Tuesday, October 13th, 2009
The sun is out, hallelujah. It went from 32 degrees to 70-something, that’s amazing to me.
Not that the fog that’s enveloped the Texas panhandle since I crossed the state line is all bad; it just sucked for shooting my infrared film. And it sucked because it was incredibly cold. And because you couldn’t see a darn thing while driving. However, fog can be incredibly photogenic, as was the case when I backtracked to McLean to pick up the time lapse where I left off on Friday night.
birds over an abandoned gas station in McLean, TX
I had to be in Amarillo at 10am to get my converter replaced, thanks very much to the good folks at Columbia Northwest (Aliner), so I booted it on the interstate Saturday morning to get there in time. I don’t think the service manager at the dealer was too pleased about doing it… but the tech who actually did the job was a real doll.
Dennis Maxwell, helpful submarine-loving trailer tech
Interesting too: Dennis Maxwell looked like your garden variety gentle biker type guy I see regularly on this trip, but what he used to do for a living intrigued the heck out of me. Dude was in the Navy, on submarines for four years – under the Arctic ice!! And, he says he misses it. That intrigued the heck out of me too.
After the converter was installed (thank you Aliner and Jack Sisemore), I met up with Kale from Amarillo’s KVII TV. Kale Steed. I still can’t believe that’s his real name… I mean: “Kale Steed, reporter”? That’s too perfect. Actually it sounds more like a porn star name to me. Turns out, Kale is a fellow Canadian. He’s from Canadian. …no, he’s not Canadian – he’s from Canadian. It’s in Texas.
KVII's Kale Steed: a Texas-Canadian
Anyway, Kale rode in the Jeep with me for awhile and froze his ass off while we shot a story about my journey. Yep, I was on TV again! This time I got to watch it live when it aired Sunday night, and that was truly surreal. I still can’t get used to seeing myself in the press and I definitely hate the way I sound. But, the story was great – very creative and fun. I have to thank Kale and Mitch Roberts for putting together such a neat package. And it was the headlining story! Slow news day, I guess. You can check it out here. (There is one incredibly dorky shot of me shooting pictures of a sign. Kale was shooting me shooting photos, then he asked me to turn around and shoot the sign behind me… but they included
with weather person Shelly Sites, in KVII studio
the transition of me doing that move, and I look like a total idiot, shooting anything in sight, totally unprofessional. You will know it when you see it! Groan…)
The crazy hospitality continues here in Texas…Kale, feeling sorry for me in the little trailer with the ICE on it (they broke record lows here over the weekend, natch), opened his house to me – so I got to have a proper bed and a hot shower again. I am so very grateful for that, especially given how freezing it was! And Kale cusses like me, so we shared some well-placed F-bombs, too. 
Since I didn’t take Route 66 to Amarillo Saturday morning, I had to backtrack an hour to McLean to pick up the time lapse where I left off on Friday night. The fog was just unbelievable, and I was stressed. One of the largest, most horrible pile-ups ever to happen in Canada occurred about 20 minutes from where I live, in conditions a lot like these – so every time I am in heavy fog, I start preparing for the worst. The real fun came when I started to run out of gas.
this is pretty empty...
I pretty much know how far the Jeep can go once the needle starts heading toward “E”, but what I am not accustomed to is how much more gas the thing eats while pulling this trailer. I’m thinking, “no problem, just get off at the next exit and get some gas”. Yeah. Right. WHAT next exit? So as the needle buried deeper and deeper into E, I got more and more freaked. Of course running out of gas isn’t the end of the world – you just deal with it. But this was in total pea soup conditions. If I had to pull over to the shoulder, NO ONE would be able to see me there until they were upon me. I didn’t know what was worse: driving on the interstate with all of the trucks barreling down the road at 75mph but with a shoulder to pull off on – or driving the slower, less-traveled Route 66, but without any shoulder to pull over onto. I opted for the latter and was overjoyed to see a turnoff that allowed me to exit the interstate. But gas? I eked into Groom and drove past not one, not two, but three gas stations that had pumps – but were closed. (I noticed that many a truck and RV were parked here and there, escaping the treacherous fog driving, I expect). Thankfully I managed to get to an open gas station next to the interstate, on fumes alone I think. Note that the largest cross in the western hemisphere is here in Groom – maybe that had something to do with my making it to the gas station… and believe me: when you can’t see the cross from the road, you know the fog is really bad. This thing is right next to the interstate and is 19 stories tall – on a clear day you can see it from miles away. So, note to self: GAS UP, especially in these states with big empty spaces between towns!!
the massive cross at Groom
As I mentioned earlier, the fog was quite picturesque, so all was not lost. I spent an inordinate amount of time photographing the interior of an old gas station in McLean. Up to my ankles in trash and pigeon shit with gorgeous soft light… it was blissful.
Then last night I got to meet Bob “Crocodile” Lile. Bob owns an art gallery in Amarillo and I’m hoping he’ll carry some of my work. “Croc” was (again!) extremely hospitable, and is an excellent resource. Bob knows TONS about Route 66, since he is co-vice chair of the Route 66 Alliance Steering Committee, Sales Manager of Route 66 Pulse, and past president of the Old Route 66 Association of Texas. Once again, the network showed up. Bob started listing off the “must-stops” and “must-meets” for me on this trip, and was pretty chagrinned when he learned that I hadn’t met a lot of these people. I explained that I didn’t realize I should be stopping in at these places and telling people who I am and what I’m doing – again: to me, I’m just doing my projects, my thing… why would they care? But he made sense to me: “you’re doing something for the road – so we want to help you.” I never thought of it that way before. But, he’s right. By following my own heart and one of my own dreams, I am helping to promote this road that a whole international community (“family” says Bob) is trying to preserve. That was a pretty cool realization.
inside an old service station, McLean
So, as I mentioned above, the sun is out – and I can now see why early settlers in this region wrote that Texas was “the flattest place on earth”. Humungous skies and endless horizons. I love it. What a great, open feeling it is to drive along these fields on these empty historic roads. But on the topic of this road’s heritage, I was saddened to witness what I think was an historic moment today. I stopped to photograph the old “Buddy’s Cabins” in Conway that date back to 1935. It’s a great example of Spanish Colonial styled motel rooms, with garages and terra cotta tile window awnings. As I was setting up to try to shoot over the fence that surrounded them, I heard some banging noises. They grew more persistent and louder, and then I realized: someone was doing demolition. I want to believe that they’re going to restore and renovate the place and that’s all it was – but it really didn’t look that way. Walls came down as I stood there. I think this building may be a thing of the past really soon.
I really hope I’m wrong.
The sun is out, hallelujah. It went from 32 degrees to 70-something, that’s amazing to me.
Not that the fog that’s enveloped the Texas panhandle since I crossed the state line is all bad; it just sucked for shooting my infrared film. And it sucked because it was incredibly cold. And because you couldn’t see a darn thing while driving. However, fog can be incredibly photogenic, as was the case when I backtracked to McLean to pick up the time lapse where I left off on Friday night.
(insert pic)
I had to be in Amarillo at 10am to get my converter replaced, thanks very much to the good folks at Columbia Northwest (Aliner), so I booted it on the interstate Saturday morning to get there in time. I don’t think the service manager at the dealer was too pleased about doing it… but the tech who actually did the job was a real doll. Interesting too: Dennis Maxwell looks like your garden variety gentle biker type guy I see regularly on this trip, but what he used to do for a living intrigued the heck out of me. Dude was in the Navy, on submarines for four years – under the Arctic ice!! And, he says he misses it. That intrigued the heck out of me too.
After the converter was installed (thank you Aliner and Jack Sisemore), I met up with Kale from Amarillo’s KVII TV. Kale Steed. I still can’t believe that’s his real name… I mean: “Kale Steed, reporter”? That’s too perfect. Actually it sounds more like a porn star name to me. Turns out, Kale is a fellow Canadian. He’s from Canadian. …no, he’s not Canadian – he’s from Canadian. It’s in Texas. Anyway, Kale rode in the Jeep with me for awhile and froze his ass off while we shot a story about my journey. Yep, I was on TV again! This time I got to watch it live when it aired last night, and that was truly surreal. I still can’t get used to seeing myself in the press and I definitely hate the way I sound. But, the story was great – very creative and fun. I have to thank Kale and Mitch Roberts for putting together such a neat package. And it was the headlining story! Slow news day, I guess. (There was one incredibly dorky shot of me shooting pictures of a sign, though. Kale was shooting me shooting photos, then he asked me to turn around and shoot the sign behind me… but they included the transition of me doing that move, and I look like a total idiot, shooting anything in sight, totally unprofessional. Once they post it online, you’ll be able to see it. And you will know it when you see it! Groan… they’re going to let me know when it’s online, so I’ll link to it then.)
The crazy hospitality continues here in Texas…Kale, feeling sorry for me in the little trailer with the ICE on it (they broke record lows here over the weekend, natch), opened his house to me – so I got to have a proper bed and a hot shower again. I am so very grateful for that, especially given how freezing it was!
Since I didn’t take Route 66 to Amarillo Saturday morning, I had to backtrack an hour to McLean to pick up the time lapse where I left off on Friday night. The fog was just unbelievable, and I was stressed. One of the largest, most horrible pile-ups ever to happen in Canada occurred about 20 minutes from where I live, in conditions a lot like these – so every time I am in heavy fog, I start preparing for the worst. The real fun came when I started to run out of gas.
I pretty much know how far the Jeep can go once the needle starts heading toward “E”, but what I am not accustomed to is how much more gas the thing eats while pulling this trailer. I’m thinking, “no problem, just get off at the next exit and get some gas”. Yeah. Right. WHAT next exit? So as the needle buried deeper and deeper into E, I got more and more freaked. Of course running out of gas isn’t the end of the world – you just deal with it. But this was in total pea soup conditions. If I had to pull over to the shoulder, NO ONE would be able to see me there until they were upon me. I didn’t know what was worse: driving on the interstate with all of the trucks barreling down the road at 75mph but with a shoulder to pull off on – or driving the slower, less-traveled Route 66, but without any shoulder to pull over onto. I opted for the latter and was overjoyed to see a turnoff that allowed me to exit the interstate. But gas? I eked into Groom and drove past not one, not two, but three gas stations that had pumps – but were closed. (I noticed that many a truck and RV were parked here and there, escaping the treacherous fog driving, I expect). Thankfully I managed to get to an open gas station next to the interstate, on fumes alone I think. Note that the largest cross in the western hemisphere is here in Groom – maybe that had something to do with my making it to the gas station… and believe me: when you can’t see the cross from the road, you know the fog is really bad. This thing is right next to the interstate and is 19 stories tall – on a clear day you can see it from miles away. So, note to self: GAS UP, especially in these states with big empty spaces between towns!!
As I mentioned earlier, the fog was quite picturesque, so all was not lost. I spent an inordinate amount of time photographing the interior of an old gas station in McLean. Up to my ankles in trash and pigeon shit with gorgeous light streaming in… it was blissful. Check it out: (insert pic)
Then last night I got to meet Bob “Crocodile” Lile. Bob owns an art gallery in Amarillo and I’m hoping he’ll carry some of my work. “Croc” was (again!) extremely hospitable, and is an excellent resource. Bob knows TONS about Route 66, since he is co-vice chair of the Route 66 Alliance Steering Committee, Sales Manager of Route 66 Pulse, and past president of the Old Route 66 Association of Texas. Once again, the network showed up. Bob started listing off the “must-stops” and “must-meets” for me on this trip, and was pretty chagrinned when he learned that I hadn’t met a lot of these people. I explained that I didn’t realize I should be stopping in at these places and telling people who I am and what I’m doing – again: to me, I’m just doing my projects, my thing… why would they care? But he made sense to me: “you’re doing something for the road – so we want to help you.” I never thought of it that way before. But, he’s right. By following my own heart and one of my own dreams, I am helping to promote this road that a whole international community (“family” says Bob) is trying to preserve. That was a pretty cool realization.
So, as I mentioned above, the sun is out – and I can now see why early settlers in this region wrote that Texas was “the flattest place on earth”. Humungous skies and endless horizons. I love it. What a great, open feeling it is to drive along these fields on these empty historic roads. But on the topic of this road’s heritage, I was saddened to witness what I think was an historic moment today. I stopped to photograph the old “Buddy’s Cabins” in Conway that date back to 1935. It’s a great example of Spanish Colonial styled motel rooms, with garages and terra cotta tile window awnings. As I was setting up to try to shoot over the fence that surrounded them, I heard some banging noises. They grew more persistent and louder, and then I realized: someone was doing demolition. I want to believe that they’re going to restore and renovate the place and that’s all it was – but it really didn’t look that way. Walls came down as I stood there. I think this building may be a thing of the past really soon.
I really hope I’m wrong.
October 13th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
With Buddy’s Cabins you now have seen with your own eyes the “VANISHING AMERICA” I mentioned before. It had never occurred to me how much we have lost until Jeanie and I drove the Mother Road in it’s entirety in 2006.
I had only been on bits and pieces of Route 66 since the mid 60’s Is it sad or is it progress? For me it is sad because of all the great memories I have of the Mother road ,from one end to the other, as a truck driver. Unexpectedly spending the night at a little truck stop/ Cafe at Allenreed ,Tex (closed but still standing on the north side of the road in ‘06) actually saved my life. That’s another story for my “VANISHING AMERICA” thing.
The work you are doing is so important in preserving Route 66 from your viewpoint for future generations, who will not be as fortunate as you and I.
Rojo
October 13th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
BTW I hope you are enjoyed my old stomping grounds. I grew up 65 miles north of Amarillo. The closest town to our place was Stinnett, We had a tree there until the town drunk ran over it and killed it back in the ’50’s LOL
Rojo
October 13th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
This was like a version of the blog directed by Tim Burton and John Carpenter….. strange and odd and weird and eerie but fun and cool and alright.
I continue to marvel your willingness to be there (here) Sandi, and the art you are making along the way.
October 13th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
vallis – thanks!
Rojo – I think it’s sad too. I suppose everything has to come to an end sometime and buildings can’t stay up forever… but these little towns and “mom & pop” places have so much more character than the generic truck stops and travel centers on the interstate. The architecture is so cool – I would friggin love to have one of those 1930s “ice box” gas stations as a studio and home. I’m surprised more people don’t do that sort of thing.
I hope more and more people take an interest in Route 66 so that more activity comes to the road – and then the old businesses will stay alive. I think it’s happening, slowly. I’m learning that the movie “Cars” has done amazing things to generate interest and travel on Route 66.
…”we had a tree once”, that kills me.
October 13th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
Apparently you need to buckle your seat belt young lady. Of course running around at 800 rpm won’t get you into too many serious accidents, you’ll save a ton of gas and get to California by next July with a perfectly functioning charging system. This was my vane attempt at art interpretation. Finally are we sure Kale isn’t the long lost son of Dennis?
October 13th, 2009 at 11:44 pm
Oh, thank goodness you made it through the fog! I would have been scared, too, REALLY scared.
October 14th, 2009 at 12:41 am
The better porn star name would be Steed Kale. What do you think?
Back Road Adventures starring Steed Kale…
October 14th, 2009 at 8:44 am
Heard about your site from a friend on Facebook, and have been following your adventures ever since. Love the pictures, love the stories. Keep up the good work. Can’t wait to read the next post.
A fan from up north in Toronto.
October 14th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
HA!!!More TV. I love it!!. You will soon see that my side of the camera is more nerve racking and more addictive. Bravo little x penguin, Back to being an Eagle. Too bad about the service manager, but you are on the road with your converter and he is in the service department with his attitude. Which would you rather be? Bon Chance la petite aigle and bon nuit.
October 14th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Update! The KVII story is online now. Check it out – there is a link to it on the right, under “about Sandi – website and links to press”. (The anchor is from Detroit, diehard Red Wings fan… he was telling me that he has many friends and family out of work up there, so he was quite into my story as well.)
October 14th, 2009 at 11:37 pm
Came across this Tom Waits song which goes well with your blog.
On A Foggy Night
on a foggy night, an abandoned road
in a twilight mirror mirage
with no indication of a service station
or an all night garage, I was misinformed
I was misdirected cause the interchange
never intersected leaving me marooned
beneath a bloodshot moon
all upon a foggy night, on a foggy night
an abandoned road, in a blurred brocade
collage, is that a road motel?
I can’t really tell, is that what you
might call some kind of a vacancy lodge
cause there’s no consolation, what
kind of situation to be aimlessly skewed
amidst a powder blue?
no tell tail light clue
spun like the spell you spin
this precarious pandemonium
I’m stranded, all upon a foggy night
all upon a foggy night
on a foggy night
From the album “Nighthawks at the Diner. 1975
Tom Waits
Keep on keeping on.
October 15th, 2009 at 8:00 am
Hey Sandi, I check in on your adventures every morning and that shot from the KVII story where you take a picture and then bounce/spin 180 degees almost made me spit coffee across my screen. Priceless.
October 15th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
love it all sandi… happy trails to you….
October 15th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
Paul – I KNOW!! I can’t believe they used that! Glad you got a laugh out of it.
Mad Mal – Toronto fan = cool, thanks!
TSB – I’m so glad you posted those lyrics, they’re perfect.
October 16th, 2009 at 11:59 am
I didn’t think you looked unprofessional at all! It’s too bad the anchor who recapped how to find you got your blog site totally wrong…. picture66.com? Definitely not an interesting site!
October 16th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Ha! Thanks Katye, that’s sweet. I know: I didn’t want to be ungrateful but he did say it wrong, you are correct: not “picture66.com”. Glad they left me saying it in the story. I keep thinking someone will put it on the screen in these stories, but so far no one has. We did that at GM – where possible – when a website or phone number was given out.
November 1st, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Rojo, where are you from?
I grew up in Morse.. 17 miles from Stinnett.