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Took off and drove all night to the north west corner of New Mexico Thursday night after work. Took 16 hours to get there. Arrived there around 11:30 am. Since I refuse to shoot during the bad part of the day, I slept in the car and waited there until 5 pm. Then finally sunset was approaching so a hiking I went.
This was my second time there. I had to go back since I didn’t get very many good shots my first trip out nearly 3 years ago. Stayed there shooting til the sun went away, then drove all the way back to Dallas. I didn’t wake back up til noon today. Pretty beat right now still. It’s getting harder for me to do these marathon type trips with very little sleep. All this effort just to shoot at sunset.
Well I drove back the following weekend since I could not find the area called the “Egg Factory“, and thank God I did. Turned out great, but with a price.
Storms were all around. Waited out two of them in the parking lot. Saw another one coming so I got to hiking so I could set up the tent. This was 4 pm. I find the egg factory area and set up the tent. Wind was a nightmare. I was being pounded by sand storms. (rain goes around me)I finally get the tent set up and throw all the gear inside.
I take the camera and start shooting and exploring other areas. Sunset is coming so I head back to the camp area and start shooting the egg area.
6:30 and another storm is coming up right on me. I am shooing furiously to get as much light as possible. I look over at my tent area and it has been mangled by the wind. The ground is too soft for the stakes and the only thing keeping it from hauling ass across the desert is the weight of the gear inside. I have to stop shooting and fix it before the storm hits. The poles are all bent. I try and straighten them out and get the tent anchored down again placing heavy rocks all around it. It’s starting to rain and the light is gone. I am pissed. I take cover inside and wait it out.
7:15 and the storm is over. I get out to see what I can do. I look to my west and see a possibility of clouds breaking for the perfect light that 7:30 brings. I pray and ask God to do so. And the clouds break. I shoot non-stop as another storm is coming up over the ridge behind me again. I was shooing all this time until 9pm and the light was gone. But I got some great shots with dramatic lighting. Dead tired I hit the sack as the last storm is coming up. I eat some food and fall asleep.
Wake up at 4:30 am and start taking my night time shots. Wait until sunrise at 6 am and start shooting again till 8am. Finally get back to camp and pack everything up. I am dead tired and I eat all the food I have left, slam some water and dump the rest to lighten my load for the hike back to the car. Two hours later I am at the car and drive straight back to Dallas. Made it back to Dallas at 11:30pm
Here are the GPS coordinates for the area called the egg factory for anyone else who wants to go there someday.
36°16’02 ” N, 108°13’26 ” W