A weathered wooden bench on a wildflower bluff above the surf on the Oregon coast

Happiness
By The Mile

Road trips, national parks, and long light

Road Trip is Fun

I try to make time for a road trip every year, usually in the summer. I love driving across states and watching the landscape, the weather, and the culture shift as I go. The ultimate goal is to drive all 50 states. So far my favorite routes are U.S. 101 from northern California into central Oregon, U.S. 1 from Miami down to Key West, the Beartooth Highway in Montana and Wyoming, the Old McKenzie Highway in Oregon, and Rim Drive at Crater Lake. I have also visited 21 national parks, with Yellowstone, Glacier, and Crater Lake at the top of the list.

32 states visited

A map of the United States with the road trip routes I have driven traced in blue

El Capitan and Half Dome seen from Tunnel View in Yosemite Valley

Nick, My Forever Best Four-Legged Friend

This is Nick, a Doberman with the intelligence of a Border Collie, the agility of a German Shepherd, and the heart of a Labrador. He stayed by my side through one of the hardest stretches of my life and helped me find the strength to get back on my feet. Nick passed away on August 17th, 2019, after a battle with cancer.

Nick, a black and tan Doberman, lying on the grass and looking toward the camera

Nick, a black and tan Doberman, sitting on the grass facing the camera

Photography Portfolio

Shot on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II with a Canon EF 24–70mm f/2.8L II USM and a Canon EF 70–200mm f/2.8L IS II USM. Click any frame for the full-size photo and its settings.

Photograph from Sichuan, China — Sichuan, China

Photograph from Queensland, Australia — Queensland, Australia

Photograph from Chicago, IL — Chicago, IL

Photograph from St Louis, MO — St Louis, MO

Photograph from Rocky Mtn NP, CO — Rocky Mtn NP, CO

Photograph from Great Smokey Mtn NP, TN — Great Smokey Mtn NP, TN

Photograph from Yellow Stone NP, WY — Yellow Stone NP, WY

Photograph from Grand Teton NP, WY — Grand Teton NP, WY

Photograph from Tokyo, Japan — Tokyo, Japan

Photograph from Crater Lake NP, OR — Crater Lake NP, OR

Photograph from HWY 101, OR — HWY 101, OR

Photograph from Glacier NP, MT — Glacier NP, MT

Photograph from Great Salt Lake, UT — Great Salt Lake, UT

Photograph from Salt Lake City, UT — Salt Lake City, UT

Photograph from Olympic NP, WA — Olympic NP, WA

Photograph from Arches NP, UT — Arches NP, UT

Photograph from Canyonlands NP, UT — Canyonlands NP, UT

Photograph from Capitol Reef NP, UT — Capitol Reef NP, UT

Photograph from Bryce Canyon NP, UT — Bryce Canyon NP, UT

Photograph from Zion NP, UT — Zion NP, UT

Photograph from Lake Tahoe, NV — Lake Tahoe, NV

HappinessBy The Mile

Road Trip is Fun

Nick, My Forever Best Four-Legged Friend

Photography Portfolio

Happiness
By The Mile