On the road again – USA Road Trip - Part 1

Sorry this has been late (Very late), I had a few problems in USA and its put a sour note on me writing this blog but never the less. I have put this behind me and moved on. Here’s the highlights from my trip over USA, though some amazing countryside. I hope you enjoy my blog and I look forward to posting more trips in the coming weeks! - Steffen

I had just landed in Miami USA from Cancun Mexico, and had nothing but problems with security. First at the immigration desk they needed the names and numbers of where I was staying, I was due to meet my dad in Detroit who was going to pick up motorbikes from friends, so I didn’t have that info on hand. After a bit of digging in emails I found it, then at customs all my bags were screens and checked loads. I was expecting it as I came from Mexico but I was lucky to get picked out of the queue for everything. It took such a long time…

Finally I was in Detroit and met my Dad in the baggage collection area. It was a hour before Flemming (a family friend) would arrive and then we were off. We met up with one of Flemming’s friends who had a motorbike we could loan for a few weeks. It was a Honda Goldwings 1800 with a side car. 

The following day we were off on our little drive, the goal was Los Angeles in 4 weeks, via Niagara Falls, Colorado Rockies, Utah, Grand Canyon, Los Vegas and San Francisco. All while camping out at night.

After 2 days of driving we reached our first milestone. Niagara Falls! I was soo excited to see it, it was on one of the many lists of things and places I would like to visit in the world. We had come in over the Canadian side, which was much more beautiful than the American side.

The town Niagara itself was like a giant theme park, with wax museums,  rides and restaurants.

We went for a drive along the gorge wall for a few km’s and then turned around. I really just wanted to spend time at the waterfall walking and seeing if I could get some good pictures of this iconic landmark.  We eventually found a place to park and walked up and down the cliff edge. There was so much spray from the waterfall it was like it was raining. 
After a few hours walking around it became dark and the lights on the waterfall came on. It was magical. There was all colored lights on the waterfall making it look really special.  There was live music playing in the back ground and people walking up and down the cliff edge.

The next morning we packed up our tent site and moved on, over the Canadian/American border which took for ever… then on the road.

It would be another 5 days before we would reach the Rockies. A hell of a long drive, almost driving us all insane. The heat on the central planes was 35oC+ sometimes even over 40oC, It was nothing but corn, corn, farm, corn, farm… for 5 days. We did however have a reprieve from the heat, when we went into a outdoor hunting, camping, sports store. It was the first taste of the american craze with guns. 

One night we stopped in at a camp site near the Mississippi river (well a hours drive from it), and we could hear what I could only explain as jet boats screaming around a lake in the distance. 
Once we had finish pitching our tents we went investigating. It ended up being a race track for home made cars. The cars were going round and round on this tiny track some had such big motors they were literally sliding the entire way sending dirt and mud flying into the stands. It was fun to watch…

 A few days later we made it towards the rockies, oh my it was nice for a change of scenery. 
The mountains seemed to lift out of the earth from the middle of no where, we entered the rockies though a road that zigzagged in a small canyon. 
Then up and over a ridge. We only stayed one night in the rockies but in the morning we were greeted with deer eating the grass around the edge of our tents. It was very cool.

We drove through the rockies and up and over the mountains we were at a high altitude and the view was amazing.

As we moved down the rockies the state line of Utah passed us on the side of the road, the scenery changed again from mountain to desert almost instantly.

We were on our way to the arches national park and a camping ground just outside the park, we arrived just as night fell and pitched our tents.

The next day we were up early we wanted to be in the national park early before it got to hot. We headed up a cliff face with the bikes and into the park. First up with the hanging rock. A Large boulder perched on top of a column, I remember this rock from the movie Indiana jones (the holy grail). Good thing Dad was holding it up ;).

Next up we headed to the most famous arch in the park, it was a nice hike up the mountain to get to the view point, it was hot but nice to get off the bikes and walk. We stayed at the arch for ½ hour I was trying to get a nice shot without tourists in it but it seemed impossible. It was still a amazing view and very beautiful.

We headed to a number of other arches in the park, all nice walks to get to.  One was extremely long and thin arch. We also headed to the 3 windows arches, another place I remember from the old Indiana movies. Very cool! It was nice to get into the shade it was still early in the day but the sun was burring in the desert heat.

We left the national park and headed towards our next state (Arizona), on the way out of arches we stopped off at the hole in the rock. A old house made in a rock, someone had build 50 years ago.  It was impressive the work the man did to blow the rock away with dynamite and chiseled it all to have his house in a rock.

Outside they had art made from various items, like bolts and wrenches, cans and number plates. There was a jeep made from all strange metal items. It was very cool.

That night we stopped in a town called bluff. We will continue the story of my trip though USA in my next blog post. Stay tuned for Monument valley, Page, Vagus!, Death Valley, and onwards to LA…

Till next time, HAVE FUN

Steffen.