Southwest Six http://www.southwestsix.com Dreaming of the American Southwest Thu, 03 Mar 2011 04:22:43 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 Remembering Route 66 http://www.southwestsix.com/2011/03/02/remembering-route-66/ http://www.southwestsix.com/2011/03/02/remembering-route-66/#comments Thu, 03 Mar 2011 04:22:43 +0000 Christopher Trott http://www.southwestsix.com/?p=109 Some of my photos from when I went down parts of Route 66 back in 2007 and again in the summer of 2010. I did not travel down every mile of Route 66, however I have traveled along parts of the Mother Road in each state it runs through. My favorite stops along the double six begin mostly in Texas, and west. Amarillo, Texas with the Texas Steak house and the Cadillac Ranch are two places I recommend to anyone that goes down the route. I hope to go out west again this year, if the gas prices don’t go too high.

]]> http://www.southwestsix.com/2011/03/02/remembering-route-66/feed/ 0 The cold canyon http://www.southwestsix.com/2011/02/22/the-cold-canyon/ http://www.southwestsix.com/2011/02/22/the-cold-canyon/#comments Tue, 22 Feb 2011 16:12:34 +0000 Christopher Trott http://www.southwestsix.com/?p=89 I met a nice older woman back in 2006, and she happened to live near Phoenix, Arizona. I took a train ride out to see her from Chicago and we hung out a bit. I then decided to try and live in the Phoenix area and moved with as much of my personal possessions that my small, red Honda Prelude could fit. On my way to see her, I went north from Flagstaff, Arizona to see the Grand Canyon. It was winter, and the wind was just as cold, bitter and sharp as any Chicago wind I ever experienced. The drive from Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon freaked me out a bit because at times the wind blew and covered the road totally. There were white out conditions at times. However as fast as the white out conditions were stirred up, all of a sudden the next minute the clear, crisp blue sky, super-dark asphalt and pure white snow were back. It was a very strange drive with quick-changing weather conditions.


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My time at the canyon rim was spent walking around and trying not to freeze! It started out as clear, and the mighty winds from the west whipped up and the cold literally took my breath away at times. In a few photos, you can actually see the storm like a blueish-grey bruise in the sky, sink into the canyon. My visit to the canyon on this day was an experience of the might and wonders of nature.

]]> http://www.southwestsix.com/2011/02/22/the-cold-canyon/feed/ 0 May you always be able to drive away http://www.southwestsix.com/2011/02/02/may-you-always-be-able-to-drive-away/ http://www.southwestsix.com/2011/02/02/may-you-always-be-able-to-drive-away/#comments Thu, 03 Feb 2011 04:51:37 +0000 Christopher Trott http://www.southwestsix.com/?p=31 This little green car is more than a VW matchbox car. It was a simple gift that a classmate gave me while I attended college. I was having mood problems and he gave me this car upon return from his family in Italy and said to me, “May you always be able to drive away from your troubles.” I was touched and still treasure this little toy car until today. I suppose subconsciously this is why I like to drive and see different things. I am not sure. Maybe I am trying to get away from myself, and things that have happened to me in the past. Whenever I drive it seems like I always drive alone.

]]> http://www.southwestsix.com/2011/02/02/may-you-always-be-able-to-drive-away/feed/ 0 Long, endless strips of asphalt http://www.southwestsix.com/2011/02/02/long-endless-strips-of-asphalt/ http://www.southwestsix.com/2011/02/02/long-endless-strips-of-asphalt/#comments Thu, 03 Feb 2011 03:24:35 +0000 Christopher Trott http://www.southwestsix.com/?p=13 What I like most about the Southwest is the journey between natural wonders. The seemingly endless strips of smooth asphalt that connects all the hidden jems that lay in the desert. In life it seems that it’s the journey between places that is the most important and what makes up most of our time, not being at the destination.

]]> http://www.southwestsix.com/2011/02/02/long-endless-strips-of-asphalt/feed/ 0 Remembering the VLA http://www.southwestsix.com/2011/02/01/remembering-the-vla/ http://www.southwestsix.com/2011/02/01/remembering-the-vla/#comments Tue, 01 Feb 2011 09:43:51 +0000 Christopher Trott http://www.southwestsix.com/?p=37 Leaving Phoenix for the last time after a failed living and job arrangement, I decided I wanted to see the VLA (Very Large Array). I first heard of this place from the movie Contact with Jody Foster. So I left Phoenix with my tail between my legs and reluctantly headed back home to Chicagoland. The sting of failure was soothed by one thing, the thought of being with my family.


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