Forrest Gump

This is Highway 128 near Moab, UT; it is a Utah Scenic Byway, runs right along beside Colorado River; goes for about 45 miles, every inch of it beautiful; many movies have been filmed in this area; remember when Forrest Gump decided to run across the US? Remember when he finally stopped and said "I think I'll stop now"; this is the stretch of Highway 128 where that scene was filmed

Open Range

In lots of places out west, there is open range land; cows and horses are free to roam wherever they want, such as right beside (or in) roads; no fences to hold them in; signs warn drivers about open range areas; you really do need to be careful and watch out for animals

Part of Monument Valley

Riley does not seem to be impressed; all he wants is for me to let him off his leash!

Toyota Commercial

The area between Moab, UT and Monument Valley, AZ has long been a region where many movies and commercials have been made; while Riley and I were taking a hike here in Monument Valley, they were filming a Toyota commercial; funny thing, most all of the trucks that the film people were using were Fords!

Monument Valley, AZ

Monument Valley is entirely within the Navajo Indian Reservation, which is mostly in AZ, but also in parts of UT and NM; it is largest reservation in US, about size of West Virginia! The rock formations are huge; there is a 15 mile loop road running through the valley; extremely rugged road, hills, rocks, potholes; rarely can you get above 10mph; I needed four wheel drive in several places; my truck will never be the same! It took me and Riley about 3.5 hours to make the loop

Cottonwood Tree

All throughout the west, there are these beautiful trees called Cottonwoods; they are found usually around streams or rivers, even in small desert gulches with some running water; they are brilliantly deep yellow this time of year, very beautiful, particularly when there are a bunch of them together

Delicate Arch in Arches NP

That is me under the arch! It was a rugged 1.5 mile hike, up the whole way, to even get here; I wanted to be here at sunset; started hike at 5:50PM and only had short time before sun went down; huffing and puffing, I made it in about 30 minutes; came down in dark, but worth every step; to get underneath this massive arch, you had to walk around the inside of a rock bowl; if rocks had not been dry, you would not want to attempt this

Friendly Visit

I was exploring around the Moab, UT area and had driven to a bed and breakfast well out from Moab; just as I was driving into the driveway to check out the B&B, two deer were roaming around in the yard; they seemed to be little affected by my presence

Hiking Trail Marker

This pile of rocks is called a cairn; hikers set them up to mark the way for trail hikers; in the middle of a desert, these cairns are often a lifesaver

Arches NP in Utah

Balanced Rock; this NP is one of the most majestic places I have ever been! This is just one of hundreds of unbelievable rock formations in this NP; there is a 17 mile loop road through the park; I spent six hours here --- and returned another day; you would swear that the slightest of breezes would blow over this rock; it will indeed topple one day, felled by wind and water erosion, the same forces that created it; this NP is just outside Moab, UT, a great town!

Port Ludlow, WA

This is house and view of my friends Bud and Dot Clawson; I stayed just down road from them with one of their neighbors; neighbor actually had RV hookup in his back yard (electricity, water and sewer); this picture shows only part of Bud and Dot's home; they look out over Admiralty Inlet, part of Puget Sound; on clear days, snow capped Mount Baker is visible; there are golden eagles in trees around their house; this is a gorgeous area, very tranquil

Olympic Mountains

Another shot coming down steep road to Hurricane Ridge in Olympic NP

Hurricane Ridge

This is in Olympic NP in Washington; it is about a 15 mile drive up to Hurricane Ridge, with an elevation gain of 5,000 feet; some years ago, I rode my bicycle up here; going down was hard part --- cold and speed of bike; very cold and windy up here; this day clouds were low, below mountain tops; the entire Olympic peninsula area is beautiful

Cape Flattery

Cape Flattery is the most northwesterly point in the continental US; it is where the Pacific Ocean meets the Strait of Juan de Fuca; it is located on the Makah Indian Reservation in Washington; so incredibly beautiful and majestic, and yet so remote that only about 15,000 visitors come here each year; this picture does not do it justice; the beauty and incredible power of the Pacific Ocean is very evident here; Canada is in the far distance

Bulldog Saloon in Whitefish, MT

This is Bob (Duncan's owner) and a good friend of his; I treated both of them to dinner here (best burgers in town); notice the wall behind them; every wall and the ceiling are completely covered by sports and/or Bulldog related memorabelia; enlarge this picture and see if you can make out some of the wall stuff

My High School Honored in Whitefish, MT

Hard to believe! There is a very famous tavern in Whitefish named the Bulldog Saloon; whole place is covered with Bulldog plaques of all kinds, any sports team named the Bulldogs; Georgia Bulldog stuff is everywhere; my hometown, Valdosta, GA was recently recognized as "Titletown USA", primarily because of the Valdosta High School Wildcat football program that has won more high school football games in its history than any other high school football team in the US; this plaque is on the wall at this famous MT saloon