PICTURE THIS IN TEXAS "I-40 SITES"

Here is part of my collection of photographs featured on http://www.jlmccrary.zenfolio.com/. The photographs are accompanied by my thoughts and feelings about the photographs.

Along with the Devils Rope Museums and other Route 66 museums that scatter across I-40 in Texas, I captured some of the most intersting sites.

For starters I got this picture of a leaning water tower. The first picture show just how far it is leaning. The second is what I would consider a perspective picture much like that of the reverse view from the Arch. The last one I would consider the "class portrait" of the water tower.

Although I cannot find any proof of why this tower is leaning or even if its still in use there is one consistancy in the information provided about it. That information is consistant is that this is one landmark that appear in Route 66 picture books almost always. The water tower is located off of I-40 in Groom, TX.

Atfer leaving the exit for the leaning water tower I followed signs for about 3 miles leading me to this cross. Also located in Groom is this gigantic cross, said to be 2nd Largest Cross in the Western Hemisphere. I took these pictures via roadside.

I stopped to get fuel and did some research because I saw Bugs buried in the ground like that of the Cadillac Ranch, off of an exit one of my first times driving this stretch of the Interstate. Known as the SlugBug Ranch these Bugs are located off of I-40 on the south side of exit 96 in Conway, TX. Unlike that of the Cadillac Ranch where there is ten Cadillacs there is only five Bugs in the ground. Unlike some bugs these Bugs are welcomed in the Motel-Cafe parking lot. Upon the research of the SlugBug Ranch I found out that I was not that far from the Cadillac Ranch. The Cadillac Ranch is located off of I-40 around exit 60-62 on the South side of the Interstate.

The first thing I saw was this trash dumpster with words on it that reminded me of a certain person who would always wear his "I LOVE SOCCER MOMS" tee. I guess its more of a picture for me than it was for my readers.

Another picture for me verses my readers is this one. I love the tenth car as of now, it has an algerbriac equation that reminds me of one of my favorite teachers.

To see individual photographs of the ten Cadillacs please visit my website jlmccrary.zenfolio.com.

The previous picture shows the long walk from the dumpster and the gate to the remarkable use of vehicles that have been turned into art that like the eARTh that is ever changing.

The next pictures show all of the Cadillacs and their unique paint jobs. These Cadillacs have been painted for many causes one being pink for breast cancer awareness. The previous picutre shows the earthy colors of the ground, grass, and sky. The follow picutres everything but the cars were turned b&w so the colors of the cars really show through.
These two pictures enhanced through photoshop. These are my favorites!
* Some of these pictures have been enhanced with photoshop.*

PICTURE THIS IN TEXAS "DEVILS ROPE"

Here is part of my collection of photographs featured on http://www.jlmccrary.zenfolio.com/. The photographs are accompanied by my thoughts and feelings about the photographs.I recently have had the opportunity to get out of the truck and take some side of the road photographs in Texas. I even got to stop along a Route 66 museum located in McLean, Texas, 75 miles east of Amarillo, on I-40 & Route 66 off of exits 141, 142, & 143. I was driving along Interstate 40 and I exited to see some Route 66 history I went by a little building that had a sign that said "Devils Rope Museum". I passed it up and realizing I had a little time to spare I turned the bobtail around. The question of "What is Devil's Rope?" wore on my mind so I parked outside the little tan building. Walking upto the door I noticed that the feature in front was two big balls of what I consider barbed wire sitting ontop of two concrete brick pillars. The sign outfront answered what it was but now I wanted to know why. Which that will have to be something you will figure out once you go and stop in the Devils Rope Museum.As I walked in I saw the nonforgetable display of the OPEN sign.
The museum had displays of all different types of devils rope a.k.a. barbed wire.

What I found inside was neat. I found out what Devils Rope was, a collection of old license plates, old time bottles, along with some Texas history.

The museum had beautiful collection displays of not only barbed wire but of objects such as saddle stirrups through the ages from metal ones to the ones we use nowadays. The collections are wide spread from stirrups to walls of branding irons and mallets. I was looking through the gift shop seeing ordinary gifts like Route 66 tees, cookbooks, license plates but there was something that caught my eye and I bought one. I was looking for that ultimate Route 66 gift and I saw a box of nails. What? A box of nails! Thats what I said until I looked closer and found two digit numbers on the top of each of them.

There is a reason for this but that will have to be answered when you stop in. You can get more information such as hours of operation by going to http://www.barbwiremuseum.com/

PICTURE THIS IN ST. LOUIS

Here is part of my collection of photographs featured on http://www.jlmccrary.zenfolio.com/. The photographs are accompanied by my thoughts and feelings about the photographs.My interest in photography grew after taking a spring break vacation to the St. Louis Zoo. Going to St. Louis was my first time west of Illinois and it was a very fun and interesting time. As I drove westward on Interstate 64 and topping that hill and seeing the arch off in the distance was remarkable. St. Louis and the arch really has earned the title "Gateway to the West". The arch stands on the St. Louis, MO riverfront in the riverfront park. After taking these weird pod-like elevators to the top I got some killer photographs such as ones of the old St. Louis Cards Stadium and the old courthouse. Everything else I could get zoomed in however the roadway was so very far and distant.The reverse photograph of the courthouse and the arch is one of my favorites. The one I like the most is of the arch in the background of the courthouse and the courthouse in the background of a broken down fountain and that fountain in front of a gentleman looking at them. To me its a symbolic photograph how something big can rise from something broken.

After going to the Arch I drove around looking for the Budweiser Brewery when I drove by the new stadium being built. I was out of gas when I notice I was parked under a train bridge, that just captivated my eye. This train bridge had lines and made me think of m.c. escher picture of the stairs, Relativity. I used photoshop to make this dull photo into one that has in my opinion character.
I got to take the Budweiser factory tour, although the day was rainy and cloudy as all get out I had a really good time taking photographs. The buildings look like something like out of Willy Wonka. Eagles sit on top of corners of the buildings guarding the beer like gargoyles.I did not get to see the Budweiser Clydesdales outside I did get to see them in their stables. The facility is so huge that trolleys are used to go to the packaging facility. I also got to see how beer is made and packaged. It was a true "HOW IT'S MADE" tour, except you could sample some good old flavors as well as new ones (21+).

I also went to the St. Louis ZOO! This picture of the brown bear was taken along with others of polar bears and black bears. I love this one cause he is sleeping all contorted like I do. The picture of the elephant was taken multiple times because I wanted to get a picture looking like I was holding him in my hand. I later accomplished this task thanks to Photoshop. This one is just the one I like minus the elephant poo, cause he is standing where you can see his tusks. My favorite animal has to be the penguin.

This picture I find hilarious because the penguin on the left looks as though he has crapped himself and tried cleaning it up but just smeared it into the rock. These are in the outside exhibit while the other pictures of the penguins were taken in there inside exhibit. I could not get a picture of them swimming underwater like I did some fish in another exhibit because the penguins swim so fast. I also love this one of the hippos, they seem to be looking at me almost as knowing that I wanted a good photograph of them!

This concludes picture this in St. Louis but keep looking for picture this in Indiana, picture this in Texas, and picture this in Kentucky.