SAN FRANCISCO, YOSEMITE etc..

[Eric Meyer <74415.1305@CompuServe.COM>]

To:  >INTERNET:Leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us

Lucien,

     Enjoy your trip.  You already have a great collection of
destinations planned (though I must admit I don't know a
site called "Giant Forest").  If you want further advice, perhaps it
would help if you explained some specific things you're especially
looking for, or don't like; or gave a more exact idea of the routes
you're considering.

     For a trip in the heat of August, I myself would forget
anything south of Zion (esp. Death Valley; unless you have specific
reasons, I'd skip L.A. and/or Vegas too) and instead, perhaps,
drive north on the coast from SF to Eureka, maybe even up to Olympic
Nat'l Park or Mt Rainier; but your choice.  (If you don't have time for
that, then at least drive _down_ the coast a little from SF to
Monterey/Big Sur.)  If you're interested in archaeology as well as
nature, consider places like Mesa Verde Nat'l Park in the corner of
Colorado, and come see the Rocky Mountains while you're at it.

     But it doesn't sound as if you need an even longer list of
recommendations.  Whatever you do, give yourself time: enough to
enjoy each destination you care most about; also enough to stop for
the unexpected along the way, which is the real pleasure of driving
around the western USA.

              --  Eric Meyer.