On the Road: Thanks, YouTube

Photo of Wilson Arch. It is located about 24 miles south of Moab, Utah, USA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This year I was extremely late in leaving on my trip. I could not get away until just before Thanksgiving during the coldest weather of the season. Originally, I wanted to take I-70 and see the beautiful parks of southern Utah. However, snow-covered Rockies stood in the way. I could not risk unexpected snow while driving over them. Even intense wind was a problem because it could create a ground blizzard. After hours of research I decided I had to take the I-40 route, but I still wanted to see Utah. The problem was that no interstate takes drivers to that destination from I-40.

I could see other highways on the map and one in particular was four lanes. On message boards vacationers had discussed the best way to get to Moab. They used US 550. I wanted to make sure that road did not have any mountain problems, but it was difficult to determine that by looking at the map. I decided to check youTube and found a wealth of information. Many cyclists and drivers have uploaded videos of their journeys along the highways in this area. By watching the video for US 550, I could see I would have no problems dealing with snow covered mountains. I could also watch videos of the national parks in Utah to get an idea of what I wanted to see in the area. What a useful tool for any travelers!

In addition to this site, other sites have message boards where drivers will offer suggestions and information that cannot be found on regular sites. They will tell what the best route is to take and the conditions one can expect. They will also give their experiences with food, gas and lodging.