Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me, as is ever so on the road
Jack Kerouac, On the Road
We have the US to thank for the myth of the magic of the open road. Stretching in front of us, inviting exploration, always (in our imaginations at least) empty. Travelling this road doesn’t just open up new vistas, new places to discover; it also lures us with the promise of new beginnings, even new versions of ourselves.
Here in Europe a road trip is more likely to conjure up visions of traffic jams than any stretch of emptiness, but many of us buy into this American myth and head to the US to experience its magic. Chris and I have certainly fallen under its spell and have spent many happy trips exploring various states, from east to west (but, it has to be said, not many in the middle!)
For this week’s theme-free Monochrome Madness I’ve brought together a few images from some of the various US road trips we’ve undertaken.
Like the first couple of photos below, my feature photo was taken on Hwy 20 through the North Cascades in Washington State
On Hwy 20 through the North Cascades, Washington State
Also on Hwy 20 in Washington State
On Hwy 518 south of Taos, New Mexico
Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, leaving San Francisco
In Lee Vining, northern California
On Hwy 12, Washington State
On Hwy 821, north of Yakima, Washington State
Also on Hwy 821, north of Yakima, Washington State
Near the Devil’s Tower, Wyoming
Somewhere in southern Wyoming
On the Tioga Pass, Yosemite National Park, California
Hwy 178 through the Searles Valley, California
On Hwy 395, north eastern California
These photos were taken in Wyoming in 2006, New Mexico in 2011, Washington State in 2017 and California in 2024
39 Comments
equinoxio21
American roads do have a magic of their own.
The bikers don’t look happy. 😉
(On the road again…)
Sarah Wilkie
They absolutely do, nowhere else is quite like it!
grandmisadventures
oh these just call to my road trip loving heart! mountain passes always remind me of home 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Meg 🙂 I do love a mountain pass, not knowing quite what you’ll see around the next bend and even more so when you reach the top!
Rose
What a wonderful selection, and oh my goodness, you got me craving road trips… 🛣️
Sarah Wilkie
Many thanks Rose 🙂 I got myself craving another one too!
the eternal traveller
Fabulous shots. We love a good road trip.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you very much 😊 Lots of good road trip memories in these photos!
Suzanne
We grew up on road trips, and in some ways it’s a Kiwi institution. Born to be travellers due to our locality, well, for most of us. It must’ve been an eye-opener, road-tripping around America. Long train trips are our experience of that vast country. Canada would be one country worth undertaking a road trip.
Sarah Wilkie
We have done one road trip in Canada, in British Columbia. It was also a great trip and I thought about including a shot from it, but decided to stick with just the US. A road trip in NZ is very much on our radar, hopefully in the latter part of next year 🙂
Teresa
Your photos make me think how vast the world is and how little I am. Wonderful shots that work well in monochrome.
Sarah Wilkie
Those desert landscapes of the American West certainly give me that feeling! Many thanks Teresa 😊
wetanddustyroads
Oh, there are few things as enjoyable as going on a road trip where there are endless vistas – something we also experience a lot here on our South African roads. Your photos are the perfect representation of what a road trip should look like.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Corna 😊 I’m pleased these shots evoked a road trip for you. I’d love to come to South Africa for a road trip one day!
Leanne Cole
I like this approach Sarah. Something about unknown roads. Where would they lead.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you very much Leanne 😊 Yes, exactly – what is around these bends?!
Egídio
Dreamy photos. They are all gorgeous What a joy it must have been to travel those highways!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Egidio 😊 Mostly pure joy for me (chief navigator, a job I enjoy) but tempered joy for Chris as driver!
Diana
Great photos! I love a good roadtrip.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Diana – so do we, as you can tell!
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
Great scenery! We used to enjoy this sort of trip too.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Anabel 🙂 There’s nowhere else quite like this is there?
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
Indeed not! Just a shame (understatement) what’s happening to the country now.
Sarah Wilkie
Indeed. We have no US road trip plans at present, partly for that reason, though we may have to make a short visit next year (Chris needs to go to Atlanta for a martial arts grading as he’s reached the level at which you have to be seen in person by the Grand Master who’s based there!)
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
That’s impressive!
Suzanne
He needs his own blog 😉
Annie Berger
Enjoyed reading Kerouac’s quote and the Wild West feel of many of the photos, Sarah.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Annie 😊 I read Kerouac at university so that’s maybe one reason these open roads so appeal to me.
VJ
What a great photo tribute to the American myth.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you VJ 🙂
VJ
Welcome
Anne Sandler
Sarah, great through the car window photos. You’ve certainly captured the beauty of Northern California. People think of California in terms of Hollywood and San Francisco. We are basically and agriculture state–the San Joaquin Valley. I’m glad we did the road trips when we did, and I miss them.
Sarah Wilkie
Many thanks Anne 🙂 Some of these photos were taken through the window but most of them on brief stops by the roadside so Chris could enjoy the scenery too.
margaret21
You’ve certainly shown what must be the magic of a road trip in these images. Actually, it’s my idea of hell, stuck in a car (though I’ve done my share, since M likes a road trip too!). But you’ve certainly seen some scenery!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Margaret 😊 We try not to be stuck in the car for long – we limit our driving distances each day and plan lots of stops. And the landscapes in these parts are amazing!
margaret21
So it appears. I guess railways don’t get close enough to those parts the road can – to some extent – reach?
Sarah Wilkie
I believe you can see some great landscapes from the trains but the number of lines is very limited and the stops even more so. I’d quite like to do a train journey across the US one day but it would be a very different experience from a road trip and I suspect frustrating at times!
margaret21
Well, worth a try if Deutsche Bahn don’t run the services.
Sarah Wilkie
🤣🤣