Journal—
Musings & Observations
I’ve written for The Atlantic, Huffington Post, Forbes, Warwick and my mom.
You can also see the Magazine view.
Black Hills
This Summer, we headed west toward the land the Lakota refer to as Paha Sapa.
Photo on Leica M11 with 50mm 1.4 Summilux.
This Summer, we headed west towards the Black Hills. It’s about five hours by car. The Lakota refer to the land as, Paha Sapa. It has a pleasant and sacred sound to it. Almost as magical as our trip.
En route from Sioux Falls, we happily manufactured natural excursions, first stopping in Chamberlain, to overlook the majestic and ever-flowing Missouri River and, simultaneously, taking in the unspoken awe of the Liberty statue. Have you seen it? Breathtaking.
The five year old snapped this unforgettable photo.
After trespassing against the horizon of I-90 for a few hours, we visited the now infamous (with an earned infamy), Wall Drug. We’d planned to stop and stretch our legs and experience the cafe and kitsch. Besides, it’s kinda a South Dakota must. Un-reluctantly, we avoided the overly welcoming, “five cent coffee”, while marveling at the ingenuity of offering free ice water for travelers heading west to see the newly formed national parks championed by President Roosevelt.
So much of Wall Drug is forever encapsulated in the time in which it was invented.
Nuclear families in station wagons with discretionary income enjoying road trips, needing an adventurous reprieve from the seemingly exhausting cross-country trek. An empire built around a pharmacy in the middle of nowhere, with advertisements thousands of miles away. 5,327 miles to Wall Drug. Genius and particularly American.
Back in the car, filled to the brim with sinewy buffalo sandwiches, and freshly made, chocolate-glazed donuts, looking out the windows as the rolling plains slowly started to accumulate and morph into more, we were entranced by the inexhaustible scenery.
The Badlands are otherworldly.
The landscape forges its own presence, even from a safe distance. Passing swathes of signs alerting us to, “this is where Dances With Wolves was filmed”, we imagined the frontier and what it must have been like to pioneer a life in these harsh and desolate conditions.
As we neared the end of our day trip, and entered the hills, we arrived in Deadwood, a place all its own. Winding roads, offset by mighty pines, guided our ascent into the old town. Deadwood exudes a sense of Old Hollywood - late nights and early mornings, serious faces and tired smiles, an era in which everything has yet to be fully invented or realized or destroyed.
While in the area, we made time to visit Mount Rushmore, happened upon Pactola Lake, dined in Spearfish, took a few hikes, rested, cooked, and enjoyed the wonders of the season.
We stayed at the Sheep Hill Chalet, which we’d highly recommend. It sits atop a mountain, with silence that traverse the valley below. Pure delight.
Husker Generations
Angela’s family has been attending Nebraska football games for seven decades.
Angela, smiling from ear-to-ear, before a Husker’s game.
For nearly seven decades, Angela’s family has been attending football games at University of Nebraska. Her grandfather, pictured below, hasn’t missed a contest in sixty-three years.
Taking part is a right of passage, a ritual, an honor. As her alma mater, the lore of the gridiron takes on even more shape and glory. It’s a joy to watch as Angela participates in these time-honored traditions, from tailgating to cheering at the top of her lungs, and the excitement of the crowds are irreplaceable. There’s hardly anything better than watching someone you love, do something they love. It’s contagious. Dare I say I may even become a fan myself.
Below are a few photos from recent trips to Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, NE.
San Juan Capistrano
Enthralled by San Juan Capistrano, I captured a few pictures.
A few photos from a trip to San Juan Capistrano, California, in November.
I’ve always been captivated by the history of this small and beautiful town: from the early expansion efforts of the Spanish, to the swallow migrations each year. Walking through the quaint city one stumbles upon the oldest residential neighborhood in the state.
Seattle, Washington
Our family took a wonderful trip to Seattle, where we whale watched and worked.
Our family took a wonderful trip to Seattle, where we whale watched, worked and explored a beautiful city.
Photos of trip.
Waco, Texas
Rolliflex 2.8f Kodak Tri-X 400.
For Angela’s birthday, we flew to Dallas, Texas, rented a car and drove West, across the state, first stopping in Waco, Texas, and then on to San Antonio.
Film Ferrani
FILM Ferrania is creating the world’s smallest full-service film factory with the in-house capability to research, design and manufacture color and black & white film for stills and cinema. I’m deeply enjoying shooting their film stock.
Key West, Florida
Leica M10 1.4 50mm Summilux
Key West, Florida, 2020.
“It was the time when they loved each other best, without hurry or excess, when both were most conscious of and grateful for their incredible victories over adversity. Life would still present them with other mortal trials, of course, but that no longer mattered: they were on the other shore.”
- Gabriel García Márquez
