One of the Things I Miss about Portland: Part 1

As September rolls to a close... for two years in a row, Alexis and I (along with her son Justice) walked with the elephants from their last performance at the circus in the Rose Garden at dusk as far as we could to the train that would take them away to the next city. There was something magical about strolling alongside of these animals as they held each other trunk to tail kicking up the dust that surrounded us. When I encountered Bruce Davidson's photographs earlier this year, I knew they had to memorialize this event that was so special to do my last two Septembers in Portland. These images are for that memory that unfortunately seems like so long ago.


Bruce Davidson, Clyde Beatty Circus, 1958


Bruce Davidson, Clyde Beatty Circus, 1958


Bruce Davidson, Clyde Beatty Circus, 1958


Bruce Davidson, Ringling Bros Circus, 1965
[This image above most reminds me of our experience given that we were walking with the elephants under the interstate. No one was riding them though.]


Bruce Davidson, Ringling Bros. Circus, 1965