Panquitch, Utah and a wonderful mixture of old and new small town americana. It was a great experience to eat at the Cowboy’s Smoke House.
I was born in small town Denmark, and grew up on a farm near a small town called Sønderup in the Northern part of Jutland. The town had around 500 people and our school a whopping 7 grades and 65 kids. In total. This place was home for the first 21 years of my life. Whether it is this childhood attachment or something else I cannot say, but I am drawn to the small towns of the American south west.
There is naturally a world of difference between say LA and a small town in New Mexico just as there is a world of difference between my home town Sønderup and Copenhagen in Denmark. I still do not really understand big city life. I was born in a tiny town, I understand this kind of life and am always intrigued by how others live it around the world. With increasing urbanisation, this way of life is becoming rarer. In densely populated Denmark there is not much space left, but the US South West has plenty. There is space for old meets new, space for places where time stands still to exist right next to a Spaceport. I like to say there is space to be as mad, quirky and weird as you want to be. This I find very attractive.
There is another reason of course for my heavy addiction to the landscapes and small towns of the South West. I grew up watching many movies set there, from classic to modern “Westerns”. This whole world exists as movie escapism playing on repeat inside my head but driving around the South West, it is actually possible to escape to this world in real life. I really recommend you stop over in a few small towns if you are driving around the South West, for now you can escape with me to the Small Town America of the South West in this collection of images from our recent November 2016 road trip.
On the road near Hurricane, Utah. I could drive roads like these forever.
Panquitch, Utah. There is space and space for a pile of crap too.
Carrizozo, New Mexico. Golf buggy would be my pick.
St David, Arizona. There is often a fascinating display of a need to proclaim something to the world from one’s front garden.
High noon at Tombstone, Arizona and I’m your Huckleberry
Most awesome post box in the universe!
Bowie, Arizona and a mural at a gas station that still baffles me.
Cortez, Colorado. Burgers Boy could be my name really.
Motel 7, Alamogordo, New Mexico. No small town experience is complete without staying at one of the older budget motels (a lot of them are now renovated and have really nice rooms)
On the road to Roswell, New Mexico
Elephant Butte, New Mexico and the perfect road trip vehicle (not ours).
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All pictures shot using my Fujifilm X-T2, 18mm and 35mm F1.4 lenses.
11 Comments on “Small Town America”
Hi Bo
Cool article. I’m a Brit living in Ohio and was thinking of doing a tour of small towns out west also. They are fascinating places in their own sleepy way.
Hi Bill, thank you and yes I highly recommend a small town tour out west and explore some fascinating pockets of time!
You captured “Small Town America” brilliantly.
Thank you very much Olaf!
That’s “John Rambo” on the mural in Bowie, AZ. It’s his fictional hometown!
Haha, thank you Kevin, that is awesome. Been so long since I watched Rambo that I forgotten this is his fictional hometown!
These images actually kept me looking into them more, Great job, Would love to do this myself,
Thank you Steve!
Beautiful images, loaded with atmosphere. Thanks, Bo!
Great shot of the Burger Boy drive-in. Have eaten there many times as I grew up in the area. Really enjoy the blog and your adventures,
Thanks so much Raymond!