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chuckwagon breakfast
The very best part of our time at the cowboy poetry gathering was actually in the hours before the performances began, at the chuckwagon breakfasts.
First of all, they were held in the part of the park known as Poet’s Grove. Second of all, those cowboys cooked up some damn good biscuits.
But what made it the best part of the trip was the chance to hang out with cowboys and cooks and poets and local residents and kids and grownups. It was cold (17 degrees one morning, which was why the cream for coffee froze in its tin pitcher). But it was also warm, in the sense of friendship and common respect of the cowboy traditions. And it sure was rich in photographic opportunities.
Lone Star Cowboy Poetry Gathering
Alpine, Texas
photographed 2.22.2025
cowboy/coffee
Alpine, Texas
photographed 2.22.2025
campfire biscuits
Cowboy poetry was the stated reason for the trip. And it was definitely worth it.
But, truly, the best part of the whole deal was the morning chuckwagon breakfasts. Everyone was friendly and easy to talk to, there were lots of things and people to photograph, and dammit, those were some good biscuits.
Lone Star Cowboy Poetry Gathering
Alpine, Texas
photographed 2.22.2025
harpist
We found this place the first night we were in town, and by the time we left four days later, we’d been there often enough to have a regular drink order, know the names of the servers and the manager, and have opinions on the menu offerings.
The last night that we visited, there was live music, including this gentleman who was giving it everything he had.
(This magic place: Alcove Social. But the neon sign outside says Saddle Club. Tell ’em we said hello.)
Alpine, Texas
photographed 2.21.2025
fire/light
I don’t know even one thing about the technical part of lighting for portraits.
But what I do know is that the flames from a nearby campfire provide a nice warm light for this cowboy’s face.
Lone Star Cowboy Poetry Gathering
Alpine, Texas
photographed 2.22.2025
One Day | One Image 