9/14/21
Our fires in California are still raging. Our governor recall campaign is still raging. Resistance to getting the Covid-19 vaccination is still raging and sadly, so is the virus. What better time to take off on a cross-country Library Road Trip? After several delays, Ellen and I will be packing up the Prius and heading out tomorrow on the open road to Vermont. We will make a beeline east mostly taking Highway 80 on a northernly route to New England. We will spend about four weeks at our cabin in Vermont making a few day trips to Boston to show our Public Library album and to visit friends and family.
The return trip starting in mid-October is more problematic. We have appointments to show the album to curators at the Smithsonian in DC, Crystal Bridges Museum in Arkansas, and Center for Creative Photography in Tucson, AZ. As I mentioned earlier, we also hope to photograph places connected to African American history and segregated libraries. In addition, we hope to visit places representing Native American history, libraries, and education. The big question is the state of the Covid pandemic, especially in the South. We have already altered the return trip to avoid Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas which have sadly experienced bad Covid spikes and terrible hurricanes. We will be following the news closely and skip any new spikes and hurricanes.
I’ll keep you posted as the trip unfolds. It will be great to get back on the road. As always, feel free to send any comments, suggestions, or insights as we go off to search for America. I have attached information about our Public Library album. Onward…
Library Road Trip 
I was hoping to see you guys tomorrow night at SFAI. Have a great trip. As an old yankee mind telling me where the cabin is? ox Reed
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Enjoy the open road! Let me know if you wind up around NYC, I would love to see you both!
-Allas
Hey Bob!
Very glad you put off your trip until now. I was pretty worried thinking that you would have been on the road as Delta was really spiking. Even though it’s still pretty bad in the stupid regions as you well know. Keep an ear open as you say for that return trip.
Bring a case of masks and a ton of disinfecting wipes.
Avoid dumb people.
Send my best to Ellen.
Stay safe, have a wonderful Vermont recharging vacation.
And of course, best of luck with all your appointment$.
Let’s do Point Reyes again in Nov or Dec! I need more owls!
cww
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It would be great if you could appear anywhere northwest of Reno.
Wow, where am I getting you? Nevada? Haven’t made the cross country drive in years- seemed almost normal back then. Now a good time of year- this was about the time of my first trip to COE, snow at Eagle Pass then- good luck. And good luck with the album- well-earned.
At the Smithsonian, are you going to see Shannon Perich, a Curator for Photography at the Smithsonian American Art Museum? If not, I can ask if she thinks your project is in her wheelhouse. If you have an elevator pitch, would probably help.
Off tomorrow to VT to get my photo pc collection appraised for Boston mfa. Claudia is jealous, but it’ll be a drive up, and back Friday. Hope to fulfill both of our need for a more relaxed and appreciative visit later- hope your schedule allows. Btw, when I drove to Boston in Aug, I got no bugs on the windshield, seemingly a scary harbinger of species die off. Let me know how it goes with you.
Dave
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We spent last night in Winnemucca, UT and tonight in Chyenne. It seems strange to back on a big road trip. But the country is still beautiful and those Americans that we see are still strange, especially those without masks. Sigh.
Thanks for the heads up about Shannon Perich. It would be great to a least meet her and have her be aware of our work. I’ll send you the elevator material in an email.
Good luck with the MFA. I think they would be crazy not to purchase you collection. We were hoping to see you two on our way South but we are still pretty uncertain of our schedule on the return trip. I’ll let you know as the dates get closer.
Amazingly, our windshield has been splattered with all kinds of bugs! Nature still lives on in the West, despite the fires and drought!