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May 01, 1998
CA, NV, AZ, UT
In May we set off on a week-long road trip. We visited four states (California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah) and travelled approx. 2500
miles! We had a fantastic time, and saw some incredible sights. America is amazing - the sheer scale of the place and the vast
endless landscapes really took our breath away. The map shows our route (as close as I could get it). Just click on a place name, in
the table below to see our photos.
(1) Our first night was spent at Paso Robles, a small town 150 miles North of Santa Barbara. The most notable thing that happened was a terrible meal at 'Smokie's restaurant, where we drank beer out of boots and John consumed 1/2 a cow! The next day we set off for Palm Springs.We rested at Santa Barbara (2) for lunch, before tackling the madness of L.A.
(3) L.A. didn't look too enticing as we drove through. It was a grey day - but we saw the Hollywood sign.
(4) We spent the next night at Palm Springs. An Oasis in Mojave Desert, where the very rich come to play golf. We sought and found the Betty Ford Clinic, but our photo opportunities where thwarted by security cameras. The best thing about Palm Springs was the enormous wind farm that has been built there. It looks very surreal smack in the middle of the desert. Oh yeah - and we saw REAL tumbleweed, tumbling.
(5) We left Palm Springs the next morning and headed for Joshua Tree National Park
(6) From Joshua Tree we crossed into Arizona and drove to the Grand Canyon but not before a plane tried to land on top off us on the highway!
(7) We went the long way round the end of the Grand Canyon, and drove through the Painted Desert, crossing briefly into Utah
(8) The next night was spent in Las Vegas. It was seedy and sad, but the hotels are incredible. John's favourite was the Luxor
(9) From Vegas, we drove to Death Valley
(10) Then up through Owens Valley to Bishop, passing by Mount Whitney, at 14,494ft the highest point in the lower 48 states. We went in search of the Palisades Glacier at Big Pine
(11) Mono Lake sits in the middle of a volcanic tableland at the north of Owens Valley. We a stopped on our way, as we desperately searched for an open pass road through the Sierra Nevada. The mountains are still covered in snow. Some roads have now been closed for 6 months
(12), (13), (14) We made our way home via Lake Tahoe, Sacramento, and Berkley (where we had an incredibly insipid Indian while listening to a jazz trio(?))
Written by Sam.
Posted by John at May 1, 1998 12:00 PM