Graffiti || Art?

The first few graffiti art are in San Carlos, Mexico, on old abandoned buildings. 

 

I find this one interesting because of the Roman numerals for the date.

 

I'm sure the train people are not happy about the artwork that appears on many of the cars here in the southwest.  This one is nice and colorful.

 

 

Somewhere in Nevada at a desolate junction in the desert......

 

 

Even poor trees are subject to abuse.  Most of the graffiti I see are artistic, but this is a totally different category.

 

 

 I found this one in an area that had once been a filming area, so I'm not sure if this is actual graffiti, or something for a movie.

 

 

I'm not sure where this was taken.

 

 

Heber Creeper | Heber City | Utah

When I decided to come to this area of Utah, I had no idea that there was a train museum and a ride!  Of course, I had to check it out!

There were multiple train cars sitting in the yard, in all sorts of conditions.

 

Only this one does the tour.  Not a coal burning engine, but it's still a train!  This particular train is the Heber Creeper because way back in the last century, Heber City was a farming area and raised livestock, which was taken by train down to the big cities.  It only goes a few miles an hour, and back in the day, took them almost all day to make the trip. 

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In the station where tickets are purchased, I noticed this ornate hanging lamp that was specifically made for the lobby, I probably should have asked how old it was.

When we boarded the train, I found that the windows opened only a short distance, so it was a bit hard to take shots of the scenery.  Most of the train rides I've been on provided either seats or an open-air car where it's easier to take photos, unfortunately, this one didn't have an open car.

In the car I was in, the roof was showing some age.

 

Even though this is a desert area, there are some green spots, which are dramatically green when you have been looking at desert plants and sand most of the time.

 

At one area we stopped, some old time "train robbers" boarded us and  told us we were being held up and we should raise our hands.

 

He was joined by two female accomplices.

Turns out one of the robbers happened to be a singer and played a few tunes on her guitar.

 

Halfway through the trip, we stopped for lunch at Vivian Park along Route 189, it was accessible from the tracks.  It was a lush green area with nice facilities and beautiful scenery.

 

 

During most of the return trip, the train went along a reservoir, with very pretty scenery.

 

During the return trip the bank robber would tell anecdotes and the singer sang for us.

 

There was enough wind that day to allow the kiteboarders to get out and have some fun.

 

 

 

Thompson Canyon | Sego Canyon | Utah

Petroglyphs are ancient carvings on rocks.  In this area these are from 3 different time frames and different tribes. 

It seems to me that the red ones are less prevalent than the ones just carved in the stone walls. I have not seem many of the red ones, but lots that are not colored.

Since this was an old mining area, there are a few of these old train trestle, which is how the ore was moved to processing areas.

The rock formations in the area is stunning, they make you feel really small. 

In these canyons, people lived and died, and therefore were also buried here.  There is a little cemetery that people still visit.  Graves are rustic or modern, as you can see.

Many of the stones have items, like coins on them that visitors have left.

The most modern grave is one of a Vietnam Vet who had lived in this area.

Nearby is a tree where people have left items that have special meanings.

This was the strangest one I saw and it looks like part of a vehicle to me.

Back in the mining days, the workers lived out here and I'm assuming this is a small house built by one of them.  Or it could be that it was left from some of the Indians who lived in the area.

Around the corner, this little oven has been covered to help preserve it.

This building was a store for the mining people.  Unfortunately, this is all that remains.

Next door, this building was made of wood, but has fallen down over the years.

Someone had a car out here and behind it that square looks like the remains of a refrigerator.

Another house that has gone to ruin.  This was a nice one and even had a basement of sorts, possibly food storage.