[LargeFormat] For folks in the American southwest

[Clive Warren]

At 7:14 am -0800 1/2/03, Frank Filippone wrote:
>We went in May.. clear skies and 106F... pick another time!  I had heard
>that February is when the clouds come up...and the temp is better.
>
>You must hire a guide if you do NOT want to drive your car through along
>roadway.  You may stop and photogrpah as you wish... but the road is really
>a dirt road with a lot of pot holes.  It is 1 way.... and if you miss an
>opportunity, you must go around again.  It took us 3 hours to make the
>journey ( about 16 miles).....  The road is only open about 9-5, so the best
>times the road is closed.  The guides drive at ny time and where ever they
>wish.....
>
>My suggestion?  Drive it once, in a rental car, on your own.  Scout your
>shots.  Then go back with a guide to do it for real.  An pack LOTS of
>water........

Frank,

There is another loop that is not on Navajo land but that is even 
more inhospitable than the "official" Valley route. You don't really 
have access to any shots of the well known monuments as it's off the 
tourist trail. I did it in a hire car - without the benefit of a lot 
of previous off-road 4x4 LandRover experience it would have all ended 
in tears. It's good that the hire car companies I use have at least a 
year to forget me after I return their cars....

Half way through the 15 or so miles of desert track I came across a 
serious 4x4 with massive wheels and tyres - one of which was flat. 
There were four big chaps in varying states of anxiety attempting to 
jack up the vehicle in the sand but they refused any assistance. I 
left them arguing loudly about whether to head back or carry on when 
I told them they were in the middle of the trail! I drove off a lot 
more carefully and flinched at each sharp shard of rock that crunched 
under the tyres of the hire car.....

The heat was unbelievable towards the end of May and without a good 
supply of water a flat could kill you. It would be anything up to a 
30 mile walk to find any form of civilisation and water.

As an experience it was definitely worth it but the photos were not 
that dramatic using the 4x5 camera - it was simply a complete 
nightmare to set up due to the heat and the sand. By the time you 
popped your head out from under the focusing cloth having lost half 
your body weight in perspiration, the lens was covered in dust and 
the bellows ready to catch fire :-) There again, I do like a 
challenge. The medium format infrared shots made up for it 
though.......

Cheers,
        Clive