Sorry, I just had to share . . . again.

[Old Henry]

I had no intention of taking any pictures or video on this trip. It was to just be a relaxing trip with AnnaRae and Pepe for my birthday and it started out that way.

We didn't even have much of a plan of where we'd go or how long or how far we'd go. We did decide to go to Milford for the first (and maybe only) night so we did. It was the same as the 7° Road Trip last December (here: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=93137) except it was 30° warmer, I had 10W-30 oil instead of the S.A.E. 40 I had last year, had a new battery, and stayed in the new motel. Pretty relaxing and uneventful.

The next day we decided to head east to Beaver, then over the mountain to Panguitch and up toward Bryce Canyon National Park. Everything was going fine until we started up Red Canyon going to Bryce Canyon. It was there that the red rock formations were so gorgeous that I had to break out the video camera to share it with you. Here's the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmxDEuNk8s8

(Note re videos: I've let YouTube stabilize some videos. That's what makes the car look "fluid" in some of them. All videos are high definition so be sure to select that if your computer doesn't select it automatically. All music is songs I wrote and performed for my wife, kids, and dog.)

We didn't even stop at Bryce Canyon because we were just there in February (here: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=97822) We decided we'd go to Kodachrome Basin State Park east of Bryce Canyon. So we did. Here's the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It-y-Q0eTlI

Then we continued east on what Road and Track magazine once designated one of the 7 most scenic drives in the country. It was also designated an "All American Road" (a super scenic highway) in 2002. (http://www.utah.com/byways/highway_12.htm) This stretch is within Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.



Here's the video starting where this picture was taken: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyz-I8rfCLk

When we got to Boulder we left the highway and headed east into more of Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. The pavement eventually ended and we were on dirt road for 40 miles eventually going into the south end of Capitol Reef National Park. The sun was just going down.





Strike Valley Overlook.



Eventually we got to the edge of the plateau and had to drop 600 feet in one mile (11% grade) down what I call the Capitol Reef Dugway. It was a "white knuckle" ride.



Heading into one of the hairpin turns on the switchbacks holding the monopod with the video camera on it out the window.



Here's the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyNjKy3jznU

Then the fun really began.
This dirt/sandy road that we were on had my very favorite surface - washboard (NOT). I'm thinking there are some of you that have never experienced that. It is the maximum test of the suspension, shock absorbers, tightness of the car, and steering ability. Yes, at times on the washboard the tires seem to be only touching the ground half the time and in the air the other half making steering control very challenging if not down right scary at times.

It was just about dark so we had the headlights on. I was just remarking how tight the car was and how it had no rattles for such a washboardy road when all of sudden the headlights went out. I knew some connection somewhere had shaken loose but knew if I stopped to fix it that it would just shake loose again. Fortunately I have fog lights that are as bright as my headlights so I switched them on along with my spot light and we carried on for 30 more miles until we got back onto pavement when I stopped and wiggled a wire right where I knew to wiggle and the headlights came back on. (It was those old bullet connectors halfway along the side of the engine compartment. I still have all original wiring.)

We drove through Capitol Reef National Park in the dark without leaving the highway and then through Torrey to Bicknell where we stayed the night.

Next day drove to Fish Lake that was over 9,000 feet where it was snowing with ice and snow on the road. I was glad to get into something other than sunny weather that we'd had so far.

Then headed home. Total miles: 641.
It really was very relaxing even though filming while driving is stressful at times.
Never opened the tool box.

Previous Road Trips:

Across Nevada on US 50, "The Loneliest Road in the Country", October 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=120098

Mount Evans (the highest paved road in North America) August 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=115013

Canada in June 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=109872

Monument Valley in March 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=99523

Bryce Canyon in February 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=97822

Milford, Utah in December 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=93137

Nevada and Idaho in November 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=89080

Rocky Mountain National Park in September 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83966

Yellowstone National Park in May 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=72864

Death Valley in February 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=62705

Pike's Peak in July 2011: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19141

Route 66 in April 2010: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57511

[Charlie ny]

NO TOPPING THAT.....Thanks for sharing.....Yep no caravan for the prof.
Charlie ny

[bk53]

Thanks Henry, the fellows at work all enjoy checking the videos at lunch.

[done4]

Always enjoy your adventures, don't stop.

[35 coupe]

I call my wife to the computer every time you post pictures or videos, we could watch them all day. Thank You.

[Joe Immler]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Henry Absolutely stunning!! Don't apologize, Keep 'em coming!!

[Charlie Stephens]

Your pictures are beautiful. Are you doing anything special to capture the colors? What type of camera and what if any filters are you using? Any post processing?

Charlie Stephens

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by Charlie Stephens

Your pictures are beautiful. Are you doing anything special to capture the colors? What type of camera and what if any filters are you using? Any post processing?

Charlie Stephens

I have used a variety of cameras including cell phone cameras. In fact, one of my largest photos on display in a commercial building (4' X 9') was taken with my old 3 mp cell phone camera.



For most of the photos I take the actual camera hardware is not an important factor in taking a good picture. The way I think of it, the camera is just capturing some pixels for me to work with later. Of course, the layout of the picture is done with the camera and is critical but that's only the beginning.

None of my pictures look as good coming out of the camera as what you see on your screen. Most of them are cropped, sharpened, brightness reduced and contrast and color increased. Even distractions in the pictures are removed. Here's an example of the first picture before and after PhotoShopping.





There was a car coming the other direction and a road sign that I thought were distracting so I took them out.

Another example is post # 26 on this thread: http://fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=99523 you'll see the picture before and after PhotoShopping as well as a tip for layout of the photo when taking it.

[Lawrie]

Henry,you missed your vacation,you should be a documentary maker,
Maybe you want to contact some on the history channel or something.
Fair dinkum, your pics are the best.
Lawrie

[Barry-ct]

Boy, what a trip! Spectacular pics of the desert. Keep taking the pics of where you go, I love it!

[Thaplumbr]

Life sure looks a lot better through the windshield of an old ford,sounded like that rebuilt flatty was enjoying the trip just as much as you were!!!

[waterboychuck]

Nice photos, and I love those washboards. lol

[russcc]

Henry, great trip as usual. Thank you. What is the road that R & T talked about. Is that Rt 12. Did you get to Cedar Breaks while you were up Bryce way ? To me that was even more spectacular then Bryce.

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by russcc

Henry, great trip as usual. Thank you. What is the road that R & T talked about. Is that Rt 12. Did you get to Cedar Breaks while you were up Bryce way ? To me that was even more spectacular then Bryce.

The stretch that Road and Track magazine called one of the 7 most scenic drives in the country is the 125 mile stretch of Rt. 12 from its junction with Hwy 89 on the west end to its junction with Hwy 24 at Torrey on the North/East end. I just noticed that, on the map below, that road is designated as an "All American Road" * (http://www.utah.com/byways/highway_12.htm). Cedar Breaks National Monument is west of all of that on Hwy 14 from its junction with Hwy 89 and Long Valley Junction on the east end to Cedar City on the west end. All can be seen on the map below. We left Rt. 12 at Boulder and took the road marked in yellow through Grand Staircase Escalante Naional Monument and Capitol Reef National Park. The map also shows Milford at the far left where we stayed the first night and began our journey the next day down to Minersville, Beaver, then over the mountain on Rt. 20 to Panguitch then on to Rt. 12.



* From Wikipedia: Of those U.S. highways designated a "National Scenic Byway" the most scenic byways are designated All-American Roads, which must meet two out six intrinsic qualities. The designation means they have features that do not exist elsewhere in the United States and are unique and important enough to be tourist destinations unto themselves. As of November 2010, there are 120 National Scenic Byways and 31 All-American Roads, located in 46 states.

Here's a list of All American Roads if you want to drive one in your area: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categor...American_Roads

And a map showing where they are:

[Elmo Rodge]

Boy, I'm gonna have to get to Utah some day. Oh. Waitaminit. Good job Henry. Wayno

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by Elmo Rodge

Boy, I'm gonna have to get to Utah some day. Oh. Waitaminit. Good job Henry. Wayno

So sorry I missed you on our stop in Salina.
We'll get it someday.

[kiwitony]

Ha I had always wondered how in a country of four hundred million people you could find so many empty roads,now I know. Keep your trip reports coming.

[flat-v8]

I'll probably never get to see country like that in person, only on a computer screen, so thanks for the virtual vacation!

[LuckyFordGuy]

Thanks looks like nice trip thanks for posting love it Rog

[Sid the Maineiac]

Henry, thanks again for sharing the ride with the rest of us "shut-ins" lol I have worked in Utah and saw some beautiful scenery but also realize I missed seeing a lot more! That Pepe is one lucky dog! Please keep on sharing ! Some of us are very jealous ! best regards !