Ron Lowery checks
the oil in his specially designed plane after landing at the Dawson County
Airport on Monday morning. ( Alison Willhoite
photo)
(BACK)
Family gets unique perspective on Lewis and Clark trail
By Alison Willhoite
Ranger-Review Staff Writer
Many have walked the footsteps of the Lewis and Clark trail. And many
have experienced interesting episodes during their own expedition. Few
who have followed the history of Lewis and Clark have seen it from the
same point of view that one family does.
Monday morning found Ron and Sue Lowery and their son, Ryan, at the Dawson
County Airport. The Lowerys of Chattanooga, Tenn. have followed the Lewis
and Clark expedition since June 12 and they’ve seen more of it than
Lewis and Clark probably ever dreamed of seeing. From 10,000 feet in the
air, the land takes on a different beauty than most commonly seen from
the ground.
Artistic photography of the Lewis and Clark Trail from an aerial view
is the idea behind a book the three are working on with friend Mary Walker
from Arizona. “Chasing Lewis and Clark Across America” is
expected to be published in March of next year and will include the breathtaking
photography of Ron Lowery and the artistic writing of Walker.
The team conducts their mission from a two-seat, specially designed plane
with twin engines that put out 100 horsepower each. When not in the plane,
the others follow on land in a motor home.
The plane, “Cloud Chaser” was originally designed and developed
to take photos of the Congo in Africa for “National Geographic”
magazine. A view from the open cockpit offers a spectacular view. No propellers
or wings block the view of the land below, making it ideal for Lowery’s
photographing efforts.
The team started their expedition in St. Louis, has traveled the original
trail in detail across the midwest and is now making their way back after
a journey across the state of Montana. “We have had the best perspective
of Montana from up there,” said Ron. “We know it so well now.”
Upon arrival to Glendive, the team admired the beauty of “a town
quietly sitting on the river.” Points of interest that Lowery plans
to photograph include Makoshika State Park, the meeting point of land
and water along the Yellowstone River, and even the BNSF railroad depot.
“We try to show the graphic element of it all, show what has changed
and that there is still an artistic view behind it,” commented Lowery.
Photographs taken in Montana include shots from the Bitterroot Valley,
farm fields near Glasgow to bighorn sheep on a hillside, and fly fisherman
active in the river near Hamilton.
As their flying journey of chasing Lewis and Clark winds down, the team
feels grateful for having the experience and is looking forward to seeing
their book take shape.
To learn more about the project, check out the website: www.chasinglewisandclark.
com.