Another possible dream town

Outdoor stores, bars, and galleries...goodbye, Flagstaff. It was nice getting to know you. We hope to see you again someday. Maybe "set awhile" as E's grammy would say. Grand Canyon pics to come soon. Hiking down into it is way better than the rim...wayyyyyyy better.

Coordinates: N 35•11.523' W 111•37.394'
Elevation: 6879'

Driving to see a big hole in the ground

The white aspens tucked into the ponderosas and hemlocks....hard to beat. We will see what a big hole in the ground can stand up to!

Coordinates: N 35•18.764' W 111•46.504'
Elevation: 8007' 

Williams AZ kinda nice!

So we roll into Williams Arizona to get gas, the tritches are 90min behind our schedule, so we decide to check it out...
As I write this we are in an awesome coffee shop with wifi to aid in the iPad updates. Thus far Gretta has been doing them on the iphone as we drive, the coordinates are live and accurate so dig them in google earth!!!!
Last night we slept in the Mohave desert preserve for free and were almost blinded by the moon's glow, the moon shadows were crazy bright! The wind kept whipping as we laid down...magical...really. We got up and took a hike, visited the visitor center, got patches for our backpacks, a sticker for grettas bottle, and a pin for my hat. Then we headed off to kelso dunes for another hike. Super crazy to see so far and then hear Pepper's tags behind us in the desert bushes!
Tonigh it is flagstaff and tomorrow the grand canyon.
Yes- it is a charmed life!
But if we didn't live it then who would?
See the easterners soon!!!!!!
Now for coffee...
E


Pictures coming soon!!!
Coordinates: 35°14′58″N 112°11′24″W
-g

A fine farewell

Goodbye California... Thank you, Mojave Desert.

Coordinates: N 34•52.701' W 114•45.708'
Elevation: 1237'

almost out of gas, but here comes Needles. Whew!

High in the desert

Just hit Boron... No really... That's the name.
Coordinates: 34°59′58″N 117°38′59″W

turning the colonial gaze back east!!!

Sorry- some schooling just won't quit! That being said- I graduated from SFAI yesterday!!! I have earned my Masters of Fine Art in photography. The school has a rich history of churning our game changers and visual innovators...the class is full of great artists ready to take on the world.  Now- if you know me, I love to do as many things as I can at a time- so not only did I graduate yesterday but is was Gretta and my one year wedding anniversary!!! Each day is another adventure...the last two years of SF have proven that.

SFAI has one of the nicest Diego Rivera frescoes.  This one is the story of the building of SF...if you look the socialist undertones are not so subtle. I spent many hours reflecting on this 3 story masterpiece.  Really one of the finest works I have ever seen.

Marching down the stairs for our ceremony overlooking the city and bay- as much as I have been frustrated at times, the campus was inspirational...how on earth a small art school can occupy this type of view in a city so expensive.

Watch it live, or in the video...awkward as always...why would you expect anything else?

"the Erics" as we were known...

two eastern photographers always talking about how great the east was...we took advantage of each other's eastern-ness quite often...visit his site his work really is great to spend time with

free food and booze...oh...and you can hang out with new graduates...and free food and booze...

the Parrots of Coit Tower  dropped fruit on many of us over the years from those trees.

There is a fountain in the middle of there somewhere...another amazing place to relax- when the school isn't crazy

OK...in order from left to right:

Me, Linda Conor, Eric Zeigler, and Kheng Li Wee

the three of us worked with Linda extensively over our two years...

she is one of the biggest reasons we chose SFAI...and made it what it was- thanks Linda!!! I will miss that look you give us even after we graduated!!!

My install at the final show...note the bike trailer..the only one of 97 graduating grad students to not burn fuel for the install and exhibition...nice...

Pepper couldn't make the final show...after the way she critiqued my work I'm not sure I would have wanted her there anyway.

So what do you do the day after such an important day? Start the moving packing. So far we have taken everything off the walls and started patching the hundreds of holes from me tacking up prints.

bare walls from the stripping of our walls and the flowers that Gretta's office presented her on the last day of work

Clock is ticking...