Road Trip Rip

Frequently Asked Questions

What is "adventure photography"?

Well, I think of adventure photography as being a way to take you on an adventure through images. Sure, a lot of it is landscape photography, but I also like to capture images of people as they enjoy the places that I go to.

How can I comment on your photos?

I am posting all my photos on Webshots, so you can leave comments there until I get the main Road Trip Rip website modified to do something similar.

What kind of car do you drive?

I've been driving a 2002 4WD Toyota 4Runner that I bought used in July, 2005. Its name is Franrea. Check it out!

How did you come up with the name "Franrea" for your car?

That's a great question. I have a friend who names my cars for me. Her rule is that the first letter of the name that she comes up with must match the first letter of the car model. The name of my last 4Runner was Fludera, and Sambuca was the name of my little Sentra. You get the idea.

How many miles do you drive per year?

Here's a graph showing how much I drive.

What's the most dangerous road hazard you've experienced?

Without a second thought, it's minivans. Over the years I've been convinced that minivan owners/drivers are mentally off from the rest of the population. They can often be found driving 20 - 30 mph under or over the speed limit, and they just don't seem to understand basic traffic rules and courtesy. I'd like to see a special lane built for minivans so that they can annoy each other.

If one of my family members procured a minivan, I would seek professional counseling for that person.

Have you ever picked up a hitch-hiker?

Thanks for the question. I saw so many hitch-hikers on my trips to Alaska that I was very tempted. However, I don't trust anybody I don't know, so I didn't pick anybody up.

The ONLY time I've picked up a hitch-hiker was while driving down from a mountain I had just summitted as part of my training for my England Coast-to-Coast adventure. I saw three guys who were obviously fellow hikers. They had decided to take a shortcut to the road after one became injured while doing a longer version of the trail I was just on. I only had one seat available, so I took one guy back to their car. The funny thing was that he was from England and had done the Coast-to-Coast trail just a few years before!

Which states have you driven through?

Well, shoot. How about I list the states I have NOT driven through! I haven't done any exploring up in New England yet. It's high on my list, though. So that takes out Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Maine.

I've somehow managed to miss Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky as well. And I haven't been to Hawaii yet.

As far as our neighbors, I've driven through British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and the Yukon. I've been warned not to drive to Mexico, so I stay north of that border.

What's your favorite road trip grub?

I like Little Caesar's pizza. Their Hot 'n' Ready large pepperoni for $5 with no waiting is hard to beat! And it's easy to eat while driving.

What food should one NOT eat while driving?

Well, anything that requires a utensil, but I've known people that eat breakfast with a fork on the way to work.

I did make the mistake once of getting a chili-cheese burrito from Taco Bell while driving from Maryland to Florida one day. It was dark, so I couldn't quite see where the wrapper was and all that. Daggum, it only took a few minutes before a chili-cheese mixture started working its way down my arm. If anyone could've seen me, I'm sure they would've wondered why I was driving while holding a poopy diaper.

What is something that you've noticed on your road trips?

Well, besides minivan drivers being a few fries short of a Happy Meal, I've noticed that PT Cruisers have personalized license plates more often than any other vehicle. A close second place in that category is the Hummer H2. However, the H2 is just about extinct, so the MINI Cooper is probably second place. I wonder if statistics for that are available....

If you travel by airplane, is it still considered a road trip?

I'm glad you asked. Technically, no. However, I still take a small road trip to and from the airport, so I guess the answer is "Yes".

Either way, I'll still share the photos on this site since I'm trying to capture my adventures. It's just that I take road trips more than airplane trips at this point.

Why DO you drive so much?

I graduated with a degree in Aerospace Engineering, and I know the kind of people they give diplomas to nowadays.

I think I drive so much cuz I'm making up for the lack of road trips when I was younger. I also see it as first-hand confirmation of the accuracy of my atlas.

What kind of camera gear do you use?

I currently use the following gear:

Canon 5D Mark II DSLR body

Canon 50D DSLR body

Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 L lens

Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 L lens

Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L lens

Canon 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 L lens

Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens

Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 lens

Canon SD1000

What about your aerial photography setup? What are you using for that?

Right now I'm keeping it fairly simple and relatively cheap. I've got my little Canon SD1000 mounted under a radio-controlled helicopter. The helicopter has a main rotor diameter of about 4 1/2 feet. If I really get into it I might invest in something more substantial and stick a small DSLR camera on it.

Will you take aerial photos of my house or business?

Maybe. I will if there's minimal risk involved in damaging my equipment or surrounding property.

What's your favorite road trip music mix?

I always like to listen to Tears for Fears, Enigma, Simon & Garfunkle, and America. It's good to thrown in some Shawn Mullins, Bob Marley, Dixie Chicks, or Dave Matthews, too. I try to get a good mix going for each trip, but those are the top artists that come to mind.

Can I sponsor you?

Of course! If you have ideas of a gnarly adventure I should go on, let me know! I will gladly accept sponsorship to exotic destinations in need of some Road Trip Rip photography. A percentage of the sales of photos taken on that adventure will go back to the sponsor!

On the other hand, if you need a photo documentary of one of YOUR adventures, bring me along! I’m in excellent physical condition, I’m not a picky eater, and I’ll be up before dawn. As long as you’re not camera-shy, we’ll get along just fine.

Do you do studio work?

Yes, I have done a little bit, and I'd be happy to do more. Contact me for pricing!

Can I be your traveling buddy?

MAYBE! The position of Personal Traveling Buddy is currently filled, but we enjoy having others join us.

Can I join your mailing list to get updates when you add new galleries?

Of course! Just send me a message at Rip@RoadTripRip.com

What awards have you won?

This photo was awarded first place in the "Scenic Shots" category of the National Park Service Spirit of the Mountains 2009 Photo Contest.

What's next for Road Trip Rip?

Hmm....bigger and better aerial photography setup?