When I first encountered Alex Haley’s work, particularly his groundbreaking book Roots, I was struck not just by his ability to weave a powerful narrative, but by the humanity that pulsed through his storytelling. His famous quote, “Find the good in people and tell it,” resonated with me deeply, planting a seed that would eventually grow into the Stories section of my website. Haley’s words became a guiding light, inspiring me to look beyond the surface of the people I meet and seek out the beauty, resilience, and kindness that often go unnoticed. I wanted to honor his legacy by crafting tales that celebrate the goodness in others, sharing moments of light that might otherwise remain untold.
Find the good in people and tell it – Alex Haley
For me, writing stories isn’t just about entertainment—it’s about connection. Alex Haley showed me that a story can illuminate the best parts of us, even amidst struggle or imperfection. With every piece I write, I strive to embody his philosophy, digging into the lives of everyday people to uncover their quiet heroism, their generosity, or their unyielding spirit. Whether it’s a neighbor who uplifts their community or a stranger whose small act of kindness ripples outward, I aim to capture these sparks of good and share them with you. Through my Stories section, I hope to echo Haley’s belief that by telling the good, we not only inspire others but remind ourselves of the shared humanity that binds us all.
A Night of Triumph: Emily “Suzi Uzi” Mathews and the Roller Derby Dream
There are moments in life when you look at your child and realize they’ve become something extraordinary—not just to you, but to the world around them. For my wife Kay and me, that moment came in the summer of 2010, inside the sprawling Oklahoma City Myriad Arena, where our daughter Emily Mathews—known to the roller…
Fast Bike, Slow Shutter: A Ride on my BMW F800ST with the Mamiya RB67
It was early March 2025, a few weeks before my Oklahoma Youth Expo escapade, and I was carving my way back from a work trip in McAlester, Oklahoma, on my BMW F800ST. The motorcycle hummed beneath me, a sleek speed demon eating up Highway 9’s asphalt with every twist of the throttle. After a long…
Dust, Kids, and Kodak: A Day at the Oklahoma Youth Expo Livestock Show
The Oklahoma City Fairgrounds buzzed with energy as I stepped into the show barns, my 1974 Mamiya RB67 Pro-S slung over my shoulder. It’s a beast of a camera—solid, mechanical, and brimming with character—just the kind of tool I love for capturing portraits on film. I’d been dreaming about this day for weeks, the Oklahoma…
Rain, Rossi, Hayden, and Stoner: Our Accidental MotoGP Odyssey
In February 2008, Kay and I escaped the cold of an American winter for a three-week vacation in Australia, where summer was in full swing. We landed in Sydney, picked up a rental car, and drove south along the coast toward Melbourne. The trip was meant to be a mix of sightseeing and relaxation—beaches, wildlife,…
Dragging a Dinosaur Down The Dragstrip
There comes a time in every photographer’s life when you look at your perfectly competent, modern gear and think, “This is too easy. I need to make my life harder.” For me, that moment arrived last year when I decided to photograph drag racing—not with my trusty Nikon Z9, a camera that spits out 20…
Using a Vintage Camera to Photogragh Vintage Racebikes
There’s something reassuring about machinery that’s older than your favorite leather jacket yet still stubbornly refuses to retire gracefully to museum quietude. Take, for example, my recent adventure: I loaded up my vintage Mamiya RB67—a camera so large, heavy, and mechanically robust it could double as a motorcycle lift—and pointed my Chevy truck toward the…
The Pentax 67: My Boat Anchor of Joy
There I was, trudging through the Oklahoma plains with my Pentax 67 strapped around my neck like some medieval penance device. This isn’t a camera—it’s a relic, a hulking beast of 1970s engineering that handles like a Nikon F3HP on steroids but weighs as much as a boat anchor fresh off the Titanic. I swear,…
Chasing Smallmouth Bass in the Kiamichi Mountains
Nestled in the rugged folds of the Kiamichi Mountains in southeast Oklahoma lies a hidden paradise for anglers like me—dozens of small ponds teeming with smallmouth bass. These waters, scattered across the Honobia Creek and Three Rivers Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), offer some of the most thrilling and solitary fishing experiences you’ll find anywhere. With…
Mount Olivet Cemetery: The Final Big Top for Circus Legends
Nestled in the quiet town of Hugo, Oklahoma, Mount Olivet Cemetery is no ordinary resting place. Known as “Circus City, USA,” Hugo has long been a haven for the colorful characters of the traveling circus, and its cemetery reflects that legacy with a section called “Showmen’s Rest.” Marked by granite posts topped with elephant statues…
Angels Among Us: The Vital Work of CASA Volunteers
Across the United States, children in foster care—from toddlers barely walking to teenagers on the cusp of adulthood—face devastating upheaval. Their lives are torn apart through no fault of their own, often by family breakups rooted in abuse, addiction, or neglect. Physical beatings leave visible marks, emotional neglect carves invisible scars, and, most shattering of…
The 2017 American Trail Race: Grit, Gravel, and Two Italian Brothers
Back in the summer of 2017, a wild idea took root in the world of bikepacking: a coast-to-coast bicycle race across America, not on smooth pavement, but on the rugged, dirt-and-gravel spine of the Trans-America Trail (TAT). The American Trail Race (ATR) was born that year, a self-supported ultra-endurance challenge that sent 13 riders pedaling…
Indians, Saddlebags, and Swamps: A Relaxing Week Riding Through East Texas
It all started with a brainstorm between Bill Dragoo and me. We had the grand idea to write a magazine story about riding Indian motorcycles through the fall foliage of East Texas. With our pitch polished and our enthusiasm high, we approached Indian Motorcycles of Oklahoma, who were more than happy to provide us with…
Photographing Linemen in the Oklahoma Panhandle for Oklahoma Living Magazine
One winter, I packed up my gear and headed to the far western reaches of the Oklahoma Panhandle on assignment for Oklahoma Living Magazine. My task? To capture the daily work of linemen from the Tri-County Electric Cooperative (TCEC) as they maintained and repaired power lines across the vast, open landscapes of the Panhandle. If…
Shooting Kodak Black & White Film During the 2014 OKC Thunder Playoffs
In the spring of 2014, Oklahoma City was electric with playoff energy. The Thunder were deep in the postseason, and downtown was packed with fans celebrating outside the arena before the game. Sensing an opportunity to capture the excitement in a different way, I grabbed my Toyo VX-125 4×5 large format camera and my Pentax…
Sunset, Country Tunes, and a Dash of Luckenbach Magic
If there’s one place on earth where you can say “Howdy” to a stranger, then discover you’re basically best friends by the end of a country ballad, it’s Luckenbach, Texas. My wife Kay and I recently put on our cowboy boots—figuratively speaking, since Kay has an impressive collection of sandals with just the right amount…
The Heartbeat of Small-Town America: A Nostalgic Look at the Family Atmosphere at a Rodeo
There’s something timeless about the family atmosphere at a small-town rodeo – in this case, the Choctaw Round-Up Club Rodeo. It’s a scene that has played out for decades across America, where the spirit of community and tradition comes alive under the open sky. As the sun begins to set, families gather at their horse…
The Unsung Heroes of the Rodeo: The Dangers and Bravery of Bullfighters
I returned by my roots Saturday night – I went to the Choctaw Round Up Club Rodeo. I grew up riding horses and competing in rodeos, roping, and playdays on horseback. I mostly roped cows and steers, but did a bit of saddle bronc riding, my favorite event. I have been wanting to attend a…
Oklahoma Living Magazine May 2019 Cover & Feature Story
A few weeks ago I photographed electrical linemen in Norman and Stigler Oklahoma for a feature story and cover for the May 2019 Oklahoma Living Magazine.
Dirt Fever – Glen Sinclair
I originally wrote this story for Ride Oklahoma in February 2009. In the early 1970’s Glen Sinclair was very involved in dirt bike racing. He hung out with the likes of Jack Penton and Dick Burleson. “I would build the course and they would come and ride it” laughs Glen. “I also know Ralph Royce…
Mount Ida Little Rascals
My good friend Bill Dragoo and I were recently riding our BMW motorcycles through north central Arkansas while on assignment for a motorcycle travel story. Our goal was to find the “twistiest” roads in Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas. Highway 123 near Mount Ida certainly qualifies. As we rolled out of the switchbacks and into Mount…
