(This is on topic -- using both OM film and digital equipment ...)
I believe it was Edward Weston that said “Anything more *than* 500 yards
from the car just isn't photogenic” It may be much closer, perhaps just 50
feet. But – I’ve just spent seven days meandering from Seattle to Wichita
by car, and during this time have have found four roads of surpassing
beauty and photogenic quality that fit into the 50-feet concept. Wonderful
picture opportunities. Two roads are old favorites, and two are new
discoveries. These are, I think, greatly underappreciated by travelers.
1. *OR and NV state route 140, from Denio NV to Lakeview OR.*
Actually 140 begins just north of Winnemucca NV. Wonderful wide open
spaces – I mean really wide open spaces. Note of caution: no gas for 200
miles. Actually no anything for 200 miles except for 1 almost deserted
outpost at Denio. The road itself is first rate. I’ve never seen more
dramatic and interesting and beautiful wide open spaces, to the extent I
drove it twice this time in my meandering.
2. *Interstate 70, 30 miles west of Green River UT to east of Salina
UT.* What, an interstate you say? It’s simply amazing – especially if one
takes advantage of every scenic overview, and more particularly, if one
takes each of the exits (three, I think) for a few miles. This interstate
goes through the San Rafael Swell, a grand-canyon-like area – but you get
the feeling of driving directly through the canyons. Just amazing vistas
and – on the side roads – wonderful engagement in several dramatic
canyons. One could spend a half-day here, easily, taking in the vistas.
But one can also see this in a couple of hours even with the side-roads.
3. *UT route 128 from Moab UT to interstate 70 at Cisco.* 34 miles of
driving alongside the Colorado River through its deep and colorful and
dramatic canyon – huge photo opportunities – not to mention vistas of the
La Salle mountains looming over the canyons. There are of course a lot of
other wonderful areas around Moab – the White Rim Trail for example. But
for an easy drive, this can’t be surpassed.
4. *US 395 from Spokane to John Day OR.* Covers two terrific areas:
a) the Palouse wheat-growing areas – stunning vistas of high rolling hills
and nothing else; b) the mountains of Grant County.
This isn’t to say I enjoyed a lot more and took an enormous number of
photos in these seven days – after all, I did drive nearly 4000 miles. And
of course Utah and Arizona and Colorado offer enormous opportunities other
than these four. But if one is looking for easily accessible, driveable,
and wonderful photo opportunities, these qualify.
Bob Benson
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