Time-Lapse Video of My Road Trip in the Western USA – November 2013 & Travel Journal

I’ve never done a travel journal on VF before... so I’m giving it a go this year 😉. Just to share a bit of my 3-week trip around the West.

Since I couldn’t find anyone to share the trip with this year, I decided to go solo for 3 weeks at the last minute. So, it wasn’t a super organized or original trip—flight tickets booked last-minute, a loosely planned itinerary—but it was a choice I made.

I wanted to book zero hotels and just drive wherever I felt like. No set hikes or specific goals. Just a classic route through places I already knew for the most part, taking the time to soak in the landscapes. So, don’t expect a story about epic hikes leading to caves or hidden arches in unusual spots. It was more like a return to the roots of my first trip, with one twist: I wanted to explore some areas by mountain bike. Just to see things a little differently.

First up, instead of photos, I’ll share a little time-lapse I made during the trip.

Thursday, October 31: Left Nice early in the morning for Phoenix via London.

The trip was a bit long because I had to wait 5.5 hours in London. My flight ticket was booked kinda late, so I didn’t have much choice.

And then it hit me—when you’re prepping for a trip, you always think you’ll forget something. It was in London that I realized I’d left my driver’s license on my living room shelf. I searched everywhere, but nope, I didn’t bring it.🤪

Luckily, I had an international permit, but the rental contract clearly stated that both licenses had to be presented.

I called a friend to ask her to overnight it to my first hotel, crossing my fingers that the mail wouldn’t take two weeks to arrive.

The flight with British Airways went pretty well. Comfortable enough to watch two movies, eat, take a little nap, and boom—I was in Phoenix.

Around 8 PM local time, I got to the Alamo car rental agency, and surprise—they didn’t care about my license at all. They glanced at the international permit, told me to bring the other one when I got it (basically, they didn’t give a damn), and handed me my car! Woohoo! 😛



I headed to my hotel (the only one I’d booked for my first night), explained to the front desk that my license should arrive by mail so they’d be in the loop, and crashed for a well-deserved first night in the U.S.

Friday, November 1 (And yes! It was a holiday in France, which would complicate my mail situation later.)

I woke up super early with my first goal: find a decent mountain bike at a good price but sturdy enough to handle some national park trails.

As I mentioned earlier, I decided to switch things up this year and explore some mountain bike trails—or just ride whenever I got the chance 😉.

I checked two Walmarts before finally finding a solid bike for under $150. Some might wonder why I bought one—well, the reason’s simple. Renting a bike costs between $40 and $70 a day. My trip lasted 22 days. QED (that’s "quod erat demonstrandum" for those who didn’t get it).

I bought the bike, which fit in my Jeep Compass by folding down the back seats (not super convenient, but it worked).



Off I went on my first adventures.

I decided to head to Apache Junction.

First stop: the Apache Trail at Goldfield Ghost Town. Pretty cute, though super touristy. Some classic Western decor, a little chapel overlooking everything, a museum, a mine, a small Disneyland-style train, souvenir shops, and places to grab a snack. Nothing mind-blowing, but still a fun little visit—especially if you’ve got kids.





I got lucky and explored the ghost town with two school buses—about a hundred excited kids. Total chaos for a ghost town, but hilarious to watch from a distance 😎.

A little further down the Apache Trail, there’s Lost Dutchman State Park. I didn’t linger too long because my goal was to reach the lakes, and after my Walmart adventure and some driving, it was already almost 1 PM. I munched on a bag of chips and hit the road (lots of 20–25 mph speed limits).

I spotted N 1st Water Road along the way, planning to come back in a few days.

My plan to get to the lakes ASAP got derailed when I found a parking lot with a horse trail right in the middle of the saguaros.

I asked a ranger in the lot if I could ride the trail on my mountain bike. He said it’d probably be tough but gave me the green light.

Off I went in my padded shorts and helmet. First bike ride through the cacti with my trusty travel companion (my bike, obviously).



I started off super excited on what seemed like an easy trail, but I quickly realized horse trails don’t account for some key biking challenges 😎—like climbing rocks isn’t exactly a breeze on a mountain bike 😛. No biggie, I carried the bike a few times but got to see my first saguaros up close! A pretty cool way to explore—I don’t regret buying the bike at all!

I got back on the road after drinking 1.5 liters of water (even in November, the sun’s no joke) and headed toward Canyon Lake. With vibes like Lake Powell, I was blown away by the scenery and decided to hang out a bit—just to "soak it in" and enjoy the quiet to end my day. I didn’t see more of the Apache Trail because night falls fast, and for my first day, I figured that was plenty.





I’d decided not to stress about seeing everything at all costs since I’ve traveled a lot in the U.S. and plan to keep coming back. Whatever I missed, I’d catch next time—but I wanted to fully enjoy a few landscapes.

I drove back to Phoenix, grabbed a good burger, and spent the evening in my hotel room planning the next day. Originally, I was only supposed to stay one night in Phoenix, but with my license still MIA, I changed my plans. In the end, I was solo, no reservations anywhere, so I’d just take it day by day!

Saturday, November 2:

I decided to wake up early and head to Tucson for the day. The drive from Phoenix was pretty easy. About 2 hours later, I was at the entrance of Saguaro National Park.

And guess what? There was a little trail perfect for mountain biking. I parked my Jeep at the park entrance and hopped on my bike. I ended up biking the whole park from start to finish—about 20 kilometers, with a paved main road and a gorgeous central trail right through the saguaros! Stunning!



Even being careful, I still got a few cactus spines in my left arm from brushing too close (it stings!). Not easy to remove, so I’d advise anyone with the same idea to be more careful than I was. You’ll figure it out fast! 😉

I spent most of the day in this amazing park—it’s totally worth the detour. It feels like hundreds of chimneys all lined up at equal distances. A unique landscape you’ve gotta see.

Next, I headed to Tucson to check out the airplane boneyard. I’d seen it in a movie years ago and always wanted to see it for myself. Mission accomplished! It was pretty intense, but unfortunately, it didn’t seem possible to get to the most interesting plane alignments. There’s a museum with different types of planes and a guided tour. I settled for peeking through the fences at the planes guarded by military patrols.



I left around 6 PM and got back to Phoenix around 7:30–8 PM, super happy with my day of biking through the cacti!

Sunday, November 3:

Morning by the pool, lounging around—pure bliss. Around 11 AM, I headed to the Premium Outlets. Feeling pretty pleased with myself, I bought 5 pairs of Levi’s for the price of one in France. Just for that, I knew coming to the U.S. was worth it! After that, nothing super exciting—except a cotton field south of Phoenix that I couldn’t stop admiring for a good hour.



I drove around the city—pretty dead on a Sunday—and headed back to the Apache Trail to tackle N 1st Water Road, which I’d spotted two days earlier. A really fun trail to bike if you’ve got a mountain bike 😉. It gives access to several hikes and offers some great scenery. Highly recommend it.

Hey Olive

Here’s a pretty original travel journal with some mountain biking trips. You’ll make friends with the Spartan 😛.

For the driver’s license, it’s not the first time I’ve read about someone forgetting it, but it *is* the first time I’ve read that they still let you have the car . You were really lucky! Without the car, I don’t know what you would’ve done for several days . Anyway, I think it’s best not to get pulled over by the police 😛 or you might end up at the station 😛.

See you for the next update!

I was super careful as long as I didn’t have it, but I still drove at least 5 days without the license... 😉 But yeah, I wasn’t exactly feeling relaxed about it... I’ve never stuck to speed limits so well 😎😛

For those who already read the first part, I’m revisiting the Sedona day here because I realized it wasn’t very readable to post photos if I wrote several days in a row... A few photos taken with my iPhone—nothing artistic, just to illustrate. 😛 I’ll also show my viewpoints for the time-lapse... 😉Monday, November 4:

Off on another adventure! Today, heading to Sedona.😎

The drive is about 2 hours from Phoenix. By leaving early, I avoid all the traffic and arrive just in time for sunrise! A little while to soak in the amazing view from Airport Road… Sedona is a little gem.





I stop by the visitor center to buy my $5 pass (I’d read that you needed a $5 pass to bike the Cathedral Rock trail. In the end, I never figured out what that pass was for… 😉)

I’m helped by a very sweet but clearly elderly lady who really deserves to retire… 🙁

The poor thing takes a good 10 minutes to swivel her chair and grab the pass from the drawer right behind her. At every moment, I’m ready to jump over the counter in case she falls and hurts herself…

Once I’ve got my pass, I head to Red Rock State Park, and the person at the entrance tells me they’ve never seen that pass before. 😎 Well, some things are better left unexplained to avoid wasting an hour!

So I pay my entry fee to the state park and spend the whole day enjoying the stunning landscapes. A few short walks along Oak Creek, then I end up crossing it with my mountain bike on my shoulder to tackle the loop around Cathedral Rock.



A really fun ride, though a bit technical, with magical scenery. Totally doable by mountain bike, but expect to carry it a few times. The hardest part is pedaling through the sand. 🤪







I loved Sedona and wish I could’ve spent more time there. Yet another reason to come back to this area on my next trip! I head back to Phoenix nice and easy, soaking in every viewpoint along the way before sunset…





And I’m crossing my fingers that my driver’s license finally arrived at the hotel.

Nope, no license. The Chronopost tracking shows it only just left Germany that morning.

That’s not gonna stop me! Tomorrow, I’m off to the Grand Canyon! I’ll swing back through Phoenix later…

Hi Olive, Wow, your Timelapse is amazing—I’m a huge fan! 😉 Your shots totally changed my mind about the Apache Trail. I was disappointed before, but now I get it: gray skies really dull the scene, and sunshine makes all the difference! Big props for the "mountain biking" option—such a great idea! 😎 “50 hours of patience”, hats off to the artist! 😇 Thanks for sharing it with us… (PS: November clouds sure add a cool effect to the videos!)

Hi Olivier, Wow, that time-lapse gave me chills... Your route looks just like the one we did this summer (same start and finish, in fact), but the big difference is we did it as a family with our three kids, so the logistics were totally different... I’ll admit, biking in some of those parks really tempted me—even though I think it’s way too hot in summer—but going solo with a bike in the car is definitely appealing. It’s a whole different experience. Amazing job on the time-lapse (and all 50 hours of patience...). I’m really looking forward to reading the rest now—after seeing the video, I’m hooked! Anne

Hi Olive,

I checked two Walmarts and finally found a nice mountain bike for under $150.

Didn’t you have any mechanical issues with your bike? Because a full-suspension mountain bike for under $150—reliability is pretty sketchy 😜

Hello Pong,

Thanks! Yeah, 50 hours of patience because for every shot, I stayed about fifteen minutes to get roughly 8 seconds of footage 😛! But the upside is that the camera does all the work, and it leaves plenty of time to enjoy the scenery...

Don’t be fooled about the clouds... There were many days when the sky was perfectly blue without a single cloud, and I was despairing of finding any for my time-lapse 😎. So, as soon as I spotted a cloud, I quickly set up my camera! 😛

Hi Anne,

Thanks! I’ll try to stay true to writing whenever I get a spare moment 😉 My trip was pretty straightforward—I just needed to ride and enjoy the stunning landscapes...

And ride with my bike 😉

Hi Jean-Philippe,

No particular issues... The MTB held up well. Apart from the front suspension, which wasn’t great...

I’d say the bike was about the same quality as a Decathlon entry-level full-suspension model.

Hello there,

Another travel journal to wrap up the year!!

What’s going on????

It’s great that everyone’s sharing their experiences—each one’s different (and that’s a good thing) and interesting, because there’s always something new to pick up.

Kudos to you TOO… and keep it up!

Solo travel seems to be gaining fans, and it brings a real sense of freedom (and sometimes a bit of anxiety).

See you later, Jean.

well, listen, at that price and if reliability was on point, you had a great idea!

Hi Jean,

Yeah, it really gives you a sense of freedom. And it lets you do things you probably couldn’t do as a couple...

The funny thing is, when I was in the middle of the most desert-like areas, I never felt truly alone... I felt happy and at peace, actually.

But in big cities, the feeling of loneliness is strong despite all the people around. Go figure! 😉

I was a bit worried about going in circles, which is why I set myself the goal of mountain biking. It turned out to be a great choice. I had an absolute blast riding trails and discovering the parks in a different way...

There aren’t many trails in the national parks, but all the ones I tried were really good. Some were more technical, but honestly, nothing too bad—if you can’t make it, you just push your bike 😉

This time-lapse is amazing! We're so lucky right now with all these lone travelers taking the time to capture such beautiful images! Thanks! Marie

Hi Marie,

My pleasure! 😉 Besides, if everyone chips in, I’d be happy to go back and take more footage!... 😛 Hee hee

Hi,

Thanks Olive for this lovely travel journal—I’m starting to read it with real enjoyment… another beautiful dream to dive into :-)

And the time-lapse is stunning!

Tuesday, November 5:

Here I go, heading first to Flagstaff.

I know this route pretty well since I covered most of it the day before. This time, though, I get to see the landscapes (because last time, I did the whole trip at night).

It’s pretty mind-blowing how the scenery changes. You easily go from endless hills of saguaros to canyons and red, brown, and black cliffs—every color imaginable. Then come the endless, stunning plains, ending with giant pine forests as you approach Flagstaff.

The first thing that strikes you when you arrive in Flagstaff is that it’s 10 °C colder than in Phoenix! Brrr 🤪

I bundle up and head out to explore the city, especially its stretch of Route 66. A few motels here and there with cool signs, especially the museum with its famous guitar-shaped sign.

The city’s pretty nice, even if it doesn’t have anything extra special. It seems like a peaceful place to live. The best part is how close it is to the Grand Canyon and other parks like Painted Desert or Petrified Forest.

Not to mention Meteor Crater, which is just a few miles away. I’ll probably check that out tomorrow. For now, I’m heading back to the Grand Canyon to enjoy some viewpoints in the afternoon and the sunset.

I get there pretty quickly, stop in Williams, and grab a cheap motel (no way I’m paying 120 € for just a few hours). Then I rush to the Grand Canyon.

I explore the South Rim up and down and take advantage of the bike path from Tusayan. This is my third time at the Grand Canyon, and it’s still just as beautiful and impressive.



As always when you visit the Grand Canyon, the sunset wraps up the show, with a few mule deer prancing around in the pine forests. A truly magical moment. Some call it solitude, but sometimes, solitude is a good thing. 😉



The drive back to Williams is a bit less pleasant because I realize there are animals all along the road between Tusayan and Williams.

The whole way, I struggle to drive at the speed limit because a deer decided to dart in front of me just as I left Tusayan. I’m nervous about another one crossing right as I’m going 65 mph.

I also spot a dead deer on the side of the road—less lucky than its friends. Cars drive pretty fast on this stretch, so it’s no surprise there are accidents like this at night.

Relieved to make it back to my motel, I enjoy the evening in Williams, doing some shopping and grabbing a bite to eat.

I love the Route 66 vibe in Williams with all those vintage cars—each one more beautiful than the last. I passed through a few years ago and thought Tusayan felt a bit dead at night compared to Williams. So this time, I decided to stay there for the night.

Anyway, no time to waste—I decide to wake up at 4:00 AM to head to Desert View and catch the sunrise over the Grand Canyon.

Off to bed! 😎

Wednesday, November 6:

Up at 4:00 AM, a quick shower, a donut, and some orange juice 🙂

By 4:30 AM, I’m on the road to Desert View. I arrive at the parking lot at 6:00 AM. It’s still dark and freezing cold! A biting wind whips at my poor Antibes ears.

Come on, it’s the Grand Canyon—time to break out my little camera and, most importantly, my eyes to soak in this wonder one last time before moving on to new horizons.



It’s freezing, but it’s absolutely magical! The deer come one by one to feed under the viewpoint, the sun rises, and slowly lights up the canyon. There’s no one around! That’s what I call a perfect moment. 😎





As the sun lights up the canyon, photographers start running in. It’s kind of funny to watch—like a race for the best shot! 😛

I still spent 4 hours in the freezing cold, but it was worth it to fully enjoy the peace and breathtaking scenery.



I leave feeling like a happy man! On the way back, I stop at a few viewpoints along the road.





Then I head back toward Flagstaff, determined to visit Meteor Crater.

On Fort Valley Ranch Road, heading to Flagstaff, I drive through a long stretch of deforestation. It’s a dramatic sight—hundreds of trees cut down and hauled away on trucks to sawmills. I wonder how long it’ll take to devastate these hills at this rate, especially since I don’t see any replanting going on. 🤪

I pass near a ski resort (Arizona Snowbowl), and there’s snow on the summit, which makes for a weird contrast with the pretty nice temperature where I am.



I arrive in Flagstaff for lunch, and that’s when my hotel in Phoenix contacts me to let me know my driver’s license has arrived! No time to lose—instead of visiting Meteor Crater, I’ll do Flagstaff–Phoenix and Phoenix–Flagstaff in the afternoon. I get back to Flagstaff in the evening, exhausted from all the miles, check into a hotel, and fall asleep peacefully.

Thanks Rjulie95 😉 I’m so glad you liked my time-lapse 😎 It was my first try, so it wasn’t a sure thing...

Awesome job on this really original and well-done time-lapse!

Congrats on your first post on the forum! 😇

Did I miss something? What was the deleted message about? 😎 You can DM me.

Thanks a bunch 😉

Hi Olive,

Another travel journal—Santa’s sack is overflowing this year! 😉 I really like yours 🙂.

a trip not necessarily planned / I wanted to book no hotels / drive wherever I felt like / Without necessarily setting any particular goals

A true travel philosophy that not everyone can pull off (including me 😉). There’s a certain “zen” vibe to it that’s really nice.

The timelapse is gorgeous. This trend seems to be all the rage lately, and I find it funny how you have to be so patient (50 hours, seriously?!!) just to make time fly by... in fast-forward 😛! Little favorite moment: the Sequoia scene with the mist 🙂.

Looking forward to the next part... 😉

Way to go, Tbd! 😎 Efficient and courteous—totally you! 😉

Thanks for sharing! One question about the time-lapse, please: When the camera moves or zooms, is that done in post-production or during the actual shoot? If it’s during the shoot, what kind of gear do you use to keep it smooth?

Best regards

Well done Tbd! 😎 Efficient and courteous, that’s totally you! 😉

Judging by their other messages since, another one who signed up on the forum JUST to spend their time criticizing 🤪.

Hi Caussat,

The simplest way possible—I just set up a mini camera on a tripod. The images are taken in 12MP, and I create the movements in post-production 😉

There are automated sliders out there, but I really didn’t see myself lugging around that kind of gear... Just a camera in my bag 😉

Thanks for the info! 🙂

Every forum needs trolls, otherwise it wouldn’t be a real forum 🤪

But seriously, they’re so annoying

Hi Laure,

Thanks to you 😉 Yeah, there’s a certain zen vibe to it. It’s pretty nice to change plans on a whim... 😛 No pressure, just enjoying whatever comes your way!

As for the time-lapse, those 50 hours let me soak in the stunning landscapes even more 😉 While the camera does its thing, you’ve got plenty of time to just take it all in!

I’ve taken so many photos and videos of the U.S. on my previous trips that this time, I didn’t feel like lugging around a 1.5-hour film. So, in just 6 minutes, I’ve got shots that tell the whole story of my trip 😉

Thursday, November 7:

Up early once again, I set off to visit Meteor Crater (I’ll get there eventually) before finally getting back on my original route toward Lake Powell.

You should know I’m the kind of person who easily gets sidetracked when I’m out exploring. If something catches my eye, I *have* to stop! That’s just how I am!

All in all, I must’ve stopped about 10 times on the way, which really stretches out my travel time every single trip.





After several stops to soak in the scenery, I finally make it to Meteor Crater.

The visit was pretty interesting—it’s hard to imagine something like that happening (and possibly happening again) so close to a major city. I can’t help but think that if another meteorite hit, Flagstaff could be wiped off the map.

It’s funny because, in the end, it’s just a massive hole, but the landscape is so lunar that you can’t help but linger and picture yourself on another planet. An incredibly surreal sight.

I spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying the views along Highway 89.



Oh, and I almost forgot—I spent a good while on a bridge waiting for a train to pass! I’ve always loved those endless trains. In the photo, it whizzes by in seconds, but in reality, it took several minutes to pass.





I made little stops whenever the scenery called for it, including in Cameron to check out the Native American shop again.

The road was still closed due to the landslide on Highway 89, but a detour let me reach Page (Lake Powell) via Highway 168, which had been freshly paved all the way to the lake for the occasion.

The road was perfect and got me to my next stop in no time.

I arrived in Page in the evening and can’t wait to fully enjoy this place I love starting tomorrow.

Just to clarify, the smoke in the sky in the last photo is from the wildfires that were happening near the Grand Canyon... 🤪

Hi Olive! I’m brand new to this forum, and wow, that time-lapse is *gorgeous*—it really got me dreaming! (I’m normally heading to the USA for the first time in June 2014!) Thanks for sharing with us! If I understood correctly, you arrived in Phoenix and from there did what you wanted before leaving from Phoenix again!

I’ll take this chance to say hi to everyone 😉!

Wow, that timelapse is amazing!! Brings back memories 😛 What editing software do you use? I'm thinking of investing in that kind of camera for our next trip to the US!! I love timelapses and can't wait to make ones like yours 😉

you made it to Phoenix and from there you did what you wanted...

If that’s not a great vacation summary, I don’t know what is! 😎

Hi Nadia, Thanks so much! 😎

For the route, I arrived in Phoenix and left from Los Angeles. I covered over 5,000 km.

Hi Michael,

I used Corel VideoStudio Pro X6, but most software can handle this kind of editing. If the only feature you're interested in is time-lapse, I’d recommend investing in a good camera that supports time-lapse photography rather than a GoPro or PNJ-style action cam. These little cameras are fun, but they don’t offer the optical quality or zoom needed for really great time-lapse shots. All my zoomed shots turned out blurry... With a good DSLR, you won’t have that issue. I had a GoPro and now I’ve switched to a PNJ, but in both cases, they’ll never match a proper DSLR.

Hi Olivier, yeah, I got it “after”—you hadn’t left Phoenix yet! ;)

Thanks!

I do have a (very) good DSLR, an EOS 60D, but I don’t have an intervalometer to use it for time-lapse shots. Since I’m also planning to use the "beast" for mountain biking and trail running, that’s why I was thinking of switching to cameras like GoPro...

Are there big differences between GoPro and PNJ? I was thinking of getting an "old" GoPro Black Edition since the new one’s release has really dropped the prices!!

I’ve also seen the new Drift HD Ghost S, which is getting great reviews right now, but it’s more expensive...

Wow!!! Absolutely stunning time-lapse—I’ve watched it three times in a row and still can’t get enough! 🙂 I have friends who don’t understand why I love the States so much, but when you see this video, you can’t help but admire and fall in love with the beauty of the American West. I don’t know the Apache Trail, but now I really want to check it out! 😕

Bravo for this amazing share!

Friday, November 8:

Woke up at 5 AM to fully enjoy the sunrise at Horseshoe Bend.

I arrive at the parking lot and there’s already a car there (I thought I was the only crazy one getting up at 5 AM during vacation).

I bundle up warmly (since there’s always a very cold wind in the morning), my headlamp on, and off I go down the little trail connecting the parking lot to Horseshoe Bend.

So there are two of us positioning ourselves, thrilled to soak in the view, when suddenly, behind us, what I’d call a ‘lantern descent’ appears! 😎

Like a stream of shooting stars, I see 1, then 2, then 3… then 50 people with headlamps heading toward us, their lights forming a giant S on the slope leading to Horseshoe Bend. 😎😎😎

I rub my eyes several times, wondering for a moment if it’s an alien apparition from Roswell…😛

No, no—these are humans taking a photography class! All equipped with tripods and professional-grade cameras, searching for the best spot, the best exposure, the best shutter speed, the best framing. “Am I too high, or too far left? Is my shutter speed right?”





We watch the sunrise in absolute chaos and the continuous clicking of shutters… I’d never seen anything like it!

After about an hour, I hear someone say, “Should we grab breakfast?” and just like that, they all leave the way they came! Pretty surreal. 😉 I don’t even know if any of them actually *saw* what they were photographing—they all seemed so focused on getting the right light and framing! 😎

For a second, I think I should’ve said “Breakfast” right from the start!..😛





A little later, I head back to my hotel. What’s better than hopping on my mountain bike to check out a trail for a first glimpse of Lake Powell? I’d scouted a small 20-kilometer route that loops around Page without ever showing the city. The view of the lake is stunning—another feeling of being at the edge of the world. What’s extra cool is that this trail is almost flat, and it’s pure joy. I spend about three hours leisurely riding around.









It’s magnificent—riding above cliffs in a completely desert landscape. There are rabbits everywhere! I spend a long time watching them. But not a single pedestrian or bike in sight—just me, alone in the world. A truly peaceful moment.



After soaking in the views and getting a good workout, I head back to the hotel.

A nice shower and a sandwich later, I enter Lake Powell National Park just to check out a few viewpoints. I’ve been here before and have no intention of doing boat tours or other activities. Just taking my time to look and soak in the scenery. And honestly, I recommend everyone do the same… It’s pure bliss to take your time and just admire the landscape.







I take this time to walk quietly along the lake and access a few spots with breathtaking views. Nothing too extraordinary—just the joy of being in this place that brings back so many great memories.

With my eyes full of beautiful images, I return to Page for a good meal at a Denny’s (I love Denny’s), pick up some essentials (M&M’s, cookies, donuts…) at the local Walmart, and enjoy a peaceful evening in my hotel room doing some sketches! Oh, I almost forgot to mention—my other passion besides the U.S. is drawing, and I’d promised myself I’d sketch regularly during my vacation. Well… I only managed 3 or 4 quick drawings in 3 weeks! You can’t do everything at once. Tomorrow, early start! Gotta make the most of the day since the sun sets early, which really cuts into sightseeing time…

Thanks, Patricia! 😉

I had a GoPro that only lasted a year... Given how much I’d invested in buying an LCD screen, spare batteries, a dive housing, etc., that little camera ended up costing me a small fortune.

So I decided to try a new model and went for the PNJ AEE SD23. This camera costs less than 250 € today and includes an LCD screen and an extra battery for that price. No contest!… Goodbye, GoPro.

The images go up to 16MP, and the video quality is flawless. I even find it more stable than the GoPro...

In short, The GoPro Black Edition offers 12MP photos for around 300 € today + a 100 € screen + a 35 € battery, bringing the total to 435 €—and that’s without counting all the accessories that only work with GoPro mounts, whereas the PNJ screws onto a tripod just like a regular camera.

Plus, the helmet mount that costs 25 € for GoPro only cost me 3 € on eBay with a simple screw.

I’ll let you draw your own conclusion with very similar image quality: GoPro: 435 € SD23: 250 €

You're right!! After checking out the different sites and following your great tips, I think I'm gonna go for the SD23 😛

3 or 4 quick sketches in 3 weeks! You can't do everything at once.

Sketching during the Timelapse: seems like the perfect opportunity! 😉 😎 You should put some scans or photos of your sketches online now...🙂 Otherwise, the demo for the SD23 is really convincing! 😏

Hi Pierre,

I’m not sure if VF allows me to post my painting page in conversations, but if you Google my first and last name, you’ll find me easily 😉

For those who don’t know my name, it’s written at the start of the Time-Lapse! 😛

Yep, for the PNJ, I even read quite a few articles that put it ahead of the GoPro... The only small downside I found is the screen size, but ultimately, I think it’s enough. You get used to it pretty quickly.

Wow! 😮 Great job, artist! 🙂 I really like the style, and I think your drawings fit perfectly on the Forum—they make you travel! 😉 Like this one:



Of course, it takes some gear—hard to carry on a mountain bike! 😇

Hi there, 🙂

Saturday, November 2nd: I finally decide to get up early and head to Tucson for the day.

I’ve never stuck to the speed limits so well 😎😛

Oh, was that you going so slow that I passed on the road to Tucson on 11/2? 😏

Great drawings. 🙂 And awesome trip. 😎

Thanks Pierre for sharing! 😉 Drawing and painting are indeed another great way to travel! 😛

Hi Erik, It’s likely! 😛 If you saw a guy slowing down when approaching the police, that was me! 😎😎

Thanks to you. I’m a bit busy at the moment, but I’ll keep posting my story as soon as I can! 😉