[FE]Well, I’m one to disagree. Thanks to the US Interstate System, you can do the American West in three weeks – with ease.
There are plenty of rest stops along the way for quiet walks & iconic shots.
You can do it differently, but it will eat up your time, you won’t see nearly as much, and you’ll have to come back again, maybe three or four times.[/FE]
In any case, have fun and scan your shots for us when you get back!
Too bad you're going to miss the Chitlin' Strut in South Carolina.
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/es/sc/es_sc_pig_1.htmlDo you have the "guts" to attend the Chitlin' Strut held every year in Salley, South Carolina? The main focus of this festival is the preparation and consumption of large amounts of chitterlings ("chitlin's") -- otherwise known as boiled hog intestines. The festival began in 1966 because the mayor was looking for a way to raise money for new Christmas decorations for the town of Salley.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/me...itlins-and-funDavid Keith Clemmons of Florence, S.C., has been coming for 22 years. And every year he has been competing for the Hawg Call trophy.
“After all these tries, I finally won,” he said.
Last year he had come in second in the eating contest by consuming nearly three pounds of chitlins.
"There are two dirty words in photography; one is 'art', and the other is 'good taste'." - Helmut Newton
There is more to the United States than the west coast.
The traffic is horrendous, and the prices are in the stratosphere.
The people are funny looking too.
The west coast is overdone photographically to the point of being cliché, over praised and again, boring, to the point of being nauseous photographically.
Picture after picture of the southwest and California can be had cheaply on the internet or at some tourist trap.
Probably, most of that coast is similar to your home.
Try the New England states, and work your way down to the Great Smoky Mountains, with luck the color should be spectacular, something you won’t see in the Southwest, and perhaps very little elsewhere.
Good old hardwood trees can’t be beat for their fall foliage colors.
I would say the Upper Peninsula of Michigan would be a good choice for color, but their color peaks in September.
Again, give plenty of consideration to traveling the New England States, plenty of beauty, and the crowds and prices won’t beat you to death.
Save the west for the last week when you’re on your way home.
Save the west coast for another time or when you’re senile or addled brained.
I don’t think there is a soul alive, who would disagree with this advice, unless they are from that area.
Hahaha
New England??? Why would anyone want to see another England? Wasn't
it those guys who deported the poor Aussie prisoners in the first place?
Wasn't it them who tried to lynch my ancestors just for helping themselves to a few of the King' sheep, and would have suceeded
if they hadn't stowed away on a ship to godforsaken "New"England. Heck,
what I'd do is drop the kids off with Vaughn, but don't tell him as you drive away. Then just show up for the kids three weeks later (optional).
Mike → "Junior Liberatory Scientist" ✌
October in New England after the leaves have all fallen... that's a beautiful time... it can be a bit muddy but it's a dry mud.
The clouds can be gloomy but it's a pleasant, even-keeled sort of gloom, as long you maintain your Prozac.
It's a great place for alcoholics, academics, and driving your Volvo into a lake or river.
~~~
What would be a really wild trip would be to follow the Presidential election campaigns around the country, it will be peaking then and the real loonies will be out in force, on all sides of the spectrum.
Why did you have to bring that disgusting subject up, Frank? Yeah, we've
probably got more than our fair percent of loonies in the West, on both
sides of whatever.... but at least the topography gives us a little space in
between! Even right here at my house, if I don't want to drive at all, I can walk about four blocks and have seven thousand acres of open space with absolutely no political signs! (But what would WPA photography have been
without a few of them?)
HAHA!! I seem to have started a new civil war... east v west this time
We have been to New England in October before - and certainly loved the colour. Went down as far as Memphis on that trip. Love those blues.
We do want to "see" some of those iconic spots - even though they are a bit touristy and so on. The purpose of the trip is not all photography - I hate crowds so there is a very good chance I won't even use a camera at places like the Grand Canyon. Or maybe just one with pixels. I know many of these places have been shuttered to death and those images are common for you guys. Not so much here in Oz though - so it is possible they could actually be quite marketable here! Certainly Lik seems to sell plenty of Antelope Canyon stuff here!
I REALLY like Frank's idea of following the Presidential campaign - a bit of Fear and Loathing '68 re-dux. That'd be a blast. We don't even HAVE bunting in this country!
Seriously though - we want to go South-West as much as anything because we've never seen some of those things. It's easy to think the Australian landscape is similar - I'm not sure it actually is. Coastal - yeah sure but we are a whole lot flatter than you guys. Our biggest canyon is pretty much tiny. Your parachute wouldn't open before you hit the bottom. But we do have a nice big rock. Of course the Kimberley region of North West Oz is amazing - and we haven't got up there yet (it's on the to do soon list as well). The landscape here is more wind carved - yours is more water I think?
I like the idea of going out of SF - Tioga Pass and then down. Seems to make some sense. I really appreciate the detailed route suggestions. Will that get me by Antelope Canyon as well? I've never driven in the States before so would want to start gently on the wrong side of road...I have been to SF twice - not sure I'm up for the Oakland bridge on day 1!
John - thx for the View Hotel tip - that's a definite I'd say. I had seen it online. Looks great. Maybe we should put together a group shoot based at the View Hotel for first 3 days of October! Who's in?
I had wondered if it was worth flying between some of the larger regional centres - like say LA to Page AZ. Then hire a car to trip around that area and drop the car back and get a flight on to say Sacramento - hire a car out of there and drive in to Yosemite for a few days. Then back to Sacramento etc. That's kind of how you'd do it if you came to Oz. Like you would not be very likely to drive to Alice Springs and Uluru - you'd fly then get a vehicle there. The drive can be done - but it'll take 4 or 5 days out of your trip and put you in some of the most isolated country on Earth. A flight from LA to Page is only like $160 each - so not the utter end of the world if it means we get more time in places we want to be. Is that idea just madness?
With respect to the Chitlin' Strut can I just say to the Mayor of Florence, S.C. - call me. I'll buy you new X-Mas decorations rather than eat that stuff!
Thanks all. Really appreciate the help and ideas you are offering.
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