Having arrived at one of the most scenic spots in the world, surrounded by miles of spellbinding landscape, one would have thought we could park the trucks any old place, get our shots, and then spend the rest of the time hiking the numerous trails. Despite the hope offered by our first shoot, this proved not to be true.
Every time we drove to a great location, Allison would push us on in hopes that an even better sight was around the next bend. His taskmaster lashings forced us through the tree-lined slopes of Dixie National Forest to Brian Head ski resort at 11,307 feet of light-headed elevation. Of course, after this multihour, winding drive, Allison declared that the best location was back within a few miles of the hotel. (Grrrrr...) Once again the full battery of car-care products, towels, and pressurized water was unloaded so we could detail the trucks. An occasional passer-by would pull over to ask how much we charged for a car wash. When it's 30 degrees out and you're elbow deep in frigid water while chasing the fleeting sun, nothing's funny.
Next morning we drove up to Kodachrome Basin, seemingly the home of the perfect Kodak moment, just a half-hour from the hotel. With an infinite variety of gorgeous red rock backgrounds, we picked a flattering angle and sacrilegiously burned Fuji film through Allison's camera like ammo through a Gatling gun. With much arm twisting, Allison sacrificed a full five minutes of location scouting time to view the actual Bryce Canyon, filled with scores of stone fingers standing more than 100 feet tall. Since we couldn't readily find a location that would accommodate the trucks, we plowed on, seeking off-road adventures.
Romping in the mud-lined banks of a stream and slip-sliding through fresh-fallen snow sounded like a great idea for action-packed photos, until the tires started spinning. The tow rope box was mysteriously empty, and civilization wasn't within walking distance. Despite a few hairy moments, both trucks repeatedly pulled us out of frictionless situations.
Getting back to nature with the Tahoe and Expedition provided a great escape from fast-paced L.A., teaching us to occasionally indulge our primal urges with man's best friend of the '90s, the sport/utility.-Jeff Bartlett
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