Indy 500 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway

As my road trip took me north, I arrived in Indianapolis, Indiana on the eve of the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500. With an estimated 350,000 in town to attend to the race, Indianapolis was understandably chaotic. I spent most of my time downtown that afternoon. 

I knew there was no way I'd be able to get inside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, nor did I want to waste the limited time I had trying, but I couldn't pass up the chance to at least see it with my own eyes. Late in the afternoon I made my way through the traffic, and found I was one of the few cars heading towards the Speedway as everyone else was leaving for the day. 

I managed to find a spot to snap a few pics, and had a vintage Indy 500 postcard with me that I'd purchased earlier that day. The energy surrounding the venue was infectious, and even just wandering around Indianapolis for much of the day had me feeling connected. I was left buzzing from my brief visit to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but shortly after I was back on the interstate in a race of my own to reach Illinois before sundown.

A photo posted by Luke Fandrich (@editingluke) on May 29, 2016 at 6:18am PDT

Exploring Portland, Oregon

Oregon's largest city has a personality all its own, and no photo series of the Pacific Northwest would be complete without a bit of Portland in the mix. Here are a few highlights. 

Big Sur, California Coast

Coastal cliffs, epic ocean views, and the iconic Bixby Canyon Bridge are just a few of the reasons the drive along the Pacific Coast Highway through Big Sur, California is so incredible. This stretch of the PCH is renowned for being one of the most beautiful drives in the world, and heading south offers unobstructed views from the passenger seat.  

Between the winding, cliff-hugging roads and numerous scenic outlooks, the drive through Big Sur offers exactly what you'd expect on a road trip spanning the Pacific coast. And still, the scenery continued to exceed expectations. Mike and I made the most of the journey, exploring beaches and coastal towns as we went. From here it was on to San Simeon and Morro Bay.

Bixby Canyon Bridge

Piedras Blancas Light Station