richiecdisc's VirtualTourist Home Page

Seattle sits as some alternative city of the future only the Twilight Zone could muster. With a 1950s B-movie sensibility, the caffeine-infused town combines a cluster of quirky neighborhoods around a modern spacy downtown more befitting of its corporate savvy image ala Microsoft and Starbucks. The city's real assets however have little to do with its entrepreneurial success, with water and mountains hemming it in and no less than three National Parks within a few hours drive. A smirky self-confidence pervades a populace consistently rated most literate in the US, but what else can you expect from a city surrounded by such natural splendor. For make no mistake, despite a constant winter drizzle and an active volcano on their horizon, Seattle is one of the most desirable places to live in America and a city very much on the cutting edge of the future.

Mount Rainier National Park has many other attractions though you are never far from being in the shadow of its namesake peak. The dense forest that blankets the foothills of the massive one is a lush old growth wonder. It's easy to get lost in its beauty when the majestic peak is hidden in clouds. Plunging waterfalls dot the landscape, lacking notoriety only due to their proximity to the overwhelming sight that is Mount Rainier. Profuse wildflower displays steal some of the stage in spring but make no mistake, they thrive in the climate made by The Mountain and are mere colorful garnish to its glistening awe-inspiring presence. A visit to the Pacific Northwest is not complete without seeing Mount Rainier.

Despite all its physical beauty, Oregon is a state that is often overlooked. When people go west, young man, it's normally to the golden state of California. Too expensive, lacking adventure? Washington fills the void. But there is Oregon, squashed between the two, lucky to lure transients from one to the other, speeding on its Interstate. Its rugged coast garners its fair share in transit but exploration of the state as its own entity is still lagging. It's not for lack of scenic treasures. Aside from its admittedly gorgeous coast, Oregon boasts a strong candidate for the most stunning lake in the world, a myriad of pretty waterfalls set in lush temperate rain forest, an iconic mountain peak, a hip alternative city, and even a vast desert. Sound like Washington? It should but subtract half the people and you will soon wonder why you are not one of them.

The Mount Hood region of Oregon is one that could have easily gone the way of a National Park but sits rather as an example of a scenic area with a more recreational slant to it. This can be viewed as good or bad depending on who you ask. While it is more developed than perhaps it would be if given National Park status, it retains a bit of a national anonymity with it being mostly a playground for Oregonians. Locals surely enjoy its many use configuration with it being popular year round. Who can blame them, with it being a 90 minute drive from the state's biggest down. Missed by many tourists intent on rushing up the state's admittedly gorgeous coast, this splendid alpine region is well worth the effort take at least a peek at. You will not only see some splendid nature but also see first hand the people of Oregon robustly enjoying their home state.

Oregon was no disappointment after California. It has one of the world's most beautiful lakes at its only National Park and its coast is also justifiably held in awe by those who venture there. Details below:

Crater Lake Page 42

Oregon Coast Page 43

Silver Falls State Park 44

Portland Page 45

After weeks of exploring the deserts of the Southwest, we finally made it to the Pacific. The trip up the coast began but we did some detours to backpack in the Sierras.

Hollywood Page 33

Santa Barbara Page 34

Big Sur Page 35

San Francisco Page 36

Yosemite National Park Page 37

Bodie Page 38

Sequoia and King's Canyon National Parks Page 39

Mendocino Page 40

California Page 41

After the ten days of driving west, we found ourselves way over budget so it was time the real adventure began. We camped for the next 60 nights straight!

White Sands National Monument Page 11

Chiricahua National Monument's Page 12

Saguaro National Park Page 13

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Page 14

Arizona Page 15

Grand Canyon Page 16

Zion National ParkPage 17

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park Page 18

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Page 19

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Page 20

Bryce Canyon National Park Page 21

Kodachrome Basin State Park Page 22

Capitol Reef National Park's Page 23

Goblin Valley State Park Page 24

Canyonlands Page 25

Arches Page 26

Utah Page 27

Mesa Verde National Park Page 28

Canyon de Chelly National Monument Page 29

Monument Valley Page 30

Valley of Fire Page 31

Las Vegas Page 32

Six month trips don't grow on trees and as I get older I realize that more and more. The last one occurred for us last summer when we drove, camped, backpacked, hiked, drank, and ate our way around the USA. We took about 18,000 photos, 4,000 of which are edited and ready to post. Don't worry, I'll never get around to posting all of them but will try finally to post some, along with a few stories of our adventure.

Please follow along with our grand tour of the USA:

Ybor City. Page 1

Destin, FL Page 2.

New Orleans Page 3

Memphis Page 4

Little Rock Page 5

Oklahoma City Page 6

Cadillac Ranch Page 7

Taos Page 8

Santa Fe Page 9

New MexicoPage 10