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Credits
Photos taken on a variety of disposable, 35mm, and APS cameras, as well
as a first-generation Panasonic 640x480 digital camera that didn't even
have a flash or removable memory. By myself, Troy Bowman, Andrew Coyne,
David Nabi, and countless strangers to whom we've said, "Hey man,
can you take our picture?"
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DECADE
OF DRIVING: 10 Years of Road Trips
Click on (most) pictures to enlarge.
| I got
my driver's license on December 31, 1990 and started driving
on actual road trips in 1991. Since then, they've become a
healthy obsession, consuming days upon days of time, many
gallons of unleaded, and occasionally - when we remembered
- some film. I learned that one need not fly internationally
to see the world. (Though it doesn't hurt.) Here are some
moments from the decade spanning '91-'01 that I've bothered
to scan through the years... It all started with a drive from
the Bay Area to Vancover, BC in the summer of '91 (below). |
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| Like
many a West Coast road trip, many of the miles were covered
on the PCH (LA stretch shown). The BC trip included a visit
to the lush island of Victoria, and a swing through Tahoe
on the way back south. That's the kind of sky that Prince
sang about... without the people running everywhere. |
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| Tahoe
became a favorite destination for its proximity to Northern
California, gorgeous scenery, kick-ass skiing, and some almost-Vegas-style
nightlife. |
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| The
view of Lake Tahoe from the north shore's Diamond Peak is
stunning. So stunning, in fact, that it distracted me enough
for me to bust my knee skiing. Recyclable ardboard splint
courtesy of Ski Patrol. The doctors recommended I take up
a safer sport like snowboarding instead - something I truly
suck at. (I've since ignored the doctors and gone back to
two-planking. Hmph.) |
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| My bad
luck with snow must've been what led to all the trips to Red
Rock Canyon. Or was it the fact that it's 15 minutes from
Vegas? |
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| Red
Rock Canyon is truly gorgeous, and despite the triple-digit
heat, it's still a great place to unwind after tearing it
up in Sin City. See? I even made it to the top after a couple
of nights with no sleep. |
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| I've
lived most of my life in the Bay Area, but while living in
LA, it was important to make road trips up north. "Lover's
Point" in Monterey is probably best known as the place
where John Denver was decapitated in his plane. |
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| Just
a bit south of Monterey is the equally beautiful Carmel. San
Francisco's Fort Point is at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge...
and is windy as all hell. I felt like I was going to get blown
off the roof of the thing when I was taking that picture.
Eastward in the Central Valley, lies the town of Locke. Right
on the Sacramento River, it was home to California's first
Chinatown, and is still home to the most politically incorrect
restaurant. God bless 'em and their steaks-n-peanut-butter. |
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| Of course,
it's not always about pretty scenery and weird places. Sometimes
the road trips are all about getting crazy and getting out
of town, whether it's to go to a party, celebrate Halloween,
or ring in the New Year. |
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| But
then it's back to nature, like gorgeous Yosemite... And the
resultant bug bites - as in 400 of them. But you know what
really bites? Driving from San Antonio to McAllen, TX and
back and one of the few pictures that comes out is of a couple
of your chucklhead friends killing your last frame of film
on a shot of them holding up a campaign poster. A Gore poster
in Texas, for cryin' out loud! |
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| In the
end, road trips are about taking advantage of the freedom
to do what you want to do. Like drive 350 miles for a party,
see new parts of this huge country, or even follow your favorite
band on tour... |
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| They're
about adventure, meeting new people, learning what's in your
own back yard, and sleeping in cheap-ass motel rooms that
you would never consider staying in once you've "grown
up." And I hope that never happens. |
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