I took a lot of photos and video footage during my road trip from San Jose to Canada last year. When I got back home to Ireland, I started on the mammoth exercise of putting all the videos together, patching in some of my favourite photos along the way. This proved to be a bigger task than I expected and I ran out of steam after processing the fifth or sixth video. The remaining videos had to wait until this Christmas – almost 18 months afterwards – to complete.

So here they are. They are mainly a personal memoir of an amazing trip up into the Pacific Northwest – a journey of 1,400 miles (2,256 km). In the space of just a week, I saw coyotes, vultures, eagles, massive waterfalls, lofty redwood trees, huge dust devils, elk, whales, and some of the finest scenery imaginable in this world. I came across a road accident where a car had fallen into a steep ravine. I travelled by boat from the United States into Canada and witnessed some of the rawest landscapes in North America.

What were the highlights? Crater Lake, perhaps, or the Multnomah Falls. Or perhaps the old quarantine station around Knappton Cove and the enormous bridge by Astoria, Oregon. Cannon Beach was also a spectacular sight. And the gigantic redwoods of the Avenue of the Giants. I fell in love with the scenery and the freedom of the road. It will stay with me forever.

These videos are sometimes not the greatest and I don’t make for the most entrancing host either, particularly after days of not shaving. It’s mainly a personal photographic memoir for me as I engage on of one of the most incredible driving holidays in my life.

Day 1

In which I drive from San Jose to Nevada and I end up in the shittiest hotel room in Reno.

Day 2

In which I drive from Reno, Nevada to Eugene, Oregon – a distance of over 750km. On my way, I passed through the quirky side of roadside America, taking photos as I went. I saw a massive dust devil. I stopped for a while close to the Tulelake Japanese American internment camp. I witnessed the grandeur of Crater Lake. On my way down the mountain, I came across a road accident. This video describes of the most amazing days of my life.

Day 3

In which I travelled from Eugene, Oregon to Vancouver Island, Canada. I visited the Multnomah Falls near Portland, and I took the COHO ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria.

Day 4

I took a tour around southern Vancouver Island, taking in Fairy Lake, Avatar Grove and and abandoned power station. Lots of photos were taken along the way.

Day 5

I took the COHO back to Port Angeles, and travelled down the coast of Washington State. I got to Ruby Beach, Moclips, Aberdeen, Knappton Cove and finally crossing the long bridge into Astoria, Oregon.

Day 6

I travelled Route 101 on the Oregon coast from Astoria to Bandon. This is one of the most amazing drives in the world – Cannon Beach, Neakahnie Mountain, Cape Kiwanda, Cape Foulweather and Seal Rock, Cape Perpetua, Florence and North Bend. I saw sea lions and bald eagles, and I took so many photos it kept me busy for weeks afterwards.

Day 7

I drove from Bandon, Oregon to Arcata, California. Route 101 took me past Port Orford, Humbug Mountain, Gold Beach and Cape Sebastian. I eventually reached Crescent City, then I headed into the Redwood forests and Paul Bunyan. I visited the coastline around Klamath, accidentally fell into the sea and kept an eye out for elk crossing the road.

Day 8

On the final day of my road trip, I travelled from Arcata, California to San Francisco, taking Route 1 almost all the way down. I passed through the Avenue of the Giants and the enormous redwood forests. I hit the ocean at Westport, and followed the road down past Fort Bragg. I saw a whale near Gualala and flocks of pelicans near Jenner. I reached Bodega Bay as the sun was setting. My journey ended over the Golden Gate Bridge.