Beginning of the End?

President Donald Trump declared war on Harley-Davidson on Tuesday, saying it's decision to shift limited production overseas would be the “beginning of the end” for the iconic motorcycle company.  He also predicted he would suffer little fallout for his aggressive tweets. "The people who ride Harley-Davidsons are not happy with Harley-Davidson,” Trump told reporters.  "Their employees and customers are already very angry at them,” Trump said in an early morning tweet....REALLY?  Maybe he needs to go for a ride on a Harley and actually listen to people.  After spending the last two weeks traveling across this beautiful country, meeting and talking with bikers, HD employees, and by the way riding an  incredible machine, it is impossible for me to understand where this crazy, illogical, thoughtless rhetoric comes from.

It saddens my heart when an iconic American company is threatened and attacked in such a reckless manner.

be strong, be safe, Carlan

HWY 83 - Last American Highway

Join me for the daily road stories over on Talon's Tips and Tales as I ride across Texas heading north for Canada on the Last American Highway.  

be strong, be safe, Carlan

HWY 83 - Surfaced All The Way

 On the road again!  Flying to Brownsvile, TX tomorrow and ridin' a spankin' new 2018 Harley-Davidson LowRider from the Gulf of Mexico north to Canada.  On assignment for HOG Magazine.  US HWY 83 runs roughly along the 100th Meridian.  Been told this road marks the historic divide between the civilized eastern United States and the real American West.

Be stopping by the Spinach Capital of the World, lookin' for the largest oak tree in Texas, havin' a real milk shake made at the oldest Rexall Drug Store in the west, checkin' out the Chalk Pyramids in Kansas,  paying respect to Sitting Bull, visiting the Knife River Indian Village in South Dakota...the list just goes on.

Anyway, wifi permitting,  tune in over on Talon's Tips and Tales everyday for the latest road trip reports.  If You live along HWY 83 give me a shout out and we can grab a cup of coffee.

be strong, be safe, Talon

 Eleven Most Endangered Places

The Greater Chaco Landscape includes Chaco Culture National Historical Park and many cultural sacred sites in the surrounding landscape that are affiliated with Chaco.  Over the years, the BLM has leased more than 90 percent of its managed landscape for oil and gas development.  In 2011 The National Trust for Historic Preservation designated the Greater Chaco Landscape as one of the nation's "Eleven Most Endangered Places".

Forty miles north of Chaco near the Great North Road a Sacred Site is surrounded by the industrialization of the landscape. Last week Nancy and I documented this Sacred Site and the Greater Chaco Landscape surrounding it.  The landscape is fragile.  The threat is real.  Photographs are stronger than words...

Click here to view the story 

be strong, be safe, Carlan

Meet John Wayne...yes, really!

Yes, his real name is John Wayne.  He is a "real deal" cattle wrangler working on ranches here in New Mexico.  The Southwest is filled with so many incredible real individuals. I am teaching a photography workshop at the Santa Fe Photography Workshops coming up on July 8 - 13, 2018.  It's all about making real portraits of individuals like John Wayne who make up the true character of the American Southwest.

This workshop goes beyond cowboy portraits to explore and discover the iconic western portrait in its many faces. Each day, we photograph on location to document the many different characters that make up New Mexico.  We learn to see, express, and create meaningful portraits which reflect the individuals of the Southwest.  Light, location, and moment become our daily tools.

Join me in Santa Fe for an exciting week of making Portraits of the American Southwest.  You can follow this link for more information and to signup. Santa Fe Photographic Workshops.

Look forward to our paths meeting in Santa Fe.

be strong, be safe, Carlan

Greater Chaco Viewscapes

This morning I heard from several folks who subscribe to this blog via email that they could not see the Pierre's Outlier Greater Chaco Viewscape video.  Once you think you have technology by the tail, it can quickly turn around and bite you!  Sorry about the empty window in your email.  The good news is...click here for the direct link to the video. 

You can also catch up on more of the current work directly at www.questionofpower.org.

Thanks for being with me on the journey.

be strong, be safe, Carlan

Greater Chaco Landscape Outliers

Chaco Culture National Historical Park includes more than just Chaco Canyon.  Throughout the San Juan Basin, and even a bit beyond, the whole region contains outlying great houses known as Outliers.  Energy industrialization of the Greater Chaco Landscape poses complex issues on the long-term stewardship of the land and impacts on these sacred cultural sites.

Using an aerial perspective we are creating Greater Chaco Viewscapes of the Outliers. Viewscapes share a sense of place to communicate the meaning and importance of the Sacred Sites connected to Chaco Canyon.


This Chaco Outlier is located fifteen miles north of Chaco Canyon on the Great North Road. The community consists of three small great houses, eleven small house sites, and a signal station. Two of the great houses are located on the top of a mesa called the Acropolis. The third great house is at the base of El Faro. The site is dated in the early 1100's. 

To spend time at one of these special places is a gift.  It's a place to renew the spirit and hear the whispers of people past as they remind one to pay attention.  Unfortunately, these sacred sites are being encroached upon by oil derricks and the constant clanging each one makes as it moves up and down, up and down 24/7.  How can humans know how to make good decisions when it comes to Mother Earth if we can't hear her speak?

The site is managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

be strong, be safe, Carlan