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10,000 miles. 3 weeks. Lets plan my US Trip

I went on the West side I think it was. The normal place where people go to see it. I have wanted pictures like http://i.pbase.com/o6/10/364410/1/77281309.yHvfE2IU.Illuminationsm.jpg. I have alway seen them in magazines, but wanted to shoot them myself. The lighting is amazing.


I really want to go down into the Canyon and spend the night down there and get some pictures of the Colorado River.

~Michael~

Yup, I'm almost certain that image is from the Navajo Nation area very close to the Utah Arizona border. There's a float trip from the top of Marble Canyon to the end of it that's awesome and there's many many nature trails around that area that will take you down inside. I have a bunch like that on 35mm slide film. If you go in through or with the Navajo's or Hopi's you'll be blessed and afforded a freedom to explore that I hear the federal government no longer affords from the lands they control and patrol.
 
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Thanks. I'm making a list of everything posted here so far and I"m going to break it down into each state I guess.

Should I take a gun? I"m only 19 but if I go alone, you never know? 9mm? I don't know the legal laws of each state and need to look that up. Should I consider taking out for this long of a trip?

~Michael~
 
That's what I was thinking. It would be no different than me going around in North Carolina here in the USA

~Michael~
 
MAINE

Of course there are the usual parks, Baxter, Acadia, blah blah blah..

You'll want to visit Portland of course, but if you want to see the real Maine, you need to go down east, to Eastport. Then up country to Greenville, the Moosehead Lake region - the start of Thoreau country.

Let me know when you are coming, I'll be happy to show you around if I have the time.
 
Suggestions.
Ricketts Glen State Park in PA, one hour west of Wilkes Barre. Great waterfall trail.
Beaver Creek State Park in eastern Ohio (hour south of Youngstown). Dogwood trail, old canals and buildings.
Straits of Mackinac. You gotta go across the UP.
Chapel Lake. Hour and fifteen minute north of Saratoga NY. West of the interstate up around exit 32 or so. You won't find pitcures online anywhere I suspect. Just gotta go for it.
Pymatuning Lake. Ohio/PA border north of Youngstown. There's a spillway that is gill to gill carp. You have to see it. No water. Nothing but fish. So it seems.
And camp whenever possible. I really frickin envy you. Have fun and take about three suitcases of film along for the ride. Anyone comes with you just tie them to the top.
 
JC1220 said:
MAINE

Of course there are the usual parks, Baxter, Acadia, blah blah blah..

You'll want to visit Portland of course, but if you want to see the real Maine, you need to go down east, to Eastport. Then up country to Greenville, the Moosehead Lake region - the start of Thoreau country.

Let me know when you are coming, I'll be happy to show you around if I have the time.

Portland is one I will add to the places. Thanks for pointing that out. Showing me around would be great since you, of course, would know the region more than me.

christopher walrath said:
Suggestions.
Ricketts Glen State Park in PA, one hour west of Wilkes Barre. Great waterfall trail.

I'm really going to be on the lookouts for Waterfalls. I have heard of some beautiful ones on the New England area. While in Pennsylvania, I'm going to try and make it to Amish country. A place I have heard you have to see to understand and really know what's going on.

christopher walrath said:
And camp whenever possible. I really frickin envy you. Have fun and take about three suitcases of film along for the ride. Anyone comes with you just tie them to the top.

Good thing I shoot digital :) This is one thing I'm kinda worried about. I have about 100GB left on my computer hard drive and I'll shoot in RAW pretty much all the time (since I just recently switch and now I know what I was REALLY missing). That will eat up the hard drive space. On top of that, I'm looking to upgrade to a D300 from my D80. A D80 RAW is about 9mb....looking at around 11-13MB for the D300's.

I still don't know who I would take any actually have just considered going by myself to be more relieved (Even though it would be great to share an experience like this with someone). I wouldn't have anyone pushing me or making me feel rushed. I hate that when shooting, and am used to it, but not on a once in a lifetime trip. I was talking to my dad and was thinking there isn't any law saying you just can't camp anywhere (is there, please tell me if there is). Of course not right on the side of the road, but away from the road or something. A campground wouldn't be expensive. I'd look for some KOA Campgrounds :)

Thanks for all the help so far. I keep adding destinations to my excursion :)

~Michael~
 
I think you are going to need a month (or more) to do the route you proposed.

You are going to spend about 6 days driving. Assuming you can average 70mph for the whole 10,000 miles.

You have to sleep. So say you sleep 6 hours per night. In 3 weeks you would sleep the equivalent of like 5 or so days.

That leaves you with say 10 days of doing something other than sleeping or driving.

If I was going that far I would want more time to wander around at the places I went. It's not like you can step out of your car at some lighthouse/waterfall/park/etc. and capture a timeless masterpiece, then keep on trucking along to the next stop.
 
Thanks. I'm making a list of everything posted here so far and I"m going to break it down into each state I guess.

Should I take a gun? I"m only 19 but if I go alone, you never know? 9mm? I don't know the legal laws of each state and need to look that up. Should I consider taking out for this long of a trip?

~Michael~
I believe that atleast AZ has reprocity with NC if you are license to carry. But you cant carry on the Hopi or, Havasupai reservations and, it is limited on the Navajo rez. Also if you plan on doing an over nighter in the Canyon you need to apply for a permit now for your planned dated. It is somewhat flexible if you are late getting there. Also one of the more interesting places in the Canyon is Supai Falls in which case you need a permit for the Havasupai Tribe to go in. But it is a much shorter hike to the bottom. They have horses to pack your pack in if you want also.
 
I think you are going to need a month (or more) to do the route you proposed.

You are going to spend about 6 days driving. Assuming you can average 70mph for the whole 10,000 miles.

You have to sleep. So say you sleep 6 hours per night. In 3 weeks you would sleep the equivalent of like 5 or so days.

That leaves you with say 10 days of doing something other than sleeping or driving.

If I was going that far I would want more time to wander around at the places I went. It's not like you can step out of your car at some lighthouse/waterfall/park/etc. and capture a timeless masterpiece, then keep on trucking along to the next stop.

Haven't considered it like that to the point. I was thinking 2 weeks would be enough. I can always not go to some places to save some time. Only the equivalent of 10 days for looking at stuff.

Hmmm..... :(

~Michael~
 
I believe that atleast AZ has reprocity with NC if you are license to carry. But you cant carry on the Hopi or, Havasupai reservations and, it is limited on the Navajo rez. Also if you plan on doing an over nighter in the Canyon you need to apply for a permit now for your planned dated. It is somewhat flexible if you are late getting there. Also one of the more interesting places in the Canyon is Supai Falls in which case you need a permit for the Havasupai Tribe to go in. But it is a much shorter hike to the bottom. They have horses to pack your pack in if you want also.

Because of flooding, I believe the Supai region is closed for several months.
 
Because of flooding, I believe the Supai region is closed for several months.

For several months, as in starting now and several months from now it will be closed (in several meaning like 3 or 4), so it could be open when I go in March?

~Michael~
 
For several months, as in starting now and several months from now it will be closed (in several meaning like 3 or 4), so it could be open when I go in March?

~Michael~

dunno
 
wow that sounds like an awesome plan. I have always wanted to drive coast to coast and see the big country in the west :D well I hope you will take lots of pics and share them with us :)
 
That sounds like a lot of fun. Of course I'd like to suggest a visit to the Hudson Valley (I probably couldn't give you lodging though) but that would be out of the way based on your current route outline. Also highly recommend a visit to good ol' West Virginy!! Here's a link to the album from my WV trip in August.
 

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