Canada, June/July 2018

When I was about seven my grandmother bought me a book for my birthday, an encyclopedia-style photo book called (something like) A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words. The book had the coolest pictures of all the coolest places in the world (at least to a seven-year-old). Thinking about it now, the book had a lot of black and white snapshots of locations someone thought were important. The book did hold my attention for quite a while and I still remember it (vaguely). I would say now, though, “a good picture can generate a thousand words” is a more accurate statement. So, with the 30 plus photos on this post, I’m hoping to generate a book’s worth of words.  

Our June/July trip to some of the great national parks of Canada (particularly Kootenay, Banff, and Jasper) presented me with the opportunity to take a multitude of photos. I’ve chosen to share our trip through some of those images in categories—eating, waterfalls, people, flowers, rivers and lakes, animals, and mountains. I’ll provide short captions on the photos, but will be glad to answer questions for those wanting more details. I hope these give you a sense of a trip we loved.

The Joys of Eating. We tried to revisit past favorites and find new places to add to our favorites list. We were more successful with the tried and true.

Frank's Diner in Spokane and a great rail car breakfast.

The fish burger was a great sandwich to split (Hogshead Pub, Canmore).

The rainy day coffee crew at Moraine Lake Lodge.

Poutine is a Canadian favorite--this one at Baker Creek Bistro near Lake Louise was wild boar, cheese curds, gravy, and fries. 

A new favorite is Cassio's Italian in the village of Jasper.

Waterfalls and More Waterfalls. All three of the parks we visited had numerous waterfalls or cascades. Here are few of our favorites.

This cascade is at the entrance to Kootenay Park.

This impressive falls flows into Grassi Lakes in Canmore.

Johnston Creek's Lower Falls, Banff National Park 

Tangle Creek Falls in Jasper National Park.

Sunwapti Falls in Jasper

The important People We Met. Although most of my photographic subjects were nature, there were a few people pictures worth revisiting.

A very colorful tourist at the overlook to Mt. Rundle outside Canmore.

Legs were in in Banff.

This vendor at the Canmore street fair was there four years ago...same shirt and hat.

My favorite people, Anne, was bundled up as she braved the elements (wind and sleet) at the top of the Jasper Mt. Gondola.

Flowers. At the turn to summer there were some lovely flower displays.

On the short hike to the Grassi Lake Falls, I spotted what looks like a type of orchid in the wilds.

At Brewster's Kananaskis Ranch GC we found these lovely day lilies. 

Wild roses grow beside the burned out logs along a section of the Bow Valley parkway (between Banff and Lake Louise).

Rivers and Lakes. Water is the dominant force in the parks. The light blue color is caused by glacial silt in the rivers.

Canoeists launch into the Vermillion River in Kootenay Park.

Mountains, forest, and river in Kootenay.

Rock reflection at a manmade lake along Spray Lake Drive from Canmore.

Lake Louise may be more famous, but we think Moraine Lake 14 km away is more picturesque.

Johnston Creek Canyon is one of the most popular hikes in Banff National Park.

Mountains reflected in Hector Lake north of Lake Louise.

One of several roadside streams we saw on the way to Jasper. 

Wild Animals. The wildlife sometimes seems quite tame, but rangers are always warning people to remember they are wild animals--cute though they may be.

Ground squirrels at a mountain overlook. 

Ravens are one of the dominant species in the parks.

The first bear we saw was the only grizzly (identified by a ranger) we saw.

A nesting pair of osprey was spotted by Anne when I was photographing snow fields.

Most of the mountain goats we saw were in the process of "blowing their coats," but this mom and kid were still in pretty full coat.

We saw several black bear.

Large male elk with full rack of antlers just outside Jasper National Park on our way to Kamloops, BC.

Mountains. Obviously, the Canadian Rockies are impressive. Everywhere we looked there seemed to be a new range of mountains. Every once in a while we could put a name to a mountain, but most were just beautiful--named or not.

Mountains surround Spray Lake near Canmore.

We pulled in to a turnout to turn around, but I saw this view and we stay for photos. We think the mountain is called Cascadia.

Bow River and Castle Mountain

An edge-on view of part of the Columbia Ice Field.

Mt Athabasca

Next: With Highland Games coming up and a central Oregon camping trip just after, I should have plenty of material for the next post.

Commercial Announcement: Remember, you can order the limited edition (100) book Scotland in Black and White: 90 Photos from me for $25.00 plus $4.00 shipping. Buy from me rather than Amazon which charges $10 more plus shipping.

August 2016: Klamath Falls, Total Eclipse, Fall Trips

It’s been a busy time with some short trips, some golf, and lots of medical concerns and tests. Now, though, it is time to get back to some writing. In this post will be commentary about a trip to Klamath Falls, Oregon, and sharing of photos from the Great American Eclipse (August 21, 2017 in case you didn’t notice the traffic jams nationwide). Finally, I’ll share photos and notes on fall trips and going back to Scotland.

At the beginning of the month, Anne and I took a several day jaunt to the Klamath Falls area to visit with my sister and her husband, Dee and Chuck Foster, and visit their children, Nathan and Jennilee, and their grandchildren, Liam and Eleanor.

View of Mt Shasta and Shastina from the Foster's home in Shastina, CA.

We managed to do some hiking and play some golf as well. Besides visiting with family we don’t get to see too often, the highlights of the trip were birds and trees. 

Curly Mt Mahogany 

On a short hike in a Klamath City park Chuck spied a Great Horned Owl in a nearby tree. 

The owl let me get quite close before giving me the evil eye as only a bird of prey can. I got several good shots and then backed respectfully away. In that park we also saw smaller birds including woodpeckers, but it was on the Running Y Resort golf course that we had our next major encounter. We flushed a golden eagle out of the brush on one hole (no photo) and watched an osprey make a unsuccessful lunge for a grey squirrel (startling, no photo). 

A couple of holes later an osprey was perched on a dead tree near the tee box. It let me get a couple of quick shots before it took flight. Despite the smoke of nearby forest fires, it was a delightful trip. As an aside, congratulation to Jennilee and Nathan for the birth of their second daughter, Audrey Elizabeth Foster (8-25-17).

Salt creek Falls was a pleasant stop on the way home.

Two and a half weeks later we, along with millions of others, watched the Great American Eclipse. Oregon was the first state in the path of totality which went clear across the country. We had plans to go to central Oregon for the show, but after hearing predictions of massive traffic jams there we decided to stay more local. We set up at Anne’s sister’s house (Charleen and Dave Hoiland) in Salem almost in the center of the path of totality—the four of us had been together for the 1979 solar eclipse (near Biggs, OR). 

We got set up on their patio with grand views east before the eclipse started. Next door (300 or so yards away) was a party organized by a local brewery—at 9:30AM not too many were going to get too rowdy even though the kegs in the barn were complementary. 

The event was different than the 1979 event—not as long or as dark—but just as awe inspiring. My pictures turned out well, but nothing can match the image in my mind of the eclipsed sun and Venus in the cold morning sky. 

We also got to experience some of the traffic jams caused by the million or so tourists who visited Oregon for the eclipse—taking back roads off back roads from Salem to Canby, a trip that normally takes 45 minutes, took two hours. We’re already thinking about the next US solar eclipse in 2024 in Texas.

Last for this post is a discussion of our fall trips, including the trip to Scotland we weren’t planning to take. Our plan most of the year has been to take a trip to the American Southwest (Moab and Santa Fe) in September instead of a second trip to Scotland. That trip is planned (see the next blog post), but something happened to our plans in the early summer. As I was researching our route from Albuqueque to Moab to Durango to Santa Fe and back to Albuquerque and the various sites along the way (rocks, rock art, churches) I got more and more uneasy—why wasn’t I planning a fall trip to Scotland? It didn’t seem natural to not be planning for Scotland. After all, we’ve been taking two trips to Scotland every year (with only a couple of exceptions) since 2001. I looked at my photos and then checked prices of air tickets—they were cheaper than they’d been in years. When Anne got home from golf that afternoon I told her we were booked on flights to Scotland in October. It will be our 30th trip to Scotland since we retired in 2000. We are now scheduled for 10 days in our Crieff home base (Merlindale B&B), two nights in lighthouse on the east coast, five days of touring to and around the Isle of Skye in the Inner Hebrides, two days of golf at Dornoch, seven days in the Highland village of Aviemore, and three days back in the Crieff/Edinburgh area. 

Why couldn’t I stay away? First, we are going because we can. Secondly, we are going because…well just look at the photos….

Quaint seaside villages like Anstruther.

A forest path in Aberfeldy.

Colorful shed in Boat of Garten.

Pittenweem is just one of several photogenic harbors near St Andrews.

Even the smallest hamlet, like Bridge of Balgie, can host an interesting tea room.

The locals are friendly.

Castles, such as Eileen Donna, can be just around a corner.

Scotland is filled with blooming heather and mountain scenery. 

Waterfalls are plentiful in Scotland. They only use a small portion of the water for their whisky.

There's a photo to be taken everyplace you look.

Scotland has interesting stories to tell--Adrvreck Castle.

Fall Colors

Great Houses

You can stay in a Stevenson built lighthouse like the one at Buchan Ness. We will.

Maybe you can trace your family roots back to a castle like Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye. 

Plenty of birdlife.

The landscape is uber-dramatic, like at the Quairang on the Isle of Skye.

Cities like Edinburgh grab your attention.

Even the smallest of villages is attractive (Leadhills).

The people are fascinating.

NEXT: A report or two from Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico.