Page 1 of 3

Road trip: Finished!

Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 6:21 pm
by bakubo
Only 4 days ago we finally finished our 12,000 mile/20,000 kilometer, 12 week road trip traveling through Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, and California. Drove lots and lots of miles, took lots and lots of photos, and had a blast!

We visited Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Petrified Forest National Park, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Petroglyphs National Monument, New Orleans, Las Vegas, the beautiful California coast, Mono Lake, Sierra Nevada Mountains, and many more places! Saw alligators, sea otters, elephant seals, sea lions, bison, moose, elk, prairie dogs, and birds! Lots of gorgeous scenery! Got together with some friends in California. Photos are in the Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, California, and Miscellaneous galleries on my website:

http://www.bakubo.com

In the next post are a few samples. I didn't get around to posting any images from California, Arizona, or some other places in my earlier threads so that is what I will do.

Re: Road trip: Finished!

Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 6:30 pm
by bakubo
Sea Otter mother and baby in Morro Bay, California:
Image

Elephant Seals on the California coast:
Image

Antelope House, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona:
Image

Cedar tree, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona:
Image

Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona:
Image

Playing the slot machines in Las Vegas, Nevada:
Image

Las Vegas, Nevada:
Image

Petroglyph National Monument, New Mexico:
Image

Re: Road trip: Finished!

Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 7:23 pm
by Birma
Lovely shots Henry - I especially like the cedar tree - there is sooo much detail it draws you in and in and in. How time flies - it doesn't seem long since you were setting off. Do you get to the point where you are looking forward to going home or would you rather just keep on travelling? On a couple of your earlier threads I was thinking of posting that "I wish you never go home" but thought it might sound a bit mean :mrgreen: I'm looking forward to more Hawaii shots.

Re: Road trip: Finished!

Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 11:13 pm
by david antony
Thanks for all the wonderful shots Henry, thoroughly enjoyed.

Re: Road trip: Finished!

Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 12:33 am
by bakubo
Sonolta wrote:How sometimes I wish I were you, Henry, especially when you are on one of your great travel excursions! :!: Thanks for sharing as always and keep up the terrific work.
My wife and I have been homeless for 10 years. :) Sold the last house we had and decided not to re-buy, at least for awhile, so that we could have a lot more freedom. We travel, sometimes find a place we like for awhile (currently Hawaii), rent a place, and then when we feel like it we go somewhere else. This nomad lifestyle has its good points, but also some bad. Same as any lifestyle, right? :) Everyone makes compromises generally based on one's own priorities. Priorities often change over the years though. Someday we will settle down again, I think.

Re: Road trip: Finished!

Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 12:45 am
by bakubo
Birma wrote:Lovely shots Henry - I especially like the cedar tree - there is sooo much detail it draws you in and in and in. How time flies - it doesn't seem long since you were setting off. Do you get to the point where you are looking forward to going home or would you rather just keep on travelling? On a couple of your earlier threads I was thinking of posting that "I wish you never go home" but thought it might sound a bit mean :mrgreen: I'm looking forward to more Hawaii shots.
That tree was so gnarled and with wonderful lines and detail I had to get a shot. I processed it in both color and b&w and decided I like the b&w better.

We never had any plans, itinerary, or even timetable for the road trip. We just went until we didn't feel like going anymore. :) Of course, we weren't on the move constantly. We took a few short breaks. Spent a week in the same hotel in Orlando, Florida for a rest; did the same in Austin, Texas; and did it again in Las Vegas, Nevada. Those breaks to catch our breath for a week or so make a big difference. Other times we would usually stay just one or maybe two nights in the same place before moving on.

We fly back to Hawaii on Wednesday and are looking forward to getting back. I will also try to get more candid/street photos in Waikiki *if* my A700 survives. It has been getting progressively worse. You can read about this common Sony quality control problem and defect here:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read. ... e=30539266

I plan to take my 3 Canon mount lenses back to Hawaii so, if necessary, I can easily pick up a Canon 500D to use. After owning 2 KM 7D bodies both with defects and now this A700 with a defect I am not sure I want to buy another A700. The A700 is my favorite of all the DSLRs I have owned, but KM/Sony just can't seem to get their quality act together. :( Both of the Canon DSLRs I owned were flawless until the day I sold them. But, I like the A700 in other ways (SSS, ergonomics, etc.) in ways I didn't with the Canon bodies. I know I am just one person and plenty of people have problems with Canon gear. For whatever reason, I haven't but have had with KM/Sony.

Re: Road trip: Finished!

Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 12:51 am
by bakubo
david antony wrote:Thanks for all the wonderful shots Henry, thoroughly enjoyed.
Thank you very much! It was fun, not the first long road trip we have done, but we are ready to stay in one place for awhile, have some home cooking, etc.

Re: Road trip: Finished!

Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 8:22 am
by aster
H i bakubo,

Lot's of goodies from the long 'run-away-trip' I see! Quite a nice variety is showing in your collection which must be the natural result of a trip unplanned.

Thanks for sharing and I hope Sony puts together a camera that can survive more of your photography adventures. I'm one who's waiting for that joyous announcement of the 'certain' camera anyway... :)

Yildiz

Re: Road trip: Finished!

Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 12:01 pm
by KevinBarrett
bakubo wrote:My wife and I have been homeless for 10 years. :) Sold the last house we had and decided not to re-buy, at least for awhile, so that we could have a lot more freedom. We travel, sometimes find a place we like for awhile (currently Hawaii), rent a place, and then when we feel like it we go somewhere else. This nomad lifestyle has its good points, but also some bad. Same as any lifestyle, right? :) Everyone makes compromises generally based on one's own priorities. Priorities often change over the years though. Someday we will settle down again, I think.
What a time to sell a house! Still, like Don I rather envy the freedom with which you travel. I've been able to snatch only five days of road tripping with my wife since our honeymoon a year ago. It's hard to get more than one time zone away from home in that amount of time, but that's the minimum qualifier for a road trip when you live in Texas.

Re: Road trip: Finished!

Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 12:17 pm
by springm
"Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona:" What a sky - wonderful! An amazing trip and lifestyle, easily to envy. But I guess there are times for everything and different priorities and decisions for everybody...

Re: Road trip: Finished!

Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 2:26 pm
by bakubo
aster wrote:Lot's of goodies from the long 'run-away-trip' I see! Quite a nice variety is showing in your collection which must be the natural result of a trip unplanned.
Thank you, Yildiz. Most of the time we would wake up in the morning, get out the map, and ask, "Which way today?" :)
aster wrote: Thanks for sharing and I hope Sony puts together a camera that can survive more of your photography adventures. I'm one who's waiting for that joyous announcement of the 'certain' camera anyway... :)
I am curious to see what the A700 replacement will look like. Except for the quality control problem resulting in a defect I like my A700 a lot. After so many QC problems with KM and Sony though, I am hesitant to buy Sony again. Makes me really sad though because the A700 is the best DSLR I have had in other ways. My problem developed after less than 3,500 shutter actuations in clean conditions.

Re: Road trip: Finished!

Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 2:32 pm
by bakubo
KevinBarrett wrote:What a time to sell a house! Still, like Don I rather envy the freedom with which you travel. I've been able to snatch only five days of road tripping with my wife since our honeymoon a year ago. It's hard to get more than one time zone away from home in that amount of time, but that's the minimum qualifier for a road trip when you live in Texas.
Yes, one of the very weak points about Texas is that it is so far from any of the places I like to go. I like the west a lot and you waste at least 3 days each way just getting to some of the interesting places by car. Time, gasoline, and motel costs.

Re: Road trip: Finished!

Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 2:36 pm
by bakubo
springm wrote:"Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona:" What a sky - wonderful! An amazing trip and lifestyle, easily to envy. But I guess there are times for everything and different priorities and decisions for everybody...
The sky was so gorgeous there that I took several shots. The west, in general, often has amazing skies. Here is a vertical:

Image

Re: Road trip: Finished!

Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 3:09 pm
by bossel
Welcome back! Great pics (I guess you have one or two more ...) :D

Re: Road trip: Finished!

Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 5:33 pm
by bakubo
bossel wrote:Welcome back! Great pics (I guess you have one or two more ...) :D
Thanks! I am sort of not back yet though. We fly back to Hawaii on Wednesday. We decided after the long road trip to go back there for a few months. Giving some thought about the fall now. I would like to get back to Japan -- I go there on average about every couple of years for the last 24 years -- and maybe something else. Someday I really want to get to India. I am sort of thinking that if we go to Thailand after Japan and hang out there awhile then India is not so far away so it might be the time to go. I need to check about climate at that time of year in different parts of India though.