Arroyo Seco July 4th

The population of Arroyo Seco (1,149 in the 2000 census) doubles and returns to normal over a period of four hours around the town’s July 4th parade. Most of the locals and all of the vistors cram into the three block long main street. 2,000 people, children, costumes, dogs, stilts, bunting and flags, lots of flags. This photograph was made nearly two hours after the crush; this prime real estate was three deep when the first fire truck went past.

The Taos Cow, Arroyo Seco

I had my last early morning coffee at the Taos Cow this morning; tomorrow I’ll be packing the house up before joining the July 4th celebrations in Arroyo Seco so won’t be able to get to my regular table. It’ll probably be a couple of years before I get another chance, but I will be back.

Meadow grass, Arroyo Seco

We spent the day reading books interspersed with walks around the town of Arroyo Seco and ice cream at the Taos Cow. I am not going to worry about chasing the perfect desert storm photograph any more; that is simply not what this vacation has been about, it is not the aspect of New Mexico that mattered on this visit. This trip has just been about being in Taos and Arroyo Seco, and that has been plenty.

Shadow of the Mountain, dawn, Arroyo Seco

Posted more for its peculiarity than its formal quality; what appears to be a second ridge line behind the first is in fact the shadow of the mountain cast on the cloud around it.

I am happy to say that today did in fact, finally, render some more classic New Mexico images: desert, mountains and blue sky. I didn’t get my choreographed thunderstorm with dramatic skies but there are still two landscape shooting days before our vacation ends so there is still hope.

Reeds across the road, Arroyo Seco

This has definitely not been the New Mexico that I expected to be photographing. I had expected to be capturing images of big landscapes, deserts, storms, distant mountains. It’s not that New Mexico’s geography or climate has changed in the two years since we were last here; it’s the subtle differences in the location of our rental house, my daughters age, and the dynamics of having one of their friends along with us. Instead of piling the girls in the back of the car and driving out into the landscape we have been going to music festivals, rodeos, providing a taxi service to the movies, or reading books and walking two blocks to the ice cream store. I am not disappointed, just surprised.

Maybe there will be more landscape in the remaining three open days? Sunday is July 4th and will be filled with the Arroyo Seco parade and celebrations; that should be another good opportunity for photography but not for distant horizons. July 5th we drive home. So, three days to catch a storm over the desert, or maybe three days to just hang out with the kids? At 15 we only have a couple more family vacations before they flee the nest.

Plumbing mistake, Arroyo Seco

Our day was quiet, just reading books and a brief trip to the ice cream shop, the Taos Cow. As a result of our laziness there were only two images to choose from for the day’s post. It was the shadow that attracted my eye but then you have to wonder what the plumber was thinking?

It takes three - Los Lonely Boys - Taos Solar Music Festival

By rights I should be posting one of the images that I shot today in the Taos Ski Valley but I couldn’t choose between them. Today’s images are posted in the New Mexico 2010 gallery, starting with the aspens shown in the thumbnail on the right. For the promised daily post while on vacation here instead is another shot from Sunday’s Los Lonely Boys show at the Taos Solar Music Festival.

There are more dramatic and better quality images that I could have posted here but I wanted to make the point that Los Lonely Boys is made up of three brothers and not just the two with guitars. It is the nature of things, when photographing bands from in front of the stage, that the drummer gets left out of the action. Too far back on the stage, hidden by the kit, fogged in with smoke, and blocked by the guitarists, the drummer is the foundation of the music but not the photograph portfolio. But heck, doesn’t the music gene run strong in this family!

I shot a little over 200 frames on Sunday night; that will edit down to maybe a dozen worth showing. I will leave the selection until after our New Mexico trip is over and set up a separate gallery for them on the main site rather than rushing the job and burying them into the middle of the already too large New Mexico 2010 collection.

What it's all about - Taos Solar Music Festival

The Taos Solar Music Festival deserves a separate post from last night’s homage to Los Lonely Boys. This was the most comfortable, relaxed and enjoyable outdoor music event that I have ever attended; something like having a miniature Woodstock in your backyard minus the mud and chaos, plus Mariachi. Imagine Austin’s ACL Fest at one twentieth scale where you can buy arm bands and stroll in at 2 pm, pitch your tarp 100 feet from the stage then chat with your neighbors.

Sunday afternoon’s line up, from the time we arrived, was Darren Cordova Y Calor (New Mexico Hispano star and Taos mayor!), Todd Snider with Great American Taxi (perfect singer songwriter meets jam band), Pat Green (country rock, texas style) and Los Lonely Boys. The audience was all over the map, matching the music but united at the same time. Hippies in their 60s dancing on the grass, hispanic cowboys, latino street cool, bikers, rockers, rastas and families of four.

And to think I didn’t know this thing existed until Friday! The next time we come to Taos we will be pick our dates around the Solar Fest weekend!

Jojo helps Henry on lead - Taos Solar Music Festival, 2010

How far is heaven? Not far, not far at all.

Los Lonely Boys closed the bill at the Taos Solar Music Festival tonight with an awesome demonstration of technical prowess, musicianship, energy and shear fun. They might be the best guitar group touring under the age of 60. And my daughters were in the front row, ten feet form the stage.

Young cowboy at the rodeo, Taos

By shear absence of planing we are in Taos the weekend of both the rodeo and the Solar Music Festival. Close your eyes, point a camera in any direction, and click the shutter release – you have a decent picture. Listen to your daughter playing Los Lonely Boys all week and discover on Friday night that there is such a thing as the Solar Music Festival, that it is this weekend, that Los Lonely Boys are heading the bill on Sunday night, and tickets are available; suddenly you crack the secret of pleasing a 15 year old. Now that is the definition of serendipity.

… but if she reads what I just wrote before she turns 18, I’m a dead man.