I finally got around to uploading some photos from my Hroad Trip from OH to LA a few months back.

You can view them on Flickr.

Enjoy!

The list of favorite places I’ve been to has a new member: Zion National Park. Red sandstone canyons, turquoise snow-melt waters, imposing mountains, and grand vistas. While we didn’t have time to see and do everything, this park with much to offer is worthy of a return visit.

We spent most of our day hiking the Zion Narrows following the Virgin River through the canyon. There is no trail on this hike; the river is the trail.

For about 70% of the hike, we were in water anywhere from ankle deep to waist deep.

I don’t like to describe things too often as amazing or awesome because those are two overused words, but hiking the Zion Narrows was both.

360° view of the river (click for larger version):

And what visit to water would be complete without this:

Afterward, we toured some of the stops along the scenic drive. The view under the Weeping Rock:

Evening shadows:

If you ever have a chance to visit Zion, do it. You won’t be disappointed. We weren’t.

Today, we’re headed to Los Angeles. One more state, one more time zone, and one more destination.

With only a couple hours to spend in Bryce Canyon National Park, we took the auto tour. No hiking yesterday. Here are a few shots:

Panorama (click for larger):

Hey hey, I’m in a photo:

And today, we’ll be exploring Zion National Park:

arch (noun)
a curved symmetrical structure spanning an opening and typically supporting the weight of a bridge, roof, or wall above it.

hike (noun)
a long walk, esp. in the country or wilderness.

pooped (adjective)
exhausted

Those three words described Day 7 of the “Hey Joe, Where You Goin’ With That Camera In Your Hand” Hroad Trip as we hiked 15+ miles around Arches National Park in Moab, Utah and its magnificent sandstone structures.

We started the day with Double Arch:

Inside:

Outside was a lone, little prickly pear cactus. So of course I took a picture:

Or two:

Out hiking:

…to Broken Arch:

Underneath:

We hiked the 4-mile-round-trip “trail” to Double O Arch:

I say “trail” because most of the trail is climbing up, down, and over rocks and steep paths with drop-offs on both sides:

A break from the arches:

Back to arches. Partition Arch:

We ended the day with perhaps the most famous arch in the world and the arch I wasn’t leaving the park without a photo of: Delicate Arch:

People lined up (me included) to take turns going under the arch. When one couple took their turn, the guy dropped to one knee and proposed to his girlfriend under the arch for all of us to be a part of.

Today was exhilarating—and exhausting. But all the miles and all the sweat were worth the magnificent sights we saw.

Tomorrow, we’ll have a little rest as we drive to Zion National Park by way of Bryce Canyon National Park. And more picture taking.

Day 5 of the “Hey Joe, Where You Goin’ With That Camera In Your Hand” Hroad Trip turned out to be a bust.

We were concerned last night that the roads out of Yellowstone would be closed because of the snow. Fortunately, they were open. But this was the scene when we entered Grand Teton National Park:

Throughout the park, we had low clouds and a mix of rain and snow. That led to views like this:

…and this of the mighty Tetons:

Unfortunately, all the majestic beauty of the Tetons will remain hidden to us. But we did see a moose:

Instead, we did a little walking around Jackson, Wyoming (which reminded me of Old Town Scottsdale (for the few of you reading this who know what I’m talking about)):

But it was raining, and we’re not much of shoppers anyway. So we went to see
The Avengers.

Tomorrow, we leave the cold and head for warmer lands of southern Utah and Arches National Park on Sunday.

Until then, gunslinger squirrel says, “I’m your huckleberry.”

Hello again from sunny and snowy Yellowstone National Park. Most of today was spent exploring some of the park’s thermal features as well as the park’s Grand Canyon.

The Grand Prismatic Spring:

Upper Falls:

Lower Falls and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone:

Panorama (click for larger version):

Mud Volcano (that smelled like rotten eggs):

And we ran into more snow:

What do you do with snow? Build snowmen!

…down by the lake:

And what else do you do down by the lake? That’s right, stick your feet in. Add this to my collection:

Yes, the water was cold. Very cold.

Back to thermal features. Black Pool:

Detail:

Needle drop (not a thermal feature):

Morning Glory Pool:

And if we didn’t have our Phil of thermal features, here’s another with a little less Fury. S.H.I.E.L.D. Shield Spring:

(Sorry, mom, you won’t get that joke.)

And finally, while this wasn’t a park attraction, I couldn’t pass it up:

Tomorrow is Grand Teton National Park—provided the pending snow doesn’t close roads!

Day 3 of the “Hey Joe, Where You Goin’ With That Camera In Your Hand” Hroad Trip was in Yellowstone where we experienced a variety of weather: sun, clouds, rain, sleet, and snow. What follows is a sampling of our day (still only iPhone photos until my laptop gets internet).

Sunshine down by the Firehole River:

And sunshine by Gibbon Falls:

This is a common occurrence (yes, that’s the mirror on my car):

And then we hit some snow:

But we were back to sunshine at Mammoth Hot Springs:

And when we arrived at Tower Fall, we found more snow:

Back to sunshine for some more bison encounters:

(We did also see elk and a black bear, but those photos are on my DSLR camera.)

And finally, we ended with some clouds at Old Faithful:

See you tomorrow!

Yello from Yellowstone! 27 hours and 1700 miles of driving in seven states brought us here.

Monday was all driving (save for the stops I had to make because I was sick—the first time in I can’t remember how long), and yesterday was mostly driving with a stop at Mount Rushmore.

I don’t have Internet access on my laptop, so I can’t upload camera-camera photos, so here are a few from iPhone camera.

Driving through South Dakota:

Mount Rushmore:

Driving through Bighorn National Forest:

Entrance to Yellowstone:

They have snow here:

More later.

(My thanks and/or apologies to Jimi Hendrix for the title of my
road trip, err, hroad trip.)

After driving from Connecticut to Ohio to spend a week with family and friends, I start the next part of my journey to Los Angeles tomorrow. But instead of driving straight through in the three days it would normally take from Cleveland to LA, my dad (who’s driving with me) and I are taking 10 days—and making several stops along the way. Here’s the route (click for larger):

A. Cleveland
B. Mount Rushmore
C. Yellowstone National Park
D. Grand Teton National Park
E. Arches National Park
F. Bryce Canyon National Park
G. Zion National Park
H. Los Angeles

I’ll be keeping this space along with my Twitter and Instagram feeds (@joehribar on both) updated along the journey if you’d like to follow along.

Two things are certain on the “Hey Joe, Where You Goin’ With That Camera In Your Hand” Hroad Trip. I’ll be taking a boat load of pictures, and my butt will be sore from driving. Huzzah!

A couple weekends ago, some coworkers and I traveled to New York City to visit The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).   This trip marked the first time I had been to the museum.   Here are some of the photos I took.

Road trip? More like a rail trip:

Walking from Grand Central, I ducked inside St. Patrick’s Cathedral:

Parked:

MoMA:

Museum-goers:

Claude Monet’s water lilies:

“The Starry Night” by Vincent van Gogh:

Museum-goers:

“Cinema Redux” of Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo. A frame was captured every second in the film, and each row represents one minute of the film. More here.

In the same section of the museum, there was this amazing touchscreen application called “I Want You to Want Me.”   The application pulled together information from multiple dating websites and created this interactive display of what people want and who they’re looking for.   Read more about the project here.   The official video:

Post-MoMA, the Chrysler Building in reflection:

Back at Grand Central:

Headed home:

My America: F**k Yeah! Road Trip: 10 days; 1,914 miles; 2,495 photos. I compare my journey to that of a tribesman journeying up the mountain and returning a different person. Having spent so much time by myself over as great of a distance as I did and having experienced places of awesome historical significance and places for great personal reflection changed my outlook on myself. I have an altered opinion of life, one, I think, that will make me a better person.

My road trip was an amazing journey. I cherish the experience I had, the memories I made, and the photographs I took. Looking back on my journey, while the drive was at times long, I will be forever thankful and grateful I was able to make the trek. Having seen all these American treasures makes me reiterate “America: F**k Yeah!”

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

My final stop of my America: F**k Yeah! Road Trip in October was at Liberty State Park in New Jersey.

The park is directly across the harbor from New York City, so I was afforded a great view of the skyline:

The view down the pier:

And of course, to top-off my jingoisticly-themed trip, the Statue of Liberty:

Lady Liberty at dusk:

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

Stop #3 on my return trip from DC this past October was in Trenton, New Jersey at the site were General George Washington and his troops crossed the icy waters of the Delaware River to make a surprise Christmas Day attack on Hessian forces in Trenton.

The crossing, of course, was made famous in Emanuel Leutze’s painting:

I stopped at Washington Crossing State Park on the New Jersey side of the Delaware:

The Delaware today:

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton NJ
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

For anyone who was following my photos from my road trip in October, my apologies for not finishing the series.

As noted earlier, in October, I took a 10-day, almost 2,000-mile journey to North Carolina and back, stopping at several historical places on the way from and to Connecticut.   The last day took me from DC back to CT with stops at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Trenton NJ where Washington crossed the Delaware during the Revolution, and Liberty State Park in NJ.

The Liberty Bell with Independence Hall in the background:

Forged in 1753:

The clapper:

In this room, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution were all signed:

The guide mentioned the only original item in the room was the chair (with, what was said by Benjamin Franklin, was a rising not setting sun) used by George Washington during the Constitutional Convention in the summer of 1787:

Independence Hall:

And since I was in Philadelphia, I had to stop for a cheesesteak!

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

Day 10, the final day, of my road trip back in October was a spent driving from DC back to Connecticut and of course I had some stops planned!

First stop on the return leg of my trip was to Fort McHenry in Baltimore MD.   Interestingly, Fort McHenry is the only site in the National Park System that is designated as an Historic Shrine.

The fort from a distance:

Looking out to the harbor:

Cannonballs:

Inside the fort (several years after the War of 1812, the second story and porches were added):

The guns of war:

Rampart (as in “o’er the ramparts we watched”) #4:

An interesting bit of historical trivia I learned at Fort McHenry was that in 1861, several members of the Maryland state legislature were imprisoned in the jail cells at the fort to prevent them from voting to secede from the Union.

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

And now for part two of my Washington DC photos from my road trip.

I loved the ceiling and the perspectives offered by the DC Metro:

Flag above the Department of the Treasury building:

North portico of the White House at night:

I saw this device on the south gate of the White House grounds.   I’m curious what might have happened if I pushed the button:

South lawn of the White House:

Lafayette Park just north of the White House:

The eternal flame at John F. Kennedy’s grave in Arlington National Cemetery:

Onlookers:

Brothers (Bobby, Jack, and Teddy):

A sea of white:

The U.S. Constitution at the National Archives:

The Washington Monument from the Jefferson Memorial:

The U.S. Capitol, glazed with rain water:

I only spent two days in DC, but I probably could have spend two weeks there.

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

Days 8 and 9 of my road trip were spent in the nation’s capital.

The weather those two days was cold, windy, and rainy, but I made the most of my time there. To alleviate my exposure to the elements, I would stay outside for a little while and then find something to do inside somewhere. Then I would go back out, then find something to do inside. Etc.

This was my first time in DC since 2001, and I was amazed at how much of a fortress certain areas and buildings have become because of security concerns. Buildings like the White House Visitor Center and the National Archives that you once were able to simply walk through the front door are now protected by metal detectors and security screenings. Walking and stopping at high value targets like the White House, I always felt like I was being watched, especially since I was traveling alone. Such is the life in a heightened-security state.

But anyway, on to the photo tour. The U.S. Capitol from the southeast end:

The Statue of Freedom above the Capitol dome:

Inside the Capitol rotunda, a statue of George Washington and The Apotheosis of Washington:

Inside the Library of Congress:

Looking to the Capitol from the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court:

The west side of the Capitol:

The Capitol fountain:

Sputnik I inside the National Air and Space Museum:

The Washington Monument:

The National World War II Memorial at night:

Walking up the steps to the Lincoln Memorial:

The Reflecting Pool from the Lincoln Memorial:

The Korean War Veterans Memorial:

To be continued….

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

The last stop on day #7 before I arrived in Washington DC was to Manassas Battlefield (flag J).

This battlefield saw fighting twice. The First Battle of Bull Run (or Manassas) took place 21 July 1861 and was the first major land battle of the war. The Second Battle of Bull Run took place 28-30 August 1862.

Unlike my previous battlefields of the day, this one was all open field:

The Henry House, destroyed during the first battle but later rebuilt:

Tree and field near the Stone House:

The Stone House, used by Union soldiers as a field hospital during both battles:

Bull Run:

The Stone Bridge spanning Bull Run. This bridge was destroyed during the first battle but later rebuilt.

As I was taking photos of and around the bridge, two gentlemen dressed in Union gear came walking over the bridge. I started talking with them and asked if I could take a few photos of them. They said they were at a reenactment at another battlefield.

The following day when I was walking the streets of DC, I ran into these two again (sans their Union gear).

While Bull Run was the first major land battle of the Civil War, the battlefield was the last of six Civil War battlefields on my road trip. Like the previous battlefields, imagining what went on here so long ago while I wonder the fields was chilling.

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

After Chancellorsville Battlefield, I made my way to neighboring Fredericksburg Battlefield.

The Battle of Fredericksburg took place 11-15 December 1862.   Confederate forces held off advancing Union forces in their campaign to march to Richmond.

Part of the stone wall on Marye’s Heights, occupied by a well-positioned and reinforced Confederate force who drove-back waves of attacking Union troops. This part of the wall is the original wall:

An open field of battle:

These earthworks are remnants of trenches used by Stonewall Jackson’s troops:

Driving through Fredericksburg Battlefield:

A gun of battle:

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

After stopping at Cold Harbor Battlefield, I made my way to Chancellorsville Battlefield.

Taking place 30 April to 06 May 1863, this Confederate-won battle is probably most well-known for the mortal wounding of Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson by friendly fire.

A directional marker at the visitors center pointed the way to Gettysburg:

The stone memorial in the background marks the site where Stonewall Jackson was mortally wounded. The flag adorns the grave of an unknown Union soldier. I’m likely committing Confederate sacrilege by photographing Jackson’s memorial with a Union flag:

Driving though Chancellorsville Battlefield:

Cannons in an open field:

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

Day #7 on my road trip was spent driving from North Carolina to Washington DC. Along my route were four Civil War battlefields.

Up first: Cold Harbor, 31 May 1864 – 12 June 1864.

Unlike my previous two battlefields, Gettysburg and Antietam, this battlefield was in the woods.

These are remnants of trenches used by soldiers in 1864. Like I said with the other battlefields, imagining what went on here back then is intense.

A canon outside the visitor center:

With the woods as a backdrop:

The several times I stopped and got out of my car to take some photos was very surreal. The weather this day was damp and dreary, and I was in the woods alone amongst only the sounds of nature. This setting coupled with the thought of the fighting and carnage that took place here was chilling. Very chilling.

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

After spending a few days with my sister in Charlotte NC, I drove east to the coast to spend a few days on the beach where a very good friend of mine from undergrad was getting married. And because I was at the beach, I spent most of my three days there barefoot.

Sunrise over the sand dunes:

Sunrise over the beach:

I served as the unofficial wedding photographer, which meant I took many, many photos. Glasses for the toast later:

The cake topper:

Something blue:

With these hands:

Love:

Mother and son:

The cake topper again:

First dance:

My friend had sandals that printed “Just” and “Married” into the sand when she was walking:

The groom’s mom enjoying a little break in the sun:

My shell collection:

Sunset:

Last light:

Congratulations to the newlyweds! What a great few days we all had together!

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

I apologize for not keeping up with my trip.   I’m several days past the end of my road trip and back in the comfort of my home.   Perhaps I’m too comfortable as I’ve not finished writing about my trip.

So to continue, the end of day one took me to Charlotte NC to visit my sister for a few days.

One adventure we had while I was visiting was a day at the U.S. National Whitewater Center, one of only two sites in the U.S. officially sanctioned by the U.S. Olympic Committee.

There, we white-water rafted (my first time) and did two different zip lines (also my first time). Here’s part of the rafting and kayaking course:

Expect to be soaked from head to toe and inside out. Here’s one of the zip lines (this one goes over the water course, and if you’re lucky, the boats underneath will try to splash you as you’re zipping over):

If you’re ever in the Charlotte area and have several hours to spare, I highly recommend going to the U.S. National Whitewater Center. In addition to the three activities I mentioned, they have rock climbing walls, open-river kayaking, and hiking and biking trails. Many great opportunities for outdoor fun.

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

Stop #3 on day one of my road trip was at Shenandoah National Park. I felt somewhat cheated since I couldn’t spend much time at the park because I was on a tight time schedule to arrive in Charlotte NC, but the park was beautiful. While I was hoping for more fall colors, the overlooks were nonetheless amazing to view.

I took a small break from the drive and enjoyed my trademarked sandwich while overlooking the sun breaking through the clouds rolling in:

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

Stop #2 on my road trip was to Antietam Civil War battlefield, site of the bloodiest single-day battle in American history on 17 September 1862.

The guns of Antietam:

A lone tree in the field:

Amber waves of grain:

The snake-rail fences along the Bloody Lane:

Burnside’s Bridge over Antietam Creek:

Like Gettsyburg, imagining what went on at the battlefield almost 150 years ago is stunning. Thinking about who might have been walking or who might have been fallen where I was walking was humbling.

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro