Memorial Day is this weekend here in the US, which typically marks the start of summer travel season.  Many of America’s National Parks can be exorbitantly crowded this time of year.  Arches National Park (above) is no exception to the crowds, but doesn’t have the nearby accommodations to handle the masses that visit Great Smoky Mountain or Grand Canyon.  The National Park Service is celebrating its 100th year in 2016, and is offering some free days to visit (in case an incentive is needed) this year.  The remaining days are:  August 25-28, September 24, and November 11.

This photograph is an older one of mine, taken in summer when things were a little quieter in Arches NP.  This is not a conversion from color, and the original is on Kodak Pan-X 4×5 film.  In the past, I made several prints from this in my home darkroom, one of which still hangs on my mom’s walls (she happened to be a few feet away when I released the shutter on this one).  It’s been kind of reassuring to know I learned the printing process correctly when I see this print on my visits, as I have replaced several color prints of hers which have not stood the test of time.

This is my addition to the collection of b&w images for Leanne Cole’s Monochrome Madness this week.  You can check out other photographers shots on her site.