Young Chavez

I met eighteen year old Patricia Chavez while she was working at a gas station near San Juan, New Mexico. It was at the end of a long day on the road and this lonely Gas station was where we'd be spending the night, parked in a slipway near the store. Patricia shyly agreed to do an interview when the store closed at 9pm. Please excuse all my "hmmmms" & "ahhhs" that punctuate my questions, I was pretty tired by the time I did this interview. We spoke about her plans for the future, being bucked off a cow and the challenges of being far away from her friend.

- Patricia, San Juan, New Mexico, June 30th 2011.

 - Interview with Patricia Chavez Part 1, San Juan New Mexico, (Please use headphones where possible) June 30th, 2011.

- Interview with Patricia Chavez Part 2, San Juan New Mexico, (Please use headphones where possible) June 30th, 2011.

- Interview with Patricia Chavez Part 3, San Juan New Mexico, (Please use headphones where possible) June 30th, 2011.

- Interview with Patricia Chavez Part 4, San Juan New Mexico, (Please use headphones where possible) June 30th, 2011.

 Recorded with a Marantz PMD661 & Rode NTG-1.

The End.

Hunting Cicadas

I've always loved the sound of Cicada's. Whenever I hear them I think of calm summer days, I always get relaxed and in a good mood. We were about half way between Conchas Lake and Las Vegas, New Mexico when I found a quiet section of road with a good Cicada population and I figured I'd hunt one down and record it up close. For anyone who hasn't heard a Cicada they make this buzzing or hissing sound by vibrating their membranes on their abdomens. Its only the male Cicadas that do this to attract a females after spending a couple years underground developing. There are some species such as the Seventeen Year Cicada that spend.. well.. seventeen years underground, yikes! When they're ready they leave the underground scene and go up and make some noise for the general population above, respect. Anyway this isn't National Geographic.

- Hunting Cicada's in New Mexico, (Please use headphones where possible) June 28th 2011.

Recorded with a Marantz PMD661 & Rode NTG-1. 

The End.

Bud

We stopped at general goods store named "Country Store" to fill our RV's depleted propane tank. As I walked up to door to speak with the Clerk/Owner met a man named "Bud" who happened to be sitting on a Vietnam era Huey Helicopter seat, now make shiftily clamped to the front porch of this middle of nowhereish store near Snowflake, Arizona. He was contently sipping on a cup of coffee watching passersbys. I struck a conversation and it was only a minute or two later that I grabbed my recorder to get the rest of the conversation. I guess it was rush hour Country Store style since within minutes a swarm of people briskly floated in and out the front door including Hunters, Ranchers, Drillers, Bikers and Native Americans. Bud Powel is just another example of a genuine American, big hearted and full of interesting stories, not to mention he had one of the coolest voices I've heard in a long time. Please Enjoy!

- Conversation with Bud Powel at "Country Store", 13 Miles East of Snowflake, Arizona (Please use headphones where possible), 2011.

Recorded with a Marantz PMD661 & Rode NTG-1.

The End.

The Rancher

This is a portrait of George Lipton and his very well behaved Dog (didn't get his name) in the small town of St. Johns, Arizona (population 3,538). We were picking up some food when I saw George's dog just sitting on the back of his pickup truck quietly waiting for his master to return. I took a picture. A second or two later George walked out of the "Family Dollar" store, cowboy hat, boots & knife at his side. I introduced myself, we spoke a short while about life in the small town, the dry weather and his Ranch. I have been pleasantly surprised by the welcoming and open nature of most of the people I have come across during our journey across the States contrary to what I was expecting. The road continues.

- George Lipton and His Dog, St. Johns, Arizona, 9th of July 2011.

The End.

Portraits of Chris

During our trip I tried to take a daily portrait of Chris Saunders. Here are a few of those portraits.

- Bloody Nosed, June 26th New Mexico, 2011.

- June 20th, Texas, 2011.

- June 22nd, Near Whealer, Texas, 2011.

- June 23rd, White Deer, Texas, 2011.

June 29th, New Mexico, 2011.

- June 18th, Oklahoma City, 2011.

The End.