Road Stories

I felt a little guilty. Even though I was working, gathering photos of Joel Nelson for Ryan Bell’s article about the cowboy and poet (see our November issue), the day was incredibly relaxing.

Joel and I met well before sunrise and worked on portraits in the cool morning air. After that, we saddled up and rode deeper into his pasture east of Alpine, Texas, and checked on his cows and a new water well. Next, we trailered to another pasture and gathered a handful of Corriente cows and calves. Joel’s wife, Sylvia, joined us. I continued taking photos from the saddle as the Nelsons loaded the cattle into a stock trailer.

Everything about the way Joel works cattle is serene. He takes his time, gently manipulating his cows in the direction he wants them to go. The cows were transported with little stress. Joel’s horse worked with ease and rhythm. There was time to enjoy the green grass, blue skies and rugged desert hills on the horizon. There was time for me to take a deep breath, slow down and see why Joel Nelson has been drawn to his cowboy occupation for decades; to understand how he so passionately composes his poetry.

“So you photograph nature and people,” she said excitedly. The lady working behind the counter, named Melonie, continued chatting with me as she made arrangements for my overnight stay in a vintage Airstream travel trailer. “This is going to be an interesting place to sleep tonight,” I thought.

Paisley is a small, remote town in southern Oregon. Logging and ranching have been its main industries throughout its existence, but sadly the community is shrinking. That means no hotels, except for a tiny three-room lodge that was surprisingly booked full when I arrived. That’s what led me to the Airstream.

The Summer Lake Hot Springs is an RV park five miles north of town. It has plenty of RV hookups, hiking trails, cabins, public restrooms and, of course, an old sheet-metal barn that houses natural, warm, healing artesian springs. I pulled into the gravel drive, weary from a long trip. After driving past a few totem poles, I read a sign outside the office that said, “Respect this sacred land.” Inside, I was greeted by a painting of an oriental woman meditating in the lotus pose, a three-legged cat, and Melonie.

Melonie told me the cabins were already booked, but I could stay in one of the refurbished travel trailers. She added that a group of bikers thoroughly enjoyed hanging out in the Airstream whenever they rolled through the region. Despite the rave reviews, I had to inspect the mobile living quarters myself.

Now, I’ve stayed in a lot of different places in my travels besides the cushy confines of a Holiday Inn. I’ve slept in guest houses, living room couches, bedrolls, tepees, horse trailers, a bunk-bed (top level), and even the front seat of my pickup. But a chrome-colored trailer on the Oregon range was a first for me.

“You must have good karma to have dropped into such a healing place,” Melonie said.

I had a photo shoot scheduled in town that evening and didn’t get back till after dark. Another photo shoot had me stepping out of the Airstream at 4:30 a.m. I never had the time to soak in the hot springs. But I must say, my brief stint at Summer Lake Hot Springs was the best night’s sleep I got the whole trip. It was groovy.

From left, Dan Noyes, Lyle Jordan, Marc Brogger and Roland Moore.

We’ve received many comments on the January feature “Cowhands of the CA.” The story is about four day-workers who have kept the historic CA Ranch in operation for the past 15 years. They work hard for cheap pay, and their skills as cowboys and stockmen are a great benefit to this Montana outfit.

Photographing and interviewing these men (Marc Brogger, Lyle Jordan, Roland Moore and Dan Noyes) was a great experience for me. These cowboys love what they do and are willing to sacrifice their time and many comforts in order to help preserve a piece of the West they believe in.

I watched them sort cows all day in the cold, snow and mud. The following day, I rode along as they gathered cattle in the mountains. Brogger talked a lot about how he enjoys working alongside his friends and working for Frank Anderson, who manages with a laid-back style and works just as hard as any man he hires.

It’s cliche to say that men like this are a dying breed. But I will say this: they’re getting harder to find. And I think it’s up to you and me to fill their shoes.