Home Driver: New York to Portland via Grand Canyon

dvdmsy · #1 Posted **Feb 11, 2009, 6:19 AM**

I was so eager to get to the desert that I didn't really bother to stop in the Midwest except to sleep for about five hours in Columbus. However, I took a wrong turn in St. Louis and decided I may as well stop for a few minutes...

To the top and through the glass...

...and from the other side. East St. Louis, Illinois...

It's beginning to look like the West. The Continental Divide and the desert can't be far. Straight through. No stopping in OKC, Tulsa, Amarillo. Oklahoma:

Finally near my first real stop. I spot a cactus in Tucumcari, NM...

Old-Town Albuquerque...

Poor old friend...

Albuquerque botanical garden...

Then into Arizona. The Painted Desert...

The Petrified Forest...

And into Flagstaff...

Finally to The Grand Canyon. No photograph can do it justice...

I'm heading into Vegas. Then I change my mind. Going through Bakersfield to I-5 will be faster. Laughlin to get some sleep...

They're fishing in the Colorado River. It was a warm, beautiful, windy January morning.

Into the Mojave. So glad to be in California...

Mt. Whitney in the background...

Mt. Whitney again, Mojave Valley, Death Valley beyond it...

I hit a bit of west-bound traffic and change my mind again. I'll go North first.

Finally to the east side of the Sierras.

My last night will be in Reno...no, no, no. From my hotel room...

More desert. The Oregon / California / Nevada border where the Sierras meet the Cascades...

Ponderosa Pine...

East past Mt. Lassen and into Redding...

Finally, Mt. Shasta symbolizes the home stretch into Portland...

Boquillas · #2 Posted **Feb 11, 2009, 10:16 AM**

Cool thread-- a favorite part of the west. Some great shots. The Painted Desert is one of my favorite places. I also love the Lassen shots. I camped there as a young kid, and I remember thinking the park smelled like rotten eggs (the sulfur springs). Very cool. Thanks for that.

BTW, I believe that's Telescope Peak on the western edge of Death Valley, not Whitney. Whitney would be beyond that, still a good 100-150 miles away.

Top Of The Park · #3 Posted **Feb 11, 2009, 3:29 PM**

Thanks for reminding me why I love the Southwest

Okstate · #4 Posted **Feb 11, 2009, 10:09 PM**

I thought the climax would be Portland. Either way I love taking virtual road trips. They're cheap & fun to play along. What a great adventure you had. Did any of the smaller cities surprise you in a positive way?

PHX31 · #5 Posted **Feb 11, 2009, 10:19 PM**

The best desert for my money is the Sonoran in southern AZ. Great tour though and nice photos of ABQ/Flag and the Grand Canyon (you're right, no picture can do it justice).

dugdogmaster · #6 Posted **Feb 11, 2009, 10:52 PM**

Awesome

Dan Denson · #7 Posted **Feb 12, 2009, 3:24 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PHX31

The best desert for my money is the Sonoran in southern AZ. Great tour though and nice photos of ABQ/Flag and the Grand Canyon (you're right, no picture can do it justice).

You got that right...the Sonoran is incredible. Haven't seen any desert area anywhere in the world that was better.

xzmattzx · #8 Posted **Feb 12, 2009, 5:32 AM**

Awesome pictures! I don't think I've ever seen Laughlin covered at all, even in one picture.

Capsule F · #9 Posted **Feb 12, 2009, 6:19 AM**

I would have spent more time in the midwest and skipped the desert.

dvdmsy · #10 Posted **Feb 12, 2009, 8:23 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Okstate

I thought the climax would be Portland. Either way I love taking virtual road trips. They're cheap & fun to play along. What a great adventure you had. Did any of the smaller cities surprise you in a positive way?

I'm sorry that I didn't stop and take photos of more towns, make it a more thorough photo journey. I have to say though that until Albuquerque I really didn't care to stop and explore (and even Albuquerque was a bit unremarkable). I have to be honest, I wasn't impressed with any of the Midwest.
As far as small cities that I would have liked to spend an hour in, Wheeling, WV comes to mind.
Mostly though, it was a sprint to the land of juniper, sand and sage.

Okstate · #11 Posted **Feb 13, 2009, 4:55 AM**

^Was Portland a visit with purpose or just for fun? I feel much the same about the cities of the Midwest (that you visited) are quite unremarkable. However, Tulsa has a decent downtown given the city (proper) has roughly (under) 400k people.

dvdmsy · #12 Posted **Feb 13, 2009, 5:24 AM**

No, Portland may be home again for a while.
Okay, here's a shot I grabbed of the Chasae Bldg. in Amarillo:

And another from my hotel room in Reno:

volguus zildrohar · #13 Posted **Feb 13, 2009, 3:46 PM**

Albuquerque Botanical Gardens?

Sounds spiny.

denveraztec · #14 Posted **Feb 16, 2009, 4:56 PM**

Love that first shot and the overall tour!