I was standing at the side of a state road east of CA I-5 adjusting my 8x10 camera. In the distance I heard a vehicle approaching from the west. A light colored sedan pulled off to the side of the road about 200 feet from where I was. I was at the same time curious and apprehensive. A middle aged man approached asking me , ".........what do you see out there". I explained briefly that I was interested in MENDOTA, a small Ag town about 12 miles east.
He introduced himself as a former farm labor organizer and proclaimed MENDOTA to be "....ground zero for the water problems in the greater San Joaquin valley."
This was the beginning of my personal odyssey in the central valley. I believe this project is directly related to the work I have been doing in southern California for the last 4 years. I hope to continue here in Mendota to make that connection more evident.
Bill M 2010