Mount Shasta

Mount Shasta, CA
Canon PowerShot SX40 HS

Interstate Five is not the most interesting drive one can make.  I've driven it scores of times between Portland and Buttonwillow and I'm very familiar with the entire stretch between Seattle and Los Angeles.  The best section is the drive between Redding and Medford.  Mount Shasta is in view a lot of the time.  I often stop for pictures of that big boy.  It's an under-appreciated  mountain.  I think a case could be made that it's the most spectacular of the mountains in the Cascade Range.  At 14,179 feet in height it's second only to Mount Ranier (14,410 feet) in height in the range.  With no peaks near it the full scale of the mountain can be seen from all directions.  It reminds me of Mount Fuji in that sense.  While it's glaciers aren't as impressive as Ranier's, it's a beautiful, moody mountain that changes its look on an hourly basis.  It's also more consistently visible than most of the Cascade peaks.

Photo selection inspired by Geogypsy's Foto Friday Fun 133, image #5047.

Monument Valley in Cinemascope

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, UT

Used the cinemascope filter on this photo for a little 1950's feel.  Kinda fun.

John Ford Point

John Ford Point, Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, UT
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF 17-40mm f/4L USM, f/8, 1/60s, ISO: 100

Jim and I are both big John Ford fans, which was one of the big draws for us to go to Monument Valley.  I watched The Searchers after getting home from this road trip and I enjoyed seeing how Ford used the park in the film.  This particular location was featured prominently.  It has since named after the great director.

Early Light in Monument Valley

Monument Valley Tribal Park, UT
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF 17-40mm f/4L USM, f/8, 1/80s, ISO: 100

I've seen a lot of spectacular scenery in the last few years.  I've taken a lot of scenic drives.  Monument Valley is the granddaddy of them all, if you ask me.  There's magic and wonder in this landscape.  I don't think the fact that the land is managed by the Navajo Nation can be discounted.

Tractor Crossing

Livermore, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF 14-40mm f/4L USM, f/8, 1/80s, ISO: 100

Who doesn't love a tractor ride?  Saw this in Livermore on Friday and had to stop for a picture.

The Rolling Toaster at Sunrise

Capitol Reef National Park, UT
Canon PowerShot SX40 HS

Capitol Reef is one of my favorite parks.  It was a one night stop on my week-long road trip to Bryce Canyon in September of 2013, and I am anxious to return.  Its appeal to me I think is in part because it's not very crowded.  It seems to exist in the shadow of the other Utah national parks.  Fine by me.

Sunrise photos are a rarity for me.  I seem to get up early when I'm camping, though.  I was just on my way out of the park to begin the drive down Utah Route 12 to Bryce Canyon when I stopped to get this shot.  This was the start of one of the best driving days I've ever had.

I always like to get a few shots of the car when I'm on a road trip.  I'm not really into cars as you can probably tell by my choice of vehicle, but the car is a big part of the story on a road trip.  This rolling toaster has been very good to me.

Photo selection inspired by Geogypsy's Foto Friday Fun 132, image #1010.

Approaching Monument Valley

Monument Valley Tribal Park, UT
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF 17-40mm f/4L USM, f/8. 1/80s. ISO: 100

Monument Valley is one of the most spectacular places I've even been.  The views don't hold off until you enter the park, either.  This view can be seen before even arriving at the entrance, and its merely a preview of coming attractions.