The alluring emptiness of the open road

Traveling the historic Santa Fe Trail, a Kansas photographer finds less is more

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Along the Santa Fe
(Image credit: (Max Mikulecky))

(Image credit: (Max Mikulecky)Today, the old trade route, commemorated by the National Park Service, is known as the Santa Fe National Historic Trail. The two-lane highway roughly follows the path's origina)

(Image credit: (Max Mikulecky))

(Image credit: (Max Mikulecky))

(Image credit: (Max Mikulecky)More than a century ago, it would take pioneers in stagecoaches weeks to travel the dangerous trail. Today, Mikulecky can cross the state in a day, zipping across burial sites)

(Image credit: (Max Mikulecky)"Originally, the project was meant to focus on these towns and the people who occupied them," he said. "But through a combination of my shyness and traveling through while most)

(Image credit: (Max Mikulecky))

(Image credit: (Max Mikulecky))

(Image credit: (Max Mikulecky)To see more of Max Mikulecky's work, check out his website or follow him on Twitter and Instagram.)

Lauren Hansen
Lauren Hansen

Lauren Hansen produces The Week’s podcasts and videos and edits the photo blog, Captured. She also manages the production of the magazine's iPad app. A graduate of Kenyon College and Northwestern University, she previously worked at the BBC and Frontline. She knows a thing or two about pretty pictures and cute puppies, both of which she tweets about @mylaurenhansen.