'THERE AND BACK AGAIN TO SEE HOW FAR IT IS' - MY HUSBAND, TIM WATSON'S BOOK - ON-SALE TODAY

Well, it was a long road to get here (quite literally!), but today is a big day. After years of hard work, thousands of miles of motorcycle travels and more dings & dents in my Nikon than I care to remember, my husband, Tim Watson's travel novel 'There and Back Again to See How Far It Is' goes on sale today.

Was I crazy to want to accompany my husband on this 8,000-mile trek on our motorcycles through eight Western states in the U.S., using only two-lane highways & back roads, and living for weeks at a time out of my bike's saddlebags that were barely big enough to carry my camera and a large-Ziploc-baggie-sized bag of clothes? Yes.  Would I do it all over again tomorrow? Hell yes.

We are FAR from what most people would consider 'hard-core bikers'.  Neither of us have ever claimed to be that, nor did we aim to become that. We still aren't. We simply are two people who love riding our Harleys, and after too many years sitting behind corporate desks decided that it was time to drop everything and do what we love to do for a change. For Tim, it was writing. For me, it was photography. Combine the two, and you get the recipe for Tim's book.

It will be on book store shelves in the U.S. on October 1st - a month from today. But, meantime, if you happen to be in the UK or Europe, it's in book stores today. Or, if you're reading this then we know you have access to the Internet! So check it out & order it online on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Powell's or any other major bookseller.

You can visit Tim's Author Page on Facebook and connect with him on Twitter.  And the Anne Watson Photography Page on Facebook and Twitter.

Tim & Me.  Photo by Amanda Doublin, www.amandadoublin.com

Cover photo by yours truly, www.annewatsonphoto.com

Open roads as far as the eye can see - in the middle of the Nevada desert.

A seemingly-endless road into the mountains of Utah.

We had Lake Abert in Oregon virtually to ourselves and a perfect, winding, newly-paved road along its banks.

Another two-lane highway, all to ourselves. This time, near Joshua Tree in the middle of the California Mojave Desert.

One of the hairier days on the road... Riding straight into a giant 100-mile-long dust storm cloud that transformed the Western part of the state of Utah into what felt like the surface of the Moon.

Winding roads taking us up into the mountains of Wyoming. It was breathtaking. And very, very cold!

This was a familiar scene for me on our travels... Tim was ahead of me on his bike, and this was the scene in my bike's rear-view mirror. Nothing but openness. It was fantastic.

THE BEST OF THE WORST - 2011 CONCOURS D'LEMONS

Well, everyone knows that each August the city of Monterey, California plays host to some of the finest vintage automobile events in the world.  Spectators from around the globe gather annually for Monterey Car Week and attend everything from the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion races at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca to the world-renowned Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

BUT, in this photographer's not-so-humble opinion, the true crown jewel of Monterey Car Week is the Concours d'LeMons - which, as its tagline states, celebrates the, "...oddball, mundane and truly awful of the automotive world."  This car show is just so bad it's good. The cars so awful, so aesthetically displeasing and so beat-up, you just can't help but love 'em. So screw the rest of the Pebble Beach weekend - I got my fill of fabulous cars right here.

I mean, you have to love an event that proudly starts at "9:14am" and then "goes until they kick us out."  And then awards a 'P.O.S. - Worst of Show' trophy to its top winner - the crappier the car, the better.

Read 'em and weep, Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance entrants! I present to you, a brief recap of some of my favorite highlights from the show. Enjoy...

This year's 'Worst of Show' Winner - Scott King's Cimarron, by Cadillac (aka, the bastard of the Cadillac family)

mmmm... bird cr@p

While not the best at spelling, at least this car's owner came prepared for the show.

A SMALL TASTE OF BIG SUR

Big Sur.  El Sur Grande. The Big South.

Few places I've been in the world can rival the breathtaking beauty of this remote destination in Central California. As you wind along the jagged rocky cliffs of Pacific Coast Highway 1 from San Simeon up to Carmel-by-the-Sea, over 90 miles of seemingly untouched wilderness spread out before you. (Talk about Americana at its finest!)

It is a magical place with a vast array of landscapes & micro-climates.  You can be looking up at giant Redwood trees one minute, and then out over a field of cacti the next. I've driven through Big Sur several times in my life and every time it is different. The light and the color of the sea changes depending on the time of day and season you're there - it always keeps you on your toes. I love it.

We drove up through Big Sur last Thursday, August 18, 2011 from our home in Orange County, California to the Monterey Peninsula for what has become known as 'Car Week'.  Of course when we set out on this automotive-themed vacation, I envisioned taking loads of car-related photos throughout the trip (Which, I did. More to come on those photos soon!). 

But, as we drove along PCH, the signs for 'Vista Point Ahead' seemed to call my name.  We didn't stop much, but when we did I tried to capture just a very small taste of this amazing place with my camera. I hope you enjoy. And, if you've never been, then start planning that road trip now! I can assure that you won't be disappointed.

DESERT LIFE - A TASTE OF PALM SPRINGS

Palm Springs, California - I love this city.  It is classic Americana.

The dry, desert sauna-like heat that radiates off the pavement even after the sun sets. The sounds of Sinatra wafting through the air at the Del Marcos Hotel as you drift peacefully on your foam pool raft, drink-in-hand, soaking up the sun in the saltwater pool. 

And the city is a photographer's dream - with fabulous mid-century modern architecture and incredible artwork found around every bend. 

So, last weekend when my husband and I escaped to Palm Springs for 3 days, I was in photography heaven.  We explored the city, stopping to check everything out that caught our eye - from interesting buildings, to beautiful art, to cool vintage cars - Palm Springs has it all. And I did my best to capture some of my favorites through the lens of my camera.

The fabulous Del Marcos Hotel, Designed in 1947 by the famed desert architect William F. Cody

The distinctive Palm Springs Visitor's Center Building built in 1965 and designed by renowned desert architects Robert Frey and Robson Chambers

Front entrance of the Parker Palm Springs hotel.

The grand, over-sized orange front doors of the Parker Palm Springs hotel

A breathtaking piece entitled 'Horizontal in a Paris Alley' by artist Michael Heath at the Heath Gallery

The Del Marcos Hotel at night

Mid-century modern down to the last detail... the wheels on the pool's sun loungers

 A massive 160-foot-tall windmill in the San Gorgonio Pass Wind Farm near Palm Springs

Panorama of the San Gorgonio Pass Wind Farm