View From the Pass: Dead Indian Pass is the highest point on the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway in Wyoming. Shown is a view of the road as it twists and turns as it drops in elevation when leaving the pass to the north. The pass is 8,071 feet in elevation and offers spectacular views of the Absaroka Mountains and beyond from the scenic viewpoint. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Coastal Landscape: A view of the coastline, Highway 1, and the iconic Bixby Bridge is seen from a scenic viewpoint about a dozen miles south of Carmel, Calif. and a short distance north of the bridge. The late afternoon sunlight gives the scene a warm glow as the sun begins to set. California Highway 1 is one of my favorite routes to drive. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
By GARY WARREN
Photographer
Formerly of Los Alamos
During the past three months we have traveled in a very different way, and I am a bit unsatisfied although the results of the trips have been positive. We have made a couple of trips to Texas in our car rather than traveling in the RV. We accomplished what we wanted from each trip, but when we arrived back home in Colorado I have had the same feeling.
These trips have allowed us to arrive in central Texas in two days rather than three or four days if we were traveling in the RV. We have taken the same route on each trip, which is one that we have taken many times because we wanted to be from point A to point B as quickly as possible. However, I have the same feeling after each trip; tired and empty. We covered a lot of miles but did no scenic drives or exploration. The travels felt like commuting to work rather than an enjoyable road trip.
I believe that is how most people travel these days. We are in a hurry to “get there” and the journey becomes a blur. I know that many who travel by vehicle have a limited number of days before returning to work or other commitments. As a retired couple we don’t have to rush to return to work, but we have other things such as doctor appointments or other events in Colorado that we must attend.
During our travels along the Interstates and multi-lanes state highways I have thought about many of the trips along scenic back roads and scenic byways that we have enjoyed during the past couple of years. Trips that led us along rocky coasts by the Pacific Ocean, mountain get aways taking us by some of the most beautiful scenery on earth, through desert landscapes, and simple drives through our country where most residents will never see and enjoy.
These past car trips have reminded me how fortunate we are to be able to travel in a way that allows us to slow down and enjoy the scenery, enjoy the small communities and visit and enjoy the various cultures and lifestyle each has to offer. I am looking forward to the next RV trip where the journey is the destination rather than rushing from here to there and returning home exhausted.
While trips in the car speeding along in the fast lane are sometimes necessary there is another thing that I miss when we must move quickly; I return home with very few photos and memories. In my case, I believe that this is why I arrive home unsatisfied and running on empty.
We are on another of the above mentioned car trips as I write this post, but I am hoping to carve out a little bit of time for photography and exploration. In the meantime, I am sharing some of the photos from past trips over the last two years featuring drives along the two lane scenic back roads.
May future trips return to a slower pace that allows us to see more and experience more as we travel the great western U.S. As for me, give me two lanes and a tank full of fuel to an unknown destination and that is my kind of travel!
Editor’s note: Longtime Los Alamos photographer Gary Warren and his wife Marilyn are traveling around the country, and he shares his photographs, which appear in the “Posts from the Road” series published in the Sunday edition of the Los Alamos Daily Post.
Carved Roadway: The path of the Million Dollar Highway was carved out of the side of mountains in several locations. The original ‘road’ was little more than a wagon trail. It was built by blasting the side of the mountains to form the road bed. The roadway features high towering peaks on one side of the road and deep gorges on the other side of the road. The highway is much wider today but it still lacks shoulders and guard rails which frighten some travelers. The views are spectacular along the route. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Sawtooth Mountain Range: A view of a portion of the Sawtooth Valley and Sawtooth Mountain Range seen from an overlook viewpoint where visitors get their first panoramic view. The overlook is near the Galena Summit on the Sawtooth Scenic Byway near Stanley, Idaho. The majestic peaks of the Sawtooth Mountains, which consist of 77 peaks in the Sawtooth Range. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
No Mans Land: Looking across this massive rocky formation reveals very little human existence except for the highway passing through. Utah Highway 12 offers drivers a chance to see country that has very sparse population in areas but is beautiful to travel through. Seen in the center are two motorcyclists as they travel the highway. Utah Highway 12 is almost always listed among the best scenic drives in America. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Long Desert Highway: After exiting I-15 at Baker, Calif. travelers have 115 miles of desert highway to cover before arriving at Death Valley National Park Visitor Center in Furnace Creek. While parts of the open road may seem barren, Death Valley National Park offers diverse landscapes and views. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
On Down the Road: A typical scenic view of the eastern side of Zion National Park, which shows pine trees, piñon trees and other foliage growing among the Navajo Sandstone rock formations in this portion of the park. The spectacular red rock country around Zion creates amazing views for travels as they drive the route. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com