.

U.P. Railroad Bridge over the Cimmaron River

I've been trying to get a good image of this Union Pacific bridge over the Cimmaron River for years. This past Sunday I got it. I'll not ever take another stab at this. I really was happy with getting the sunlight of the fading day how I did.

Mountain View South of Corona, NM

It was a perfect day Monday for taking images, unlike most of Sunday. I don't think I've ever gotten such a clean, unadulterated view of the mountains here. By the way, these images are straight outta the camera. No processing whatsoever.

Mountain view north of Carrizozo, NM

 The two days of travel couldn't be more polar opposite. Great Plains vastness and flatness on Day One, then the majesty of the mountains and the loneliness of the Southwest on Day Two. Towns are few and far between out here. There are few crossroads. You really get a much more remote feeling out this way, but it is getting more sanitized by the year.

When Mrs. Guitar Ted and I first trekked down HWY 54, it was all two lane. Much like Route 66, only more remote, more unknown, more adventurous. But now even way out here they are putting in more and more 4 lane highway. Not a big deal to some, but it isn't like it was. I'm glad I got to experience it that way first, the more rustic, vegetation right up to the edge of the road, no shoulders way it used to be.

More to come......