the truck loader
The automobile is a strange thing. Sitting in a seat {comfort level entirely dependent on make and model of vehicle} you rocket the highways at 75. In the morning, you are in the red rocks of the desert, and by nightfall, you are surrounded by 14,000 ft. mountain peaks. This Telluride is breathtaking. And cold. Cold, cold, cold, cold, cold. Admittedly, we were all a bit overwhelmed by the idea of camping in the snow yet again, for this time, though the skies were clear, the temperatures were quite a bit lower. The roads covered in black ice. eaves, lined with frozen water. Spears. The greatest dilemma was figuring out how to clear a spot for the tents with two feet of snow on the ground and no shovel. But our good fortune remains. I stop to ask a man loading his truck, where we should eat dinner. I then ask him where we should camp. Just then {his wife?} Jenny appears through the door with an armful of odds and ends. He suggests we sleep in her now abandoned office, which proves to be absolutely perfect. We have Chinese food for dinner, and a beer in a pub. We play pool. We sit up on the floor of the empty office and laugh. We walk the fluorescent halls to pee. Brush teeth. We are warm and we sleep. My gratitude abounds. How I adore these reminders that the world is filled with greta people. Clay {the truck-loader} asks if we ski. I lament the fact that we couldn’t go out with him for the day. Go back and cook dinner. Stay up far too late drinking wine. So now we breakfast, and prepare for another day. Denver. Or more perhaps. The road knows.
currently reading “The Cave” by Jose Saramago. He writes, “we would know far more about life’s complexities if we applied ourselves to the close study of its contradictions instead of wasting so much time on similarities and connections, which should, anyway, be self-explanatory.” This trip, so very different from the first. Beautifully so.
Posted by jeff pitcher at October 30, 2004 09:09 AM
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Jeff, beautiful writing and design... love the bars of photos.
Posted by: Mike Schwartz at October 30, 2004 09:19 AM
The first time I camped in the snow I had no idea whatsoever what I was doing. I rented snow shoes but wore jeans and a wool shirt. I was with my then-wife and another friend. All equally unprepared. I set up the tent and we tried to sleep. My pants were soaked through with melted snow. I had a thermal pad to sleep on but it kept deflating; I would awaken repeatedly with my back on fire from cold. Coyotes yipped far across the frozen meadow.
In the morning my pants were a frozen solid block, but they were the only pants I had so I straightened them out and put them on over my bare, freezing legs. It was one of the most horrifying physical sensations of my life (which ultimately means I've been damn lucky in this life). My shirt was mostly dry.
Fuck this snow camping bullshit. We walked back to the car. It occurred to me that man was put on this early to create heaters and by God we used that fine invention until sweat rolled off our foreheads. Praise be man's curious inventiveness. Indeed.
Posted by: Christian Kiefer at November 1, 2004 08:35 AM
"earth," that is, not "early." jeez.
Posted by: Christian Kiefer at November 1, 2004 08:36 AM
I enjoy your photographs very much. My stepson; a new father, has asked for a digital camera for Xmas and I was wondering if you could recommend something. Your camera takes wonderful pictures. Would you recommend it?
I would greatly appreciate your comments and reply. Thank you.
Posted by: leigh at November 5, 2004 09:37 AM
thank you so for your compliments leigh...i've been taking photographs rather obsessively for about 7 years, and less obsessively for fifteen or so.....i currently have three cameras, all of which are great...two film cameras, a Nikon FE 2 which is an old 35 mm from the 70's and a yashica T4-Super with a Zeiss lens...both of which would have to be looked for used...the nikon is a great way to learn about manual photography as it is old and simple once you have a base of knowledge...the Yashica is a simple "point and shoot" camera. no zoom. for some reason, it takes amazing photos, some of which you can find on the "photos page" of this website. as for all of the photos you see here, they were taken with a Canon Powershot G3 digital camera. it's about 3 years old now, but still a great camera at an afforddable price. i think they go for about $500 these days. nikon made a comparable model called the coolpix {4500?}. the Canon is 4 megapixel which is good, as it has more clarity and depth of field than some with a lesser number of megapixels. i've never taken any classes, and would really classify myself as a complete amateur. i sort of make it up as i go along...
anyway, all that said, i definitely recommed mine. i think that Canon and Nikon are making the best digitals these days, and both the coolpix series from Nikon and the powershot series from Canon are great...it simply becomes a matter of how much one wishes to spend.
also, there is a great website {for anyone interested} that gives some detailed info and comparison of digital cameras. goto: http://www.dpreview.com
Posted by: jefferson pitcher at November 6, 2004 07:12 AM
