Trip Pictures Finally.

I got back from my trip last weekend, and have finally finished sorting the pictures and everything.  

Here are the links to the pictures:

The drive to SC: https://photos.app.goo.gl/X38AoTXfbUW1PJdQ9

Marianne's Wedding: https://photos.app.goo.gl/GVCFfdWdLLzsocSJ6

Drive to Hot Springs National Park: https://photos.app.goo.gl/6iGTmzAoJLU9UTzm6

Hot Springs National Park: https://photos.app.goo.gl/C6nTYLffjKXcG7HJ7

Drive to Big Bend National Park: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Sid8GPrcNcs93LzD8

Big Bend National Park - Chisos Mountains: https://photos.app.goo.gl/9wNc9k2yLtsF1aj99

Big Bend National Park - Rio Grande Village: https://photos.app.goo.gl/LTV3nxstcV8sEd3B7

Milky Way Pictures from Texas: https://photos.app.goo.gl/xiiEB26qdhj8Fqh19

Drive to Guadalupe Mountains National Park: https://photos.app.goo.gl/wCETqC2qqJ8dPNfG7

Guadalupe Mountains National Park: https://photos.app.goo.gl/SGmwUydQF3yAVqmp9

White Sands National Park: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Bj7LiFgWKsP7cSTV9

Drive to Moab: https://photos.app.goo.gl/cZj5hg9iXduzVbGp7

Arches National Park: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Cxqeznu92ouZL6XD8

Arches National Park Devil's Garden Hike: https://photos.app.goo.gl/a4K61wHbfCLP4Vho9

Canyonlands National Park Visitor Center: https://photos.app.goo.gl/o5hmkbgf1XV7Tofa9

Dead Horse Point State Park: https://photos.app.goo.gl/2XR8iZSwk2iCGfwZ7

Little Giants Dinosaur Park: https://photos.app.goo.gl/wGP9L69iHhQYWvvu5

Canyonlands National Park Island in the Sky: https://photos.app.goo.gl/TPsP57fXPMzRFdYt8

Canyonlands National Park Overlooks and Needles District: https://photos.app.goo.gl/3yaDyivXFoWjkbSh6

Local Moab Hikes: https://photos.app.goo.gl/vrnXEseDMq2z5vM9A

Drive to Zion and Zion National Park Visitor Center: https://photos.app.goo.gl/hbJV1wCPmkH5DGDm9

Zion National Park: https://photos.app.goo.gl/K9wko6oLzwJbjzoNA

Zion National Park Tunnel and Western Side: https://photos.app.goo.gl/zzQ49ihEDHs8fpR88

I tried to go to Kanarra Falls and do that hike, but it was closed: https://photos.app.goo.gl/UhtzsjzvR2aPDxsV6

Bryce Canyon (First day): https://photos.app.goo.gl/NqAp18vBxTfpqGZa9

Bryce Canyon (second day): https://photos.app.goo.gl/3w3sQYthYcyfySqU6

Cedar Break National Monument: https://photos.app.goo.gl/sB6VbhHRfGuMWm1r8

Escalante Petrified Forest State Park: https://photos.app.goo.gl/n9y8FqLfMyxF38hA7

Capitol Reef National Park: https://photos.app.goo.gl/o6pf6cMJPWJMY34z6

Return drive to KY: https://photos.app.goo.gl/XiZFdXiz7WQpnCPs9

I spent Thanksgiving in KY.  With an assist from Jess who premade the risotto and stuffing, I cooked up a Thanksgiving dinner.

A couple of things about the pictures on this trip: 

I have done a first pass on them, but some, like the White Sands pictures, I didn't go through and only pick only one or two of the sunset pictures and get rid of the rest.  I might do that at some point.

If I am going to continue to use the big camera for panorama shots, I really need to start carrying the tripod.  Because of stuff like this and all the long exposure shots I tried that were almost all deleted because they were motion blurred into oblivion.

I really don't understand why stitching panorama photos is so painful in this day and age.  Microsoft ICE (which I used for years) is dead, Hugin (another free one widely regarded as one of the better free ones) doesn't know how to stitch (or requires more knowledge of the program than I have) and it frequently blurs the lines where it stitches and looks bad.  Photoshop, the premier photo editing software, kept doing stupid crap like this and was obnoxiously slow, but at least produced really nice output once you fixed it being stupid.  I am seriously considering just using my phone for all panorama shots in the future.

Google photos doesn't allow large panoramas to be uploaded, so if you see a panorama shot that is significantly smaller than the pictures around it, it is because I had to shrink it to upload it.  I am guessing that only people with 4k or larger monitors will notice this, since I shrunk them to 1080p sizes.

The trip came to right around 10k miles.  I averaged around 19mpg for the whole trip (probably a little less, the computer tends to be a bit optimistic by roughly 0.5mpg).  I am estimating the trip cost between $8k and $9k.  It is worth noting though that I didn't normally choose the cheapest hotel, I chose a well rated one, and typically close to the attraction.  This is mostly as a reaction to staying in Williams on the Grand Canyon trip, which was 70 miles from the Grand Canyon.  

Even with all this stuff in the back (the fridge itself is still there).  I didn't realize that I had brought so much crap.  And this is after the trip, so a lot of the food and drinks are gone...

If I take any more trips like this, my magnets might need to move from the side to the front.

Another couple comments on traveling: I definitely understand the appeal of converted camper van.  It is basically the way I traveled but better.  The only way this is feasible though is if the van can replace my truck, I don't have 60k for a van lying around, plus another 10k to actually do the conversion.  It might be worth investigating though.  If I can find a 4x4 van, there is no reason it can't replace my truck, it can haul almost as well, and they can tow as well, and would be much better for traveling.

The reason that came about is because while the idea of the cap and camper in the back seemed to work, my current implementation was a failure.  None of my latches held up while on the road despite being 350lb strength.  The drip edge came apart, which allowed water to blow into the back, so it wasn't water tight.  Aerodynamically it was at best a brick, which made a lot of noise on the road.  I also had problems with the fridge running out of control, but I assume that is because it is a black fridge in the sun in a black bed.  Likewise, the Jackery refused to charge until the drive home (which was fairly cold out).  I assume that is also thermally related.  It does cast doubts on the feasibility of the cap though.  I still think the idea is acceptable, but I think I will have to buy a real cap or seriously upgrade my construction techniques.

There didn't appear to be any issues with the house when I got home.  I was nervous when I saw this, but I am pretty sure it just stands for Clean Filter. 

All the toilets had evaporated most of the water and left some residue/minerals behind, but after a month, that isn't entirely abnormal.

The back yard was soup (and has since turned into an ice sheet).  I don't like it, but there isn't anything I can do about it at this point.  

This weekend will be mostly getting everything straightened up and organized again, and then some prep work for what I want to work on over the winter.  

Just to finish off, here are a few of my favorites from the trip.  These are the candidates for getting printed and putting on my wall.