We all need a respite of sorts. It could be an afternoon of shopping or a long trip. We we did some travel overseas, I didn’t have a good camera or the ability to take good photos. I keep saying I started photography 20 years too late!
The trip I chose for Rusha and Bert’s challenge is our Cross Country Trip in the summer of 2013. This was to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary, and took us 3 months. I could have traveled for 6 months, but Richard is not the traveler and was doing the driving.
I’ve always wanted to travel across the U.S., visiting as many National Parks as possible. So we headed out in our 5th wheel trailer and dog, Gem. Gem is a home body, preferring to be at his house and not anywhere else. Notice I said his house! He also doesn’t like the rumble of the diesel truck engine. I had also just bought my first DSLR a Nikon D3100 which also went with us.
We chose to get to the east coast via the southern route so we could visit my cousin in Plano Texas. Here are some places we visited.
If you’re traveling on Route 66 in Arizona, stop in at Seligman. It’s a delight.
We continued through Arizona and into Texas.
The crystalized logs in the Petrified Forest National Park 
Painted Desert 
The reflections found in a Dallas building
As I looked through my pictures, I realize how much I’ve learned since that trip and that I need to make the trip again!
One of our stops was Little Rock Arkansas so we could visit Beale Street in Memphis. We also stopped in Nashville.
This pizza restaurant was amazing. If they didn’t have the pizza you wanted, they would bake it and bring you the whole pie! 
Beale St. on bike night! 
The original turntable stage from the Ryman Auditorium, now at the current home of the Opry.
Let’s jump up to Washington D.C. I really didn’t get good shots of what was important, but I did get a good shot of the Metro station!
Richard wanted to go to Times Square while we were visiting family in New York. We paid about $30. to park!
Now for Niagara Falls. How does a new photographer take a picture that’s different from all others taken so far. You can’t! But I was happy that I got all three falls in one picture!
We went as far north as Bar Harbor Maine. On our morning walk, Gem and I came upon a lobster fisherman unloading his baskets.
Let’s finish up with the USS Constitution in Boston and the Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado (summit at 12,000 ft.).
There were many more highlights during our 3 month journey. I totally enjoyed it and would repeat it if given the opportunity. Thank you Rusha and Bert for this reminiscing challenge.
Slow Shutter Speed 
Like you, I did some amazing trips before I got my first DSLR. I have many photos from those trips and they are bad photos but hey, it’s the memory that counts. Yours are nice. The Niagra Falls particularly, what a sight!
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Thanks Alessandra! Yes, it’s our memories that count. The photos, good or bad, help trigger that.
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was it difficult to narrow down which photos to share from the three-month adventure? well you did a fine job with just the right amount of photos to let us feel the altitude and sea vibe – the city and the quiet
oh and our dog, Elway, love to take care rides and enjoys traveling – I wonder if he would do well on such a long journey – glad Gem was all to go with you guys
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Prior, it wasn’t that difficult. There were others that were showable, but I didn’t have time to look for them. I’m glad I didn’t overdo it. Gem was so happy to finally be home. I wish I had a camera to capture his face. It was a look of un-belief when he realized that we pulled up in front of our house.
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Oh that sounds so cute to see Gem coming home
– and you know Anne – I think I feel that way when I come home too! I don’t have a tail to wag – but one of my favorite parts of a getaway is when I can come home and appreciate my bed and all that
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Beautiful photos. I would love to go away for 3 months, 2 weeks all I get off from work!
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Thanks Sofia! When you retire you can take 3 months! Do it before you’re too old to do it.
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😀
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Wonderful selection.
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Thank you Rupali!
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What a fabulous journey! I love that Metro shot. I’ve taken a few of the DC Metro and they don’t look nearly as good as yours.
We’ve spent our time mostly traveling the western U.S., but your shots of the eastern states make me want to reach out in that direction.
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Thanks John! The eastern states have the history, but we have the mountains!
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Great photos and quite the trip you took.
My favorite is of Seligman. That town will always have a place in our hearts. We found ourselves in Seligman on our 40th wedding anniversary and had our anniversary dinner at the Sno Cap Drive In.
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Having your anniversary dinner at the Sno Cap Drive In is just about our speed. What a wonderful celebration!
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Such interesting and beautiful pictures from all around the U.S. Thanks for sharing.
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Thank you and you’re welcome Kathy!
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Thanks for sharing your adventure. I only drove across the country during our move from New York to California. And that was five days only stopping for the night. It is nice to see how far your photography has come, but your first attempts showed off the promise of images to come!
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Thanks Marlene! The first time we drove across the country, we did it in three days!
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Prior, I was happy to be home! When we crossed into California on Highway 80, I yelled to Richard to stop the truck. He asked why. I said I wanted to kiss the ground! I love California.
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A terrific tour of many of the US’s most interesting places – and a wonderful variety too Anne. I’m sure the trip was great and that you have lots of wonderful memories. Our next door neighbors chose this year to drive for 3 months across the U.S., visiting the national parks and interesting sights along the way. They’ve been hit with incredibly high temperatures and huge crowds – clearly this was NOT the year for such a getaway! Your timing was far better 😊
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Dear Tina,
that’s the problem of travelling, everywhere it’s overcrowded. When it just was chosen by most of the travel journalists as the best road you can travel we drove the MC500 along the Scotish north coasts. It was great, but we did it 3 years later again on our way to the Orkneys. We were shocked. Anazing dense traffic of motorhomes, bikes and cars, no fun anymore. That happens everywhere.
All the best
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
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Thanks Tina! Everyone needed a getaway this year. We left in June and came home in September so we did travel through the summer. New York City was the worst. So humid and hot. Most interesting was talking with people and realizing the differences in various areas of our country.
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Wow, what a beautiful getaway series, Anne! A great shot of the DC Metro Station, so are the Niagara Falls,….
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Thanks Amy! That Metro shot was one of my first good ones! By the time we reached Niagara Falls I had practiced a lot.
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Wow, I would love to spend three months driving cross-country in the US! we’ve had some wonderful road trips there but none longer than three weeks, constrained by budget and work responsibilities. We are now talking about doing Rte 66 some time soon, possibly next year, but that would probably be just a four week trip or maybe a little more. Your route looping through the south sounds fantastic!
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Sarah, it was a wonderful trip. I’d love to do it again.
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