Cinder Cones

Volcanic cinder cones of have always been a part of my understanding that the earth has had a history of volcanic activity. I’m from Arizona and I’ve spent quite a bit of time in Hawaii. There were times while I was walking about in the cinder cone fields, it appeared to look like cinder cones of Arizona, thousands of miles away. My observation is personal, there is no scientific lean on what I’m posting here. 

My time spent in the outdoors in Arizona and Hawaii have some common experiences and the cinder cone fields ave been a part of that. Volcanic cinder cones of have always been a part of my life. I play in them, cross them in my car, study and photograph them. I’ve camped in and around them, froze and blistered by the sun while walking and flying over them.

I learned to fly in the smooth ocean of air in Hawaii. When I returned home to Arizona, I nearly had to re-learn to fly, again. The smooth laminar flow of the ocean air was a delight. Very little mystery in understanding its movement. But in Arizona, the air boils in comparison. Yes, the air does flow however it is broken up with bubbles of ascending thermals as well as columns of rising air. Savage swirling tubes of entrained dust that we call dust devils. 

The cinder cones, Sheba and Merrium crators were two that I flew extensively. I’ve risen ten thousand feet above them and have hunted invisible standing or stationary waves out in front of them. Cinder cone fields have always fascinated me whether I’m on the ground walking around photographing Native American Pueblos or flying high above in my hang glider. I find these areas truly awe inspiring.