Whiting supports Food Bank of the Rockies

When I returned from my last business trip to Oklahoma, Louisiana and Texas, I had a message from Carla Wilson of Whiting Petroleum Corporation asking to use some oil and gas photographs in Whiting's cookbook being created as a fundraiser for Food Bank of the Rockies.

Food Bank of the Rockies (FBR) was founded in 1978 and serves an area where nearly 400,000 people live in poverty and struggle to meet their basic food needs. Almost half of them are children. Since 1996, Whiting has raised more than $238,300 for FBR.

For a more information on the cookbook or to purchase a copy, please contact Carla Wilson at 303-837-4225. Try some of the recipes and be sure to check out "More Oil & Gas Terms that Sound Like Cooking Terms ... but Aren't".

Magnolia Station on the Ozark Trail

As many of you know, I drive an average of 2,000 miles per week during my oil and gas photography road trips. And whenever possible, I try to take the back roads and keep my eyes open for interesting photographs along the way.

Early morning on the final day of my last trip found me in the small town of Vega, Texas at the Magnolia Station. The station was built in 1924 by Colonel J. T. Owen on a dirt road known as the Ozark Trail, which connected Vega to Amarillo and Adrian. The road later became part of the historic Route 66 developed by Cyrus Avery to connect existing roads through the main streets of towns along its path from Chicago to Santa Monica. Route 66 became known as "America's Main Street".

Art Deco Conoco Station

Another great find during my most recent oil and gas photography road trip was a restored Art Deco gas station in the Texas panhandle town of Shamrock. Located along historic Route 66, the station was known locally as the Tower Building. This combination gas station, lubrication, auto laundry and diner was designed by Pampa Architect J. C. Berry and built by J. M. Tindall in 1936. And the price on the pump was 34.9 cents per gallon. Not the lowest price I have ever seen, but darn close!

Pump Jack Graveyard

On a recent oil and gas photography road trip through Oklahoma, Louisiana and Texas, I ended up spending Halloween in Corpus Christi on route to an assignment in south Texas. While Halloween was uneventful, an early drive the next morning (All Souls Day) took me through the oilfield town of Alice where a group of derelict oil pump jacks caught my eye. I just had to stop and photograph this pump jack graveyard with all its interesting shapes and spooky spider webs.