Photos by Matt McKechnie. Words by John Streit.

For those who reside in Virginia, one of the top perks of going to college on the West Coast is undoubtedly the trek across the dynamic landscapes of the United States. No matter which cross-section one choses for the cross-country journey, he or she will pass through some of the most striking and beautiful natural areas the world has to offer. Combine those experiences with a talented photographer — it makes me wish I would have enrolled in some far western university for my college years! Better yet, it’s an inspiration for making the trip for no more reason than to just soak in our land’s true majesty. On his way from Virginia Beach to Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, Surf & Adventure Co. veteran Matt McKechnie captured this set of incredible landscape photography as he meandered through the jagged, rocky western expanses of mountains, forests, canyons and mesas of places like Flat Irons, Moab and Bryce Canyon on his route to the picturesque Central California coastal town.

Flat Irons, Boulder, Colo.
Flat Irons, Boulder, Colo.
Not a bad place to get stuck in traffic!
Steamboat Springs, Colo.
Moab, Utah.
Moab, Utah.
Bryce Canyon, Utah.
Bryce Canyon, Utah.
 
Bryce Canyon, Utah.
Bryce Canyon, Utah.
Bryce Canyon, Utah.
San Luis Obispo, Calif.

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