Ouch!

(This was written last night. And the images won't load so I'll put them up another day).

Is that sunburn or are you just happy to see me?
Umm, haha. Actually it's just a nasty looking rash, but whatever; it keeps getting worse, though. I only have one more day in the monstrous sun and then it shouldn't be quite so bad anymore.

The only thing keeping me alive right now is the thought of getting to San Fran in a couple of days. That's the biggest goal right now. I guess it's not keeping me alive, but it sure does help. Iced tea, water, peach rings, and Sunchips are keeping me alive right now...

Oh boy, where to begin. I guess we can start with the Grand Canyon since it was the first major thing that I did since I last wrote. It was pretty cool; perhaps a bit touristy and annoying to have people randomly looking at me and stare just because my camera is forty-five and a half times better than their cameras. They act like I'm trying to bring back some dead art or long forgotten practice, which I suppose I am. Who uses 4x5 nowadays anyway? Well, actually, a lot of people still do (okay, so maybe not a lot, but anyone who wants the most control over size reproduction or ultimate detail). Whatever. So I'm at the Grand Canyon and I take a couple 4x5s and I hike around a little, and I realize that those two actions shouldn't be happening at the same time. The camera itself weighs more than a small horse, and coupled with the tripod it requires the use of a flatbed truck to drag around. Perhaps I jest. But really, whoever invented the 4x5 field camera was a genius. Those are light and easy to carry, although they still need a tripod for the slower shutter speeds. I'll stick to my clunky view camera though; it sure gets the job done.
I guess I'd go back again, and I am. Tomorrow. I want to see the other side of the Canyon. It's supposed to be a lot less of a tourist thing and more of a die-hard nature lover experience. I'm excited.

And then there was today. I would have never thought that 82 degree weather would have been so cool and satisfying, but after spending three hours in a pounding, burning, threatening 113 degree valley, my mind was made up. Don't get me wrong, the experience was great, and I met a man who talked about cameras with me for forty minutes. That was wonderful to find someone just as interested in the pure mechanics of it as I am. I think he was from California, although his accent sounded a little more southwestern...
Anyway, I'm pretty sure I got some great shots today, and I bet they'll look great in black and white. I'm sort of drifting from my original idea of the "overwhelming flat landscape" and leaning more towards the overall, monstrous being captured on film. Sure, flat can be overwhelming, but so can sharp falls and high rises. I guess I'll just have to see where it takes me. My mind seems to be focused more on the idea of the personal experience taken out of the perspective presented, so I'll just follow that for now and if that ship sails, I guess I'll just move on to the next idea.

It's been a long, hot day again. I'm tired. Exhausted perhaps. Just a little more iced tea and then off to bed.

I held the fire in my hand,
and I passed it to you.
You let it burn away,
taking your hand with it.