I drove my Mustang over 2000 miles through California, Arizona, and southern Utah

D1984

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I realize most of these don't have my Mustang in them, but oh well. I also need a wider lens than my 19mm Sigma.

I could probably spend a whole week in either the Grand Canyon (I only saw the South Rim this time) and Sedona/Red Rock each. This is all over only a few days. A few notes for anybody looking to visit some of the places I went. Horseshoe Bend is cool, but it's a hell of an uphill hike so be careful on a hot day. Also, you need a wider lens than what I had (19mm) to capture the whole thing. And you have to sit right on the edge like the crazy asians. I didn't have the balls to do it, but I got within a few feet of the edge which is crazy enough for me since I'm scared of heights. I didn't see Waterhole Canyon or Antelope Canyon, which I had but I didn't have time and decided my lens wasn't wide enough to get decent shots anyways, and those are a whole day worth of stuff by themselves. I would recommend a guided tour of Monument Valley if you go. The haze in the valley is pretty bad, so probably winter is a better time to go. Also, since the view of Monument Valley is better from the north, the morning would probably be a good time to go. I just drove through and saw a lot, but it wasn't as amazing as I expected because I couldn't get way back in there. I probably won't go again for a very long time, would rather see other parts of Utah. Bring good hiking shoes to Red Rock State Park (Sedona) because you will want to hike all over, it's a pretty cool place and probably my favorite of the trip besides the Grand Canyon, which I have seen before so that probably affected my judgement. Mt. Whitney (eastern Sierras) weather sucked when I got there, so check the weather and make sure there aren't clouds approaching Lone Pine. The mountain is so damn high that even though the weather looked fine when I was driving along 395, it got a lot worse right at Mt. Whitney and the clouds obscured damn near HALF of the mountain. Completely ruined it for me. And the morning is DEFINITELY a better time to see it since you're facing west. And be prepared to add a lot to your travel time along the following highways because the views are so incredible you will want to stop a lot, even though it's just on your way to the different landmarks/parks: 395 (CA heading into Lone Pine along the Sierras), 89 (AZ, going into Prescott), 180 (AZ, Flagstaff up to the South Rim of the GC)

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psfracer

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Great road trip. I really like the first two shots of Monument Valley with the road in it. If I recall that was a very steep road, like 10% grade or something along those lines.

I did something similar in 1998 with my then new mustang and went to Moab, Arches NP, Monument Valley, Zion, Bryce Canyon.


I have a ton of pics of Mt Whitney as I have climbed it 3 times over the years. Lone Pine/Bishop/Owens Valley/Mammoth is a great area.
 
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D1984

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thanks guys. the worst part of the trip is having to go back to work tomorrow. i'm already planning yellowstone down to zion national park in utah maybe even later this year, i still have some vacation time left. i'll be 31 years old and i didn't really do as much traveling as i wanted in the past 10 years because of work. gotta do it while i'm still "young"
 

psfracer

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That's great stuff, I spent most of my late 20s and 30s traveling all over the western us and Alberta / British Columbia. There is so much to explore and see. We still go to Glacier MT every year as I have family in Kalispell. Grand Teton NP is also one of my favorites.

If you ever make it up to BC, look up a spot called the Bugaboos. You don't want to take the mustang though as you need to go 70 km on a dirt road, then at the trail head you need to surround your car with chicken wire so the porcupines don't eat your brake lines and radiator hoses. But it's awesome, huge glacier with several 1,000+ft granite spires that you can hike up to and climb. In my 25 years of traveling the western US / Canada, that ranks as one of my favorite spots.
 

D1984

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That's great stuff, I spent most of my late 20s and 30s traveling all over the western us and Alberta / British Columbia. There is so much to explore and see. We still go to Glacier MT every year as I have family in Kalispell. Grand Teton NP is also one of my favorites.

If you ever make it up to BC, look up a spot called the Bugaboos. You don't want to take the mustang though as you need to go 70 km on a dirt road, then at the trail head you need to surround your car with chicken wire so the porcupines don't eat your brake lines and radiator hoses. But it's awesome, huge glacier with several 1,000+ft granite spires that you can hike up to and climb. In my 25 years of traveling the western US / Canada, that ranks as one of my favorite spots.

i've always wanted to visit BC. i think it would be awesome to drive all the way along the northwestern US and Canada through to Alaska. definitely something i plan on doing in my lifetime. i would probably rent a 4Runner or something
 

50tbrd88

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Thanks for sharing. Your pictures literally took my breath away! I've warned the wife that we will be taking a big road trip out there...someday.
 

28ONE

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Dam nice photos! Sedona and the Grand Canyon are my favorite spots in Arizona...
 

D1984

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thanks guys. probably going to do Yosemite pretty soon with the car. i'm only 3 hours away so i wouldn't have to stay overnight. haven't been there in about 20 years
 

D1984

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Thanks for sharing. Your pictures literally took my breath away! I've warned the wife that we will be taking a big road trip out there...someday.

sometimes you just have to stay screw it and pack up and go. i kind of did that. i made the decision to do this trip, made the hotel reservation, packed up and went within like a week
 

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I spent a week in Sedona and area this past February, took my parents and two girls and I have to say its probably one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. To anybody who hasn't been the photos barely even do it justice. Too bad I had a rental Yukon XL and not a fun car, lots of those roads would be fun.

seeing as I suck at photos, here's a few crappy ones!















 

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thanks guys. probably going to do Yosemite pretty soon with the car. i'm only 3 hours away so i wouldn't have to stay overnight. haven't been there in about 20 years
Yosemite is an awesome place. I have driven and ridden thru there probably 8 times over the last 30 yrs. Here is a few of the last visit.
 

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