2011 Trip - Final Update
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Final Update- Oswego, NY - 0 miles, 18,721.4 for the trip

Sorry this took so long - I have been busy readjusting to living in a house, mowing lawns, weeding, etc - you know living in a trailer has its good points!

Anyway, some statistics - 111 days on the road, 102 with the Escape trailer. Mileage for the RAV4 - 24mpg on the way to Chilliwack, BC (without the trailer), 17.4mpg for the remainder of the trip. I didn't keep track of towing only mileage, but since 90% of the driving once I had the trailer was towing, I suspect 15mpg is about what I was getting while towing.

Most expensive gas - 4 gallons at Death Valley $5.75 per gallon, although the price at Lake Louise, AB was close to that. Cheapest gas - I'm not sure what it was, but I'd bet it was in Wyoming.

Highest altitude while towing - 11,158' (I 70 at the Eisenhower Tunnel), lowest 236' below sea level. On Monday, May 8th I went from 8142' to 236' below sea level driving from Conway Summit near Lee Vining, CA to Death Valley, CA.

My favorites? Well, I enjoyed the entire trip so picking out what was the best is difficult. Although Glacier is still my favorite park, I found parts of most of the National and State Parks that I loved. Some of my favorites were taken at Antelope Canyon on the Navajo Reservation outside Page, AZ:

Antelope Canyon, UT
Antelope Canyon, Page, AZ
Upper antelope Canyon, Page, AZ
Upper antelope Canyon, Page, AZ
Upper antelope Canyon, Page, AZ
Antelope Canyon, Page, AZ
Upper antelope Canyon, Page, AZ
Antelope Canyon, Page, AZ

One stop I didn't expect to find as interesting to photograph was Bodie Ghost Town:

Bodie Ghost Town
Bodie State Historicsl Park
Bodie Ghost Town
Bodie Ghost Town

I also loved the photo opportunities at Canyonlands National Park:

Mesa Arch, Canyonlands National Park, UT
Mesa Arch, Canyonlands National Park, UT
Mesa Arch, Canyonlands National Park, UT
Too Late For Good Lighting
Mesa Arch at Sunrise
Mesa Arch at Sunrise
Buck Canyon Overlook
False Kiva

 

Here are some of my favorites from some of my other stops along the trip:

Hoh Rain Forest
I decided to go back to the south shore of Mono lake to retake some images - the sun was strong enough to blow out some of the clouds & this morning the direction was better & a little more even.  And yes, the water is actually that green! Mono Lake
Zion & Moon
There wasn't a lot of color to the sunset last night, but I went with what I had.  Sunrise this morning was even worse.  Perfectly blue sky with no color at all.  I didn't bother making the trip to Horseshoe Bend.  Instead, I did laundry.  The domestic chores need to be done, and since I'm heading to Monument Valley tomorrow, and met a couple in a Casita that just came from there & mentioned that the price of washing & drying was twice what it is here, it's time. After that I drove to Cottonwood Drive to see the South Narrows, a slot canyon.  Although nothing like the colorful Antelope Canyons, it was interesting in its own way.  Very peaceful, undeveloped, and 25 miles up an unimproved road from US 89.  The road had many interesting rock formations along the way.  One thing I don't understand is how power lines that run along a road always end up on the more interesting side.  If they were planned, they would be on the less impressive side, or if unplanned & following the law of averages they would be half & half, but on almost all the main or back roads I've driven power lines are always in the way!  I didn't go all the way up the canyon - I was by myself, and rock scrambling is not a good idea all alone that far from anywhere!  Rocks Along Cottonwood Drive off US 89 After that it was off to a car wash to remove 1/4" or red clay dust and back to Page-Lake Powell Campground for dinner.  I plan to take it easy this evening & get an early start tomorrow.Horseshoe Bend, Page, AZ
Hoh Rain Forest, Olympia NP, WA
Mono Lake, CA
Moonrise, Zion NP, UT
Horseshoe Bend, Page, AZ
Monument Valley
Valley of Fire State Park, NV
Yosemite National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park Bryce Canyon National Park Bryce Canyon National Park Bryce Canyon National Park
Monument Valley, UT
Valley of Fire SP, NV
Tunnel View, Yosemite NP, CA
Bryce Canyon NP, UT
Delicate Arch
Goblin Valley State Park, UT
Kodachrome Basin State Park, UT
Mormon Row
Delicate Arch, Arches NP, UT
Goblin Valley SP, UT
Kodachrome Basin SP, UT
Mormon Row, Tetons NP, WY
Stars at Craters of the Moon
A Mustard Seed Field
Devils Tower at Night
Wild Goose Island
Craters of the Moon NM, ID
Mustard Seed Field, Kalispell, MT
Devils Tower NM, WY
Wild Goose Island, Glacier NP, MT

 

And, of course, I have to include some waterfall & cascade photos:

Tumalo Falls
Burney Falls
Tillie Creek
Yosemite National Park

Tumalo Falls, OR
Burney Falls, CA
Tillie Creek, CA
Stream at Mirror Lake, Yosemite NP, CA
Stream at Running Eagle Falls
Lower Copeland Falls
Hanging Lake Trail
Hanging Lake Trail

Running Eagle Falls Stream, Glacier NP, MT
Lower Copeland Falls, Rocky Mountain NP, CO
Hanging Lake, CO
Hanging Lake Trail, CO
Gooseberry Falls
Aux Sables River, Chutes Provincial Park, Massey, Ontario
Gooseberry Falls, Ontario, CA
Aux Sables River, Ontario, CA

That's about it. Again, I had a wonderful time, and am ready to do it again. Right now I'm getting ready for a 2 week vacation at my brother's in Nantucket, MA.

I can't end the post with "till next time" since I'm not sure how soon that will be, but you can be sure there will be one!

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Last Update: January 29, 2013