A photo( and occasional sketch) diary to monitor my culture shock from my move from a West Coast urban city to a beautiful and very small rural community in The Great North West. ***Click on pics for larger image. Updated every week, if we're lucky.***

Saturday, September 08, 2007

79. Promises In the Dark

Promises, promises.
And now, a few of those Nev/ID photos I promised you...

Soundtrack for the desert:
Bowie Space Oddity
Galaxy 500
Lots of Looper
Tokyo Space Cowboys


We pass through Ca's mountain region and into Nevada. This shiny, new camp is tucked neatly into a valley on the Ca/Nev border. Judging on the proud signage, I'd guess it was constructed in the past 5 years. Hmm...


We pass through a very remote area of North Nev desert---not too far from the infamous Ignited Person Festival. We spot signs of the festival's visitors along the highway's intersection. Hundreds of names and messages are spelled with collected lava rocks. Most of them are too small or illegible to read from our passing car. I imagine that there are a few peace signs and maybe a couple of hearts...



Que and I have noted this unique structure a few times now, calling it, 'the crazy artist thing'. We finally have time to stop and inspect it up close...




I don't normally like found object art, but in this case, it seems very appropriate.




The son of the artist is still living, and apparently looks after the grounds.






No problem!




The structures are constructed from bags of cement with found man-made discarded objects embedded into them....as well as some beautiful natural found materials such as wood and stone.



Que and I both agree that the artist's message is successful.





I leave with a new found respect for 'the crazy artist thing', which upon closer inspection, doesn't seem all that crazy anymore.

We plough into Idaho....

Fun Nev/Idaho cloudplay


McMansions divide the endless stretches of corn and potato fields. Judging by the style of the structures, they look like they're all built in the past 2-5 years.


This is the first tank of this stuff we've seen in the area.


The only non-whites in ID seem to be seasonal workers working in the ethanol corn fields.


!

...Which makes for good eatin' if you're traveling through the rural areas during the picking season. The closest authentic taqueria to El Big is located in a migrant town near the border of Oregone and Boyzie. Occasionally one may see a tacky Disneyland-type Chinese restaurant, but even they are rare.

A new drive-through coffee business located across from our hotel in Boyzie. What year is it, 1987? Just another bizarre example of Idaho's strange social contrasts. Que makes a u-turn so I can get a photo of it. (Click photo to read signage) And no, I have no idea if their double lattes are any good.




A favorite stretch on the Idaho desert. Yes, even Idaho has a magic hour.


Adios Idaho. Take me home, Country roads.
***

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