top of page
Arizona: Passing and Staying — Silence with a Pulse
About forty minutes from Tucumcari, on the way home, sits Glenrio, a state-line ghost town with a population of zero and more character than many places still full of people. I visited Glenrio during my New Mexico vacay of 2024 and it was wonderful to return! Glenrio is... a weathered apocalyptic landscape, dense, like a storm-before-the-storm. I love it. I’ve watched YouTube videos of people visiting Glenrio over the years, and the graffiti tells its own timeline, layered
3rd Eye Blue
Feb 17
Arizona: Passing and Staying — Ghost Signs and Empty Rooms
Time to head back to Kansas! But first, some Tucumcari photos. Tucumcari, New Mexico has many abandoned and dilapidated buildings on display - a moody, haunted photographer's dream. Abandoned places that look like they whisper at night. This feels like a town with enough layers to reveal something new every time you return. And return I will.
3rd Eye Blue
Feb 12
Arizona: Passing and Staying — Vacancy With a Steeple
After missing the full effect of Quarai Salinas due to ill-mannered hours, the night would conclude at Motel Safari in Tucumcari, New Mexico, not at all by accident. Motel Safari was a favored stay from 2024's New Mexico trip and I was thrilled to be visiting again. But first, a detour to Cuervo, NM, where the Cuervo Church is rumored to be something worth stopping for. Rumors are accurate. A solitary structure among other solitary structures, each deserving - insisting - t
3rd Eye Blue
Feb 6
Arizona: Passing and Staying — Stone That Remembers, Places That Don’t Care
From the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, the next destination was the Petrified Forest National Park... ..into the Painted Desert. A few shots from the road... ..that led back into New Mexico... What in the Breaking Bad...,? ..where the Quarai unit of the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument in Mountainair was closed. Quite rude. Fortunately, there were still some good shots in the area... ..as well as some creepiness... ..and a new friend. I can tell he felt the same way.
3rd Eye Blue
Feb 3
Arizona: Passing and Staying — Roadside Ravens
Transition from the Desert Watchtower to the sleeping place of the night was full of sights; winged beings that posed prettily for my lens. Somewhere between the Watchtower and Holbrook What the road lets you have. The Wigwam Motel on Route 66. A place built to be remembered. Sweet dreams.
3rd Eye Blue
Jan 24
Arizona: Passing and Staying — Desert Watchtower
Although the rain had calmed down, fortunately, the clouds remained for the drive to the Desert Watchtower. What a phenomenal place for sweeping canyon views and photography! The Desert Watchtower is a 70-foot-tall stone observation tower on the eastern south rim of the Grand Canyon. Built in the 1930s, it seamlessly blends into the landscape and architectural traditions. And the inside... ... is definitely worth the 4 level, 85 step climb to the top. The Canyon views aren't
3rd Eye Blue
Jan 19
Arizona: Passing and Staying — The Grand Canyon
Moving on from the beautiful setting of the Blue Cow Farm, I headed back through Sedona, Flagstaff, and Williams, "Gateway to the Grand Canyon", into Grand Canyon National Park. Breathtaking The weather forecast strongly suggested rain every day of this trip. But it didn't rain - until about an hour after arrival. I was quite prepared with a backpack cover, camera cover, a rain poncho, desiccant packs, and an umbrella. All of which I left in the car. Seriously. I shoved my ca
3rd Eye Blue
Jan 16
Arizona: Passing and Staying — A Moment That Didn’t Rush
Sedona led into Cornville, Arizona, and the Blue Cow Guest Farm. But first, dinner at Pizzeria Bocce in Cottonwood. I had the Wood-Fired Vegetables (eggplant, red peppers, zucchini, red onions, a select blend of mushrooms over organic greens topped with goat cheese, basil and a balsamic reduction), and this was by far the best meal of the trip. The fact that I don't like mushrooms and I didn't even care that this was loaded with them testifies to it's deliciousness. Blue Cow
3rd Eye Blue
Jan 14
Arizona: Passing and Staying — Red Rock & Switchbacks
Hotel McCoy led into the third day of the Arizona trip. A day of tight roads, red rock, and places designed to be seen in motion, Jerome and Sedona both ask different things of you: one pulls your attention upward, the other outward. I found myself passing through more than staying, but I couldn't help but to notice what lingered anyway. Jerome, Arizona, known as America’s Largest Ghost Town , leans fully into the idea. Fake skeletons and “haunted” restaurants line the street
3rd Eye Blue
Jan 12
Arizona: Passing and Staying — Saguaro National Park
Thanks for coming back! Arizona, Stopped Day 2: Into Arizona, Saguaro National Park Let's continue. In this post, we've made it to Arizona, notably Saguaro National Park. For me, this was the highlight of the trip. Saguaro is gorgeous. We stayed here several hours. As the light began to fade... ...into night. We headed to Hotel McCoy in Tucson, Arizona to get a much needed rest. Hotel McCoy has two other locations, Pullman, WA and College Station, TX. Hotel McCoy is a 1960s
3rd Eye Blue
Jan 8
Arizona: Passing and Staying — Albuquerque
Hello again, photography lovers! Day 2 is going to be in two posts, of which I'll try to get completed today. Places I Would Have Stopped, Had I Been Driving Day 2: On the Road, Albuquerque, New Mexico to Tucson, Arizona You're gonna get a bit of a photo dump here because these are all very similar and I'm opting not to take the time to cull them. So, you're welcome or I apologize! Can we talk about these VIEWS?! As a Kansan, I can recognize a beautiful sky when I see one. Sk
3rd Eye Blue
Jan 8
Arizona: Passing and Staying — On the Road
Hello, hello! Long time no blog! We took a 6-day (January 1st-6th) trip to Arizona this week. It was my first time! Last year we went to New Mexico; this time we went through NM to Arizona. Relive the trip with me now. Places I Would Have Stopped, Had I Been Driving Day 1: On the Road Day one on the road took us through Oklahoma, Texas, and into Albuquerque, New Mexico. Arizona, Stopped Day 1: Albuquerque New Mexico I guess everything really is bigger in Texas. Look at this c
3rd Eye Blue
Jan 7
bottom of page