About 7 or 8 years ago I went on tour for Able Frames around the west coast of America in a van where we didn't really have a solid route and the next stop was always up in the air. Throughout that tour, we stumbled upon the Colorado Road Trip. A weekend of camping and skate parks with people from all over the west coast. Since then, I've always wanted to go back but due to work and lack of funds it was never possible until this year when I finally made it a point to make myself available to join the trip. I didn't take many skating photos (I mainly wanted to just enjoy myself skating the parks) so most of my photos are of people and landscapes that I wouldn't usually get to photograph back home.
I flew into Arizona to drive up to Colorado with a few friends and the day before we left one of them suggested that we stop by Monument Valley and Arches Park on the way there and back. We got lost on a few dirt roads which turned out to be peoples front yards but we managed to get some photos without being shot or attacked by all the wild dogs and goats.
A look down the road to Monument Valley
Canon 6D, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso320, f/4, 1/500s)
Jon Jenkins shooting photos of Monument Valley
Canon 6D, Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L (iso320, f/2.8, 1/500s)
Andrew Scherf vaping along a dirt road in Monument Valley
Canon 6D, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso 160, f/4, 1/4000s)
Another one of Jon Jenkins in Monument Valley
Canon 6d, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso100, f/1.6, 1/4000s)
We showed up a day and a half early to have a chill day before all the craziness started. The first 2 nights were in Cedaredge, CO which has a population of about 2,000. I'm from a city of about 8.5 million so it was a little different than what I was used to but waking up that first morning was a beautiful thing.
After having a small session at the Cedaredge skate park, people started showing up to the camp site for the night.
Jason Reyna with his whisky, or bourbon or whatever texans drink
Canon 6D, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso100, f/1.8, 1/1250s)
Pondering...
Canon 6D, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso100, f/1.8, 1/1250s)
Waking up the first morning to this
Canon 6D, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L @16mm (iso100, f/5.6, 1/500s)
Kota Bear is an OG on the trip. She was very cooperative as I was taking her portrait.
Canon 6D, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso100, f/1.8, 1/1600s)
Jon Jenkins trying to stay sober
Canon 6D, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso100, f/1.8, 1/1250s)
One of my favorite things about being so secluded from major areas is the visibility of stars at night. That view never gets old.
Canon 6D, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L @16mm (iso1600, f/2.8, 20s)
I'm a city boy so I definitely appreciate sleeping in a bed every night and our 3rd night, which was in Gunnison, was a test of my limits since it was pouring rain as soon as we got to the camp site. After contemplating getting a hotel for the night, the rain died down but we still slept in the car instead of putting up a tent in the mud.
Unfortunately all I have to show for this night was Jason Reyna waking up the next morning in his onesie.
Canon 6D, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L @35mm (iso100, f/3.2, 1/640s)
Escaping from the camp site down to the lake for Adam Johnson to almost crash his drone and go for a swim.
Canon 6D, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso100, f/12, 1/4000s)
Tis a beautiful lake.
Canon 6D, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso100, f/3.2, 1/1600s)
Unfortunately, this is my only skate photo of the trip. Jeff Stanger makio stall on a super steep and inverted quarter in Lightning TRS'.
Canon 6D, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso100, f/2.8, 1/3200s)
So at this stop I accidentally closed the trunk in a way that sprayed a whole bottle of sunscreen in the trunk all over most of our stuff. Every time we opened the trunk after this point it smelled like we just came from the beach. Andrew Scherf in the drivers seat ready for the next spot. (What does the W mean?)
Canon 6D, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso100, f/2.8, 1/1250s)
The next day was cool because it was our highest and most scenic drive of the trip. Independence pass through the continental divide gave us a view of the rockies from over 12,000ft above sea level.
Andrew Scherf
Canon 6D, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L @35mm (iso640, f/6.3, 1/400s)
The man himself, Luke Bender. It was a pleasure watching his clips in Hoax 5 when I was a kid, and even more of a pleasure getting to meet the guy responsible for putting this road trip together for the past 17 years.
Canon 6D, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L @35mm (iso50, f/4, 1/400s)
A view from the top
Canon 6D, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L @16mm (iso640, f/22, 1/100s)
Canon 6D, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L @35mm (iso640, f/18, 1/100s)
A lot of crazy stuff happened the next morning that I wont talk about here but the day before that, we passed by the Twin Lakes and I wanted to go back for a shot. It actually turned out exactly how I imagined it, I don't think that ever happens. I was also excited for this day since we were going to be in Aspen (Where the beer flows like wine).
Twin Lakes
Canon 6D, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L @35mm (iso200, f/11, 1/125s)
Like I mentioned before, I'm always mesmerized by this view. Looking straight up from our car at the camp site Sunday night.
Canon 6D, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L @16mm (iso1600, f/2.8, 30s)
A few hundred feet from the camp site there was a big rock hill that overlooked the lake and mountains. I went alone to shoot at first which was scary as hell since I was pretty much alone in the middle of nowhere and it was pitch black out. After taking this shot, I went back with Andrew and Jon where we shot more photos.
I was able to catch a couple of shooting stars in this shot as I was looking over my shoulder every 2 seconds to make sure no one or any wild life was sneaking up on me.
Canon 6D, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L @16mm (iso1000, f/2.8, 30s)
The last day was here and what better way to end it with a session at the highest skate park in the United States. At 10,000ft, it was extremely hard to breathe while skating so the session was short and sweet and we said our goodbyes to about 35 cars worth of people that we had just drove around Colorado with for the past 4 days.
Being excited to leave since I couldn't wait to shower and sleep in a bed again, I was also eager to head back so we could swing by Utah and visit the number one national park on my list...
Words can't describe...
Canon 6D, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L @35mm (iso320, f/8, 1/100s)
Balancing Rock
Canon 6D, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L @35mm (iso640, f/11, 1/100s)
Nothing compares to Arches National Park. As soon as you drive in, all you see is amazing red rock formations for miles. It's the Manhattan of national parks. Instead of sky scrapers, you're surrounded by huge mountains the whole drive through the park.
The drive in surrounded by concrete buildings taken with my Samsung S4
Canon 6D, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L @16mm (iso320, f/5.6, 1/100s)
Canon 6D, Canon 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye (iso400, f/5, 1/125s)
Canon 6D, Canon 50mm f/1.4 (iso400, f/3.2, 1/160s)
Jon Jenkins climbing in the window
Canon 6D, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L @16mm (iso1250, f/2.8, 1/160s)
A huge thanks to Luke Bender and everyone else who made this trip possible. It was great seeing new places, meeting new people and skating with everyone. Check out #CORT2015 and #CORT17 for more photos.