Driving to Nebraska - Need much advice

08/19/2005 11:14:01 AM · #1

Alright you landscape guys... I'm counting on you for input. My wife and I are driving to mid-state Nebraska next year (family reunion). We'll be starting from home (east coast of South Carolina). The actual travel time is 25 hours (I've done it non-stop before - no fun). This time we'll be breaking it up over 3 days (one way). We will be travelling through Tennesse, Missouri, Kentucky, and Nebraska. I am looking at this as a tremendous opportunity to do some photography. We'll be traveling with an 18 month old and will probably have to stop freqently. I want to plan my trip around my photo ops. I plan on hitting the mountains of Tennesse around dawn and I want to hit St. Louis around dusk or dawn to get images of the Arch.

I need advice on other "can't miss" shots I can take along the way and also recommended lenses. I will probably only be able to purchase one lens between now and the time we leave. I am seriously considering the Canon EF-S 10-22 f3.5/4.5 USM. Is this a good choice?

strangeghost

Canon EOS-7D

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

08/19/2005 11:30:01 AM · #2

The only place in Kentucky I've visited is Mammoth Cave (stopped there on a massive driving vacation myself last summer). Photography inside the cave is tough because of lighting, but permitted. If you can, take in a tripod so you can do the necessary long exposures and you'll get some killer shots. Lots of cool surface excursions around there too, to see the geology of how caves form from a surface perspective.

jmosher

Nikon D90

08/19/2005 11:44:56 AM · #3

What part of Nebraska? I am currently stuck in Columbus, NE. north of Lincoln.

JM

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

08/19/2005 11:58:43 AM · #4

Originally posted by jmosher:

What part of Nebraska? I am currently stuck in Columbus, NE. north of Lincoln.

JM

Big sprawling Metropolis of Ord NE - Custer County area. NE of nowhere... just south of nowhere... out in the middle of nowhere!!!

If I'm not mistaken...near Broken Bow.

Message edited by author 2005-08-19 11:59:47.

rjpat

Canon EOS-20D

08/19/2005 12:04:36 PM · #5

If you are traveling through Ashville, you should try the Blue Ridge Parkway, there are some great overlooks in the mountains. Check you maps and watch the signs, can't miss it.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

08/19/2005 12:15:23 PM · #6

Originally posted by rjpat:

If you are traveling through Ashville, you should try the Blue Ridge Parkway, there are some great overlooks in the mountains. Check you maps and watch the signs, can't miss it.

Our route takes us just south of Ashville, but I plan on doing Ashville on a separate trip anyway. Probably will do Biltmore sometime soon. Fortunately we're close enough to do that on a long weekend. Thanks for the input!

cpurser

Canon EOS-5D

08/19/2005 12:29:06 PM · #7

Cade's Cove in TN is an awesome photo op, but wait until your Ashville long weekend to go there. It's at least a full day to cover that place. Oh, go in the fall/spring to avoid the MASSIVE crowds and smog.

-Chad

Spork99

OM System OM-1

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

08/19/2005 12:45:44 PM · #8

Check out the SAC museum near Omaha. They have an awesome selection of restored aircraft (mostly from the Cold War era) including a U2, an SR-71, a B-36 and a B-52. They also have a MiG.

08/19/2005 01:45:11 PM · #9

What about lens suggestions?

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

08/19/2005 04:57:26 PM · #10

Bump for the evening crowd. :-)

Spork99

OM System OM-1

08/19/2005 05:02:27 PM · #11

Originally posted by ldowse:

What about lens suggestions?

Wide and wider.

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

08/19/2005 05:10:51 PM · #12

Originally posted by Spazmo99:

Wide and wider.

LOL... kinda what I thought... I've been to NE before... you can see for MILES!!! Actually I have one in mind... Canon EF-S 10-22 f3.5/4.5 USM. Wide enough?

groggyfroggy

Canon EOS-500D Rebel T1i

08/19/2005 09:40:08 PM · #13

I live in Nebraska and can't really think of anything to photograph. I get a few pics at the zoo but I go there too much, Everything always looks the same. Lol
Good luck.

Edit to take it back... after reading more posts I feel there are a few things to photograph in the Omaha area.

Message edited by author 2005-08-19 23:41:46.

LedZeppelin588

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Canon

08/19/2005 10:07:07 PM · #14

If you go through lincoln, we have a cool capital building...

Chimney Rock...

CARHENGE.

spvanderm

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

Canon EF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 IS USM

08/19/2005 11:13:29 PM · #15

OK...Nebraska isn't exactly vacation destination #1, but it has some charm. In Omaha, you could check out the cancer survivor's park, the Henry Doorly Zoo, the wildlife safari, Lauritzen gardens, Joslyn Art Museum which is graced with the work of Dale Chihuly, among others. Check out Rosenblatt Stadium, home of the College World Series.

Lincoln is home to our state capitol, a FABULOUS children's museum, and of course, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, (Tommy Lee goes to college!). GO HUSKERS!

Near Ord, you'll be close to the sandhills of Nebraska. The Nebraska Sandhills is a unique area, both in size and appearance. Native grassland covers 19,600 square miles of wind-deposited sand dunes. Its geology makes the area rich for wildlife, water and ranching.

The Land

19,600 square miles
Largest sand dune formation in America
95% grassland
1.3 million acres of wetlands
1 billion acre-feet of groundwater
2.4 million acre-feet of spring-fed streamflow discharged annually

Kearney is not too far from Ord. As you pass near Kearney on I-80, you'll pass under the Archway Monument. It's pretty cool to tour.

I'm out of ideas for now. I'll let you know if I think of anything else photo-worthy!

Edit to put in a couple of photos of downtown Omaha and the Old Market (not my photos...borrowed from a blog!)

Message edited by author 2005-08-19 23:34:19.

Spork99

OM System OM-1

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

08/19/2005 11:47:00 PM · #16

Originally posted by ldowse:

Originally posted by Spazmo99:
Wide and wider.

LOL... kinda what I thought... I've been to NE before... you can see for MILES!!! Actually I have one in mind... Canon EF-S 10-22 f3.5/4.5 USM. Wide enough?

Unless you get your mitts on a Peleng 8mm fisheye

Prime_Time

Nikon D80

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

08/19/2005 11:51:15 PM · #17

I have drove through Missouri, quiet a few times maybe about 10 or so times, the last trip, I thought once we get out of KC it would be smooth sailing....WRONG...more like bumper to bumper. Maybe gas prices will slow it down some.

jmosher

Nikon D90

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

08/25/2005 12:38:43 PM · #18

I forgot about this thread as I am on vacation near Salt Lake City. Ahhh, the mountains. I sure miss the mountains.

Anyway, back on topic. I have lived in Nebraska for 2 1/2 years and one of the cool things to photograph are the old churches. If you go to any of the small towns in northeast Nebraska they have these turn of the century churches. In some towns you will see the spire poking out of the top of the trees from quite a distance. Two of the best are Humphrey, NE (between Columbus and Norfolk) and up in Bow Valley.

You might also see some angry weather.
LINK TO PHOTO

Message edited by hbunch7187 - Changed huge photo to a link.