If The Wild West Has, In Fact, Been Won, Nobody's Bothered To tell baja Mexico. The famous peninsula south of San Diego has got to be the last untamed stretch of land in America, and as close to the Old West as you can still get. It's the perfect place for adventure, the only place that could contain the famous baja 1000 off-road race, and the ideal terrain for us to shake down our newly built diesel-powered Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Texas is known for big things, and the Gulf city of Galveston is a large example of Texas' super-size image. For example, in the greater Galveston area, you can see the tallest masonry structure in the world, the largest rocket ever made, a battleship of mammoth proportions, gigantic oil rigs, and some of the biggest cruise ships to sail the oceans- not to mention the fact that, in 1900, the Galveston hurricane was the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history.

Big Bend National Park, located in a scenic section of western Texas, is bordered on the south by the Rio Grande and on the north by wide-open Texas country. Considering the size of Texas, the drive to Big Bend takes a while, but what awaits you in this corner of the Lone Star State is well worth the effort. Big Bend National Park is a sprawling landscape filled with a vast and stunning collection of flora and fauna, spectacular vistas that awe the senses, and enough outdoor recreational opportunities to satisfy the most dedicated enthusiast.

California's Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is one of the largest state parks in the Golden State-and certainly one of the most unique. Encompassing more than 600,000 acres, Anza-Borrego contains something for everyone: cool desert oases, diverse wildlife, stunning views that go on forever, rich lore, a bevy of wonderful plant life, hikes into pristine canyons, and much more. For the off-road enthusiast, there are miles and miles of trails that take you deep within this mystic desert realm. Located in Southern California's Sonoran Desert, Anza-Borrego is approximately 30 miles south of Palm Springs and is bordered on the south by the Mexican border.

The road trip wasn't invented in America, but it was perfected here. With rising energy costs, urban sprawl, and our hectic lives, the road trip is an endangered species. The day may come when most people won't be able to afford the time or fuel that it'll cost to drive 1,000, 2,000, or even 3,000 miles across our great country. And that's a crying shame, 'cause Mother Nature has a way of showing off in places that are far away from civilization and international airports. And for a lot of people, the best way to figure out how you fit into this world is to go out and see for yourself firsthand.

The City of Sedona
A short half-hour drive north of Jerome, Cottonwood, and Tuzigoot is the town of Sedona, one of the most famous and well-visited places in America. Sedona has all of the beauty of red rock country, with its towering red cliffs, unique rock formations, scooped-out valleys, as well as the river-coursed, pine-studded beauty of Oak Creek Canyon. Over the years, though, this beauty is also shared by the glitzy stores and upper-crust homes of the city itself, which seems to grow more populated with each passing year. There's still scenic adventure to be found in Sedona, and we recommend many of the off-road areas that await in red rock country. The city also boasts some great restaurants and art houses to enjoy once you've had your fill of the scenic countryside.

Southern Arizona has Phoenix, heat, a vast expanse of desert, and a forest of Saguaro cacti. Northern Arizona has Monument Valley, Flagstaff, towering snow-capped peaks, aspens, and pine trees. In between these two locales is Central Arizona, where you'll find ancient Native American ruins, Sedona, beautiful lakes, pine forests, Prescott, and magnificent buttes.

Probably the most well-known sight in Arches is Delicate Arch, which is pictured on the Utah license plate. Delicate Arch is perhaps one of the most photographed rock formations in the world. The last time we visited Arches, we hiked up to within touching distance of Delicate Arch and will never forget the experience. This time, however, we opted to hike to a dramatic viewing area of the Arch, looking across an impressive canyon at the formations perched a quarter-mile away. Delicate Arch is definitely not to be missed, and you'll come away from the experience a changed person.

Southern Wyoming may not be on everyone's top-10 list for vacation spots, but this rugged plains state has much to offer in the way of scenic beauty, historic sights, a rich array of wildlife, and unique experiences. On a recent cross-country trek we visited southern Wyoming for a week, exploring much of what this great state has to offer.

Diesel Power editor David Kennedy wondered what it would be like to spend an entire day at a truck stop-just to see what happens during three shifts in a world that revolves around diesel. He tried to recruit as many people from the office as possible for this "fly on the wall" diesel surveillance mission. Many co-workers cocked their heads to the side like a dog told to calculate sales tax, then asked "whyyyy?" before declining the invitation. Then, three idiots were wrangled into a voyage to Barstow, California, for a full day in one of the busiest trucking hubs in the nation.

Diesel Power editor David Kennedy wondered what it would be like to spend an entire day at a truck stop-just to see what happens during three shifts in a world that revolves around diesel. He tried to recruit as many people from the office as possible for this "fly on the wall" diesel surveillance mission. Many co-workers cocked their heads to the side like a dog told to calculate sales tax, then asked "whyyyy?" before declining the invitation. Then, three idiots were wrangled into a voyage to Barstow, California, for a full day in one of the busiest trucking hubs in the nation.

Another must-see stop in the Finger Lakes district is the Corning Museum of Glass, the world's most comprehensive and celebrated collection of glassware. The museum features interesting galleries, live glassblowing demonstrations all day, interactive exhibits, and a walk-in workshop. After a visit to the Corning Museum of Glass, you'll know everything there is to know about glassworks and will be stunned by the wide variety of glass art available.

As seen on a map, the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York looks exactly like its namesake-delicate digits of blue extending their way into the state's pristine rolling topography. The Finger Lakes comprise a region of northern New York located roughly between Syracuse and Rochester, and together they result in some of the most stunning scenery and excellent recreational possibilities the state has to offer.

It isn't just about mileage with the View; it's the entire package. Let's continue on about the drivetrain. The power is there. The mileage is there. The 5-speed automatic transmission is nothing short of amazing. DaimlerChrysler's convenient AutoStick(r) technology allows you to choose between automatic and manual modes by simply tipping the conveniently placed control stick to the right or left for upshifts and downshifts. The option of being able to shift manually is nice, but we simply couldn't beat the automatic transmission's ability to pick the perfect gear. After several tries we gave up for good, put it in "D" and pushed the go pedal. Simple.

Crystal-blue ocean, pine tree-dotted offshore islands, timber-strewn beaches, waterfalls that flow into the ocean, moss-covered trunks and boulders, fern-strewn knolls, lighthouses, picturesque communities, great seafood, and unlimited adventure-that's the Oregon coast. Many residents of California may expound upon the virtues of their premier coastline, Big Sur, but after one visit to the Oregon coast, you'll find this ocean-lapped area hard to beat.

It's often said of Southern California that within an hour's drive, you can be surfing or skiing. This area of the United States seemingly has it all: mountains, deserts, beaches, valleys, lakes, you name it. To prove that theory, we decided to take in the Southern California camping scene in two very different locales, the low desert area of Palm Springs, and the pristine beach area of San Clemente. During a two-week period, we camped at both, hauling our 29-foot Komfort fifth-wheel trailer behind our F-250 Power Stroke. The idea was to see a bit of what Southern California had for the diesel/travel enthusiast pulling a trailer, or traveling in a diesel-pusher.

Whether it be off-roading down a scenic byway in remote Utah, hauling a fifth-wheel trailer to a national park located off Highway 40, or cruising to the snow-topped summit of a mountainous highway, diesel trucks are uniquely outfitted to get drivers and passengers to any destination in style. With their abundance of horsepower and torque, sure-footedness, and go-anywhere attitude, diesel rigs are the vehicles of choice for plying the nation's highways, especially when towing that favorite trailer, fifth-wheel, or toy hauler.

In the issues to come, Diesel Power will seek out those special areas, which seem to draw the diesel haulers, and those travelers with a yen for adventure. We welcome our readers' feedback to make this Miles Ahead department a real tool for the seasoned diesel traveler. What destinations would you like to see? What information will help you make your trip a success?