Hello!
I've been looking at the threads for a couple of days, and what a great website!
I'm Brazilian, and planning a first road trip in america with my husband for june 2011. I believe I have enough time for planning routes, booking hotels, etc.
We don't mind the beaches (since we have a LOT of beautiful beaches around us), but crave for desert, mountains and canyon sites. We don't feel like going to LA, and want to taste what Vegas is like, and get back to Rio.

I'm thinking:
3 night SF
2 nights yosemite
1 or 2 nights death valley
2 nights grand canyon
1 or 2 nights in Vegas, passing through route 66 (I'd like to really BE THERE for 1 night, not too tired from the road, and not worried about catching an early flight, that's the only reason I'm thinking 2 nights).

Is this schedule ok? I'd like to include Sequoia park too, how long should I spend there, and exactly at what point of the trip? Any thoughts on where to stay? Nearby cicites, in the parks? Anything I SHOULD see and did not think about? I hear there are lots of beautiful canyons around Vegas... but we cannot spend more than 14 days in this trip. Something between 10 and 14 days would fit our schedule. How'bout Tioga Pass and Glacier Point - are they open this time of the year?

FYI: Before this trip we're spending 1 week in NY with my parents, so we're not getting to San Francisco after a looong 17-hour flight from Rio. Are 3 nights in SF enough to see main attractions + Alcatraz?