Phoenix, AZ - Salt Lake City, UT - San Francisco, CA

In the summer of 2000 me and my ex-girlfriend Camilla biked 1500 km in Arizona, Utah, Nevada and California. We started our tour in Phoenix, AZ - but because of the burning sun and the 50 deg. Celcius we instantly jumped on a Greyhound that took us 250 kilometers north to Flagstaff, which has a climate more suited for life because of the higher elevation. From here we went east to see the 1.2 km wide Barringer Crater, the best preserved meteor crater on earth. Then we went back to Flagstaff and north to the south rim of Grand Canyon. Here we stayed for 3 days before we went on through Painted Desert and the large Navajo indian reservation. Just south of the Utah border we stayed for a day in Monument Valley, where the towering rocks has formed the background in many Western movies. Going up through Utah we encountered many strange rock formations, and ultimately ended up in the pleasant town of Moab just below Arches Natl. Park with its more than 100 natural sandstone arches. From here we went on to Green River because we decided to take the Greyhound across Nevada and spend more time in California. After 17 hours in the bus we arrived in Reno, NV - a gambling city second to only Las Vegas. Here we stayed for a day before we entered the great Sierra Nevada Range and settled down in Zephyr Cove at the shore of Lake Tahoe. We continued to Yosemite Natl. Park where we spend 5 days hiking in the stunningly beautiful Yosemite Valley. On our way out of the park we admired the giant sequoias in Mariposa Grove and then made a long descent from the high Sierras to the flat wineyards and the city of Fresno. Here we finally boarded a train to San Jose, and spend the last 4 days with Camillas uncle in Boulder Creek.

On the road to the crater. The elevated crater rim is clearly visible in the horizon.	Lokking down into the Grand Canyon...
Sunset at Mather Point. The canyon is best seen when the Sun is not too high.
Monument Valley, UT. To the indians this place is known as "The Land With the Long Shadows". The area is famous for its use in numerous John Wayne westerns.	On our way out of Monument Valley back to our camp we encountered this little rattlesnake.
The southern half of Utah is desert-like with lots of beautiful rock formations. Here is a look south back to Monument Valley.	Upper Yosemite Falls, Yosemite Natl. Park. These falls is 400 m high, and combined with the Lower Yosemite Falls the total height is more than 700 m, making this the 3rd highest waterfall in the world.
Agathla Peak, AZ. This cliff is located between Kayenta and Monument Valley. Once this was a large cone shaped volcano, but millions of years of erosion has carved the softer cone away, leaving only the massive granite tower that once filled out the volcanos central pipe.	Balanced Rock, Arches Natl. Park, UT.
A view along Columbia Avenue towards the Transamerica Building in San Francisco.
Double Arch, Arches Natl. Park, UT. This huge arch is more than 50 m high, and is one of the most beautiful examples of a natual arch.
Giant sequoia in Toloumne Grove. These amazing trees can live to be several thousand years old, and more than 100 m high.	Half Dome, Yosemite Natl. Park. This remarkable rock is visible from most of Yosemite Valley. Though it looks as have being split at some time, there actually never was another half of Half Dome.
Palms in Fresno, CA.	Giant sequoia in Mariposa Grove.
On the hiking trail to Vernal Falls, Yosemite Natl. Park. The last part of the hike to the top of the falls is a rough 600 steps high slippery staircase carved into the bedrock. From the top we continued to Nevada Falls.	Turret Arch in Arches Natl. Park, UT.
An overlook of the entire Yosemite Valley. The waterfall to the right is Bridalveil Falls. On the left is El Capitan, a 1 km high vertical cliff - a popular target for climbers from all over the world.