This is a great photo by Alec Soth (rhymes with 'both'), titled "Desire to Run Away". I depicts a school bus and a horse out in the middle of a large, relatively barren field. The terrain is much like flat parts of New Mexico and West Texas, but it is not clear where it was taken. The sky, half of the image, is grey and overcast with only patches of light. This image is one of a series he produced over a 5 year period documenting American hermits. These isolated loners have created homes in many rugged, remote settings across the country. This particular one struck me because an old school bus is the classic vehicle for nomadic adventure. A furnished cave just doesn't meet the same need.

To me this represents the splendid isolation of the Western plains. I have criss-crossed the West since the 70's, and just love to be in the wide open spaces between cities. It provides the comforting illusion of freedom in the world. It would be hard to live like this, but the dream of getting away from it all flares up often. Just knowing it is possible helps keep the urges at bay.