Camera and Pencil in the Mountains

Dugway Range – Simpson’s Springs

clevelandg — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 02:45:12 +0000

On the Lincoln Highway’s present-day bypass around the south end of the Army’s Dugway Proving Grounds, one comes across Simpson’s Springs, which I’ve mentioned before. Simpson explored the route from the Salt Lake area to Genoa, Nevada in 1859. His work laid the groundwork for the Overland Stage and Pony Express.

There is a campground there where I spent a couple of days waiting for the right light over the Dugway Range to the north of me. To the south of my campsite in the Simpson Mountains, I noticed this tree bathed in the light from the setting sun. I think it is a Piñon Pine but more knowledgable folks might take this opportunity to correct me.

Simpson’s Springs

Whatever it may be, I love the image. Photographers will note that at least three exposures have been combined in this photo to achieve the balance of light I originally visualized.

Happy travels and beautiful sunsets to all of you.

Grover

The Lincoln Highway in the Great Basin

clevelandg — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:04:44 +0000

Just a short post to let you know that I opened my show in Grass Valley, CA on Monday.

Installation at Valentina’s Bistro in Grass Valley

Lincoln Highway Collage – these photos are to be included in a larger exhibit

The show is open for the month of April with a reception this Saturday the sixth at two in the afternoon. The venue is small but quite nice and they have great coffee and meals.

I hope you can stop by. The venue is open only during weekdays from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. and is located at 1041 Sutton Way, Grass Valley California 95945

Grover

The Lincoln Highway in Basin and Range – Carroll Summit

clevelandg — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 02:42:01 +0000

I have been editing photos for an exhibition coming up next month but hadn’t included this until my wife noticed it and asked for a print. This is in the canyon on the east side of Carroll Summit and was taken in the Fall of 2012.

Canyon East of Carroll Summit, Nevada

I’ll be heading out on the highway fairly soon. In the meantime I’ll bring you some images from my library.

Grover

Nevada Magazine – Lincoln Highway Article

clevelandg — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 15:05:01 +0000

Welcome to those who have just found me as a result of my article in Nevada Magazine.

To catch up on the Lincoln Highway you should go back to the blogs in 2011 and read forward from there. Start here - October 2011. You will find useful items such as detailed directions and gps coordinates in these items.

My book, to be published early 2014, will be a complete guidebook with maps, coordinates, contemporary and historic photos.

As promised, now that the article is published, I can now begin to show some new photos.

Sand Pass – Then and Now

It was pure luck that I parked my truck in the same spot as the early photo from the University of Michigan Archives. To the left of the truck is the new Highway 50 alignment and behind that the dreaded Fallon Sink.

I wish you safe traveling in the desert,

Grover

The Lincoln Highway in Basin and Range – Orr’s Ranch Revisited

clevelandg — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 21:59:58 +0000

I have shown you a few photos of Orr’s Ranch (near Dugway, Utah) before, but not this one. Orr’s Ranch was an important stop on the LHW since it was the last place for gasoline and other supplies before reaching the John Thomas Ranch (now Fish Springs N.W.R.) far to the west. Click the image to enlarge.

Orr’s Ranch, Dugway, Utah

The ranch is still there and may be visited. 40°18’0.76″N 112°44’0.60″W

As always, travel safely.

Grover

Sand Mountain

clevelandg — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 20:30:41 +0000

I just received a subscription from Travis Christiansen who recently wrote about Sand Mountain, east of Fallon, Nevada.

Here is an aerial shot of Sand Mountain taken from my little camera plane.

Sand Mountain

Grover

The Great Basin near Austin, Nevada

clevelandg — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:38:30 +0000

Emptiness (Click to Embiggen)

I would like to solicit your opinion. This is a reworked version of the scene I posted recently. What do you think? Is it “over the top” or simply “rather neat”? Obviously I did a lot of processing in Photoshop and generally I don’t like to do that but my opinion is that in this case it works as a dramatic landscape.

This is a possible image in my book “The Lincoln Highway in Basin and Range” due out next year.

Grover

Lincoln Highway in Basin and Range – What’s Happening and Why Isn’t It?

clevelandg — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 20:28:14 +0000

It’s been quiet in part because my magazine article is due to come out any day and I have an agreement that the photographs in that article can’t be shown until publication – a “first use” issue.

Also frankly it’s been too darn cold to do anything except cut up dead trees around the farm and get a sore back doing so. But Spring is springing and things should come out of hibernation soon enough. I’ll have new posts shortly. In the meantime, feast your eyes on the wonderful emptiness that is central Nevada.

Grover

It’s Cold – and The Hussy Won’t Start

clevelandg — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 15:52:05 +0000

The weather here has been bitter, at least for us in the north part of California. Nearby Truckee, on the other side of “The Hill” was reporting lows of -24F, and that’s too cold for anyone. Around here, on the west side of Donner Pass, we were into the low twenties overnight.

As the weather began to moderate slightly, I was hoping to get “The Hussy” – my Model T Ford, out for a bit of a drive as the afternoon temperatures were up into the fifties, although the ground temperature was such that there were patches of unmelted ice everywhere.

(The Hussy, seen here in decent weather)

The poor old girl, now 94 years old, just wouldn’t start. I checked the battery and there was enough voltage showing and then remembered the old trick of jacking up one of the rear wheels. “What?” I hear you saying.

It turns out that the cold oil in the pan, which is shared with the transmission, is thickened greatly when it’s cold. The main drive line is connected directly to the engine through a series of clutch plates and these are now married because of the thick oil. When you jack up one of the rear wheels the drive line can turn freely: motor-clutch-driveline-differential-wheel. So simple but I had forgotten the principle. Freeing one wheel allows everything to turn.

Perhaps what I really needed was this conversion:

The Model T folks were nothing if not inventive.

So now you know. If your Model T is having difficulty starting in cold weather, jack up a rear wheel and try again.

Grover

A Happy New Year to You All

clevelandg — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 16:21:53 +0000

May you have a better new year than these poor fellows, stuck in the Fallon Sink.

courtesy Special Archives University of Michigan

The weather has been cold and miserable out here so the next trip won’t happen until the spring. In the meantime I’m working on a magazine article and a book. I’ll see you in 2013 – the centennial of the Lincoln Highway.

Be well,

Grover