Refuge

Highway 50 through Nevada is considered the loneliest road in America. Over the years I have driven that endless stretch of desert many times. Adventure trips to Moab’s Mountain Bike trails or Ice Climbing the Ouray Ice Park. To me this road meant fun ahead. On this trip I was pulling my art trailer headed to the Breckenridge and Durango Fall Art Festivals. In Utah I crossed over to the 70 after driving all day and I was ready for a camp site. Laura had texted me a ping showing the location of a free camp site. I exited the 70 near the Fish Lake exit and followed the GPS up a gravel road. Art trailers and gravel roads make me nervous. The art gets bounced around and dust gets in through the back door.
I passed several Motor homes bivied in the brush and worked my way around the mountain and past a reservoir. Here I encountered some very steep hills. Would my van be able to pull the trailer back up this? We’ll find out in the morning, I thought. I came around a corner and there was a lovely stream with a grassy pasture and cottonwood trees. I pulled my rig in and set up camp next to the river. That night I enjoyed an Iron Skillet cooked New York Steak and a bottle of Zinfandel in my camp chair next to the Lazy River.
The following morning I had my coffee made and the van packed before sunrise. I run A/T tires on the van for off road adventures and we climbed the steep hills in fine style. The coffee was beginning to take hold as the early morning light filtered through the trees. Glancing to my right I was startled by two Bull Elk running parallel to the van. What??? Oh my God, what a blessing. You never know when inspiration will arrive. The result of that encounter is Refuge, 36”x36” Oil on Canvas

Gallery Wrapped with 2.5" Profile. Frame is Optional