Nature | Adventures On the Road

Chasing the Sunrise

13 10 2011

When you think of New Mexico, you tend to think hot…desert…dry…dusty. You probably think cactus too. You don’t really think mountains, rainstorms, lush greenery, wildflowers, vibrant fall colours. At least that was my first assumption coming from a Westcoast perspective. Imagine my surprise when we rolled into Santa Fe, NM for the first time back in February and almost got stopped because of a white out. Blizzard conditions and cold cold COLD temperatures.

During our visit at the beginning of October we were able to see a different side of Santa Fe. For one thing it wasn’t 17 F/ -8 C. We caught some morning photos of the flowers on Canyon Road after a rainstorm the night before.

The day we flew out of Albuquerque on a 3:45pm flight we woke up early and raced up the mountain to Hyde Memorial State Park. We figured it made most sense to catch whatever the sunrise was going to bring if we made it to the highest point we could. Well, you never feel more late than when you are trying to make it to a certain spot to catch a sunrise (or a sunset). There’s just no stopping the sun. You can’t call it up and say ‘I‘m running a little late, can you just hold on for an extra 5 – 10 min? ‘ The clouds were stacked up in the sky and they started to get a deep red tinge to them, then they started to turn orange, then bright pink.

We pulled over to catch what we could of the sky, and at that moment I regretted the time I spent putting on a little powder, blush and mascara…..And then as quick as the clouds turned bright pink, the colour started to fade, the clouds got wispier, and that was pretty much it. We continued heading up towards the ski basin to see what else we could see.

Snow! The rainstorm that we experienced in town (7000 ft elevation) ended up being a snow storm at the 12,000 ft elevation towards the top of the mountain. So in one photo we see winter and fall taking place side by side.

It was a little late in the season, but all of the Aspens were turning golden yellow. From town it looked like the mountain had large bald spots since the golden aspen trees were surrounded by the green pinion and ponderosa pine forest. But as you stood amongst the tall Aspens it was just a sea of yellow and when the wind and the sun hit the leaves just right, it looked like the forest was shimmering gold.

Comments : 3 Comments »
Tags: Nature, Photography, Sightseeing, Travel
Categories : New Mexico

Discovering Santa Fe

10 10 2011

Is there such a thing as a “typical” Santa Fe experience?

Yes, there are the typical historical sites to see, but I feel like this place encourages people to get lost in it. For one, the streets don’t follow a grid system (so you may get lost for real) but the natural flow of the old town area encourages you to detour off of the main streets, stroll down back alleys where you can discover hidden courtyards full of art galleries, tasty pastry shops and the perfect setting for a local New Mexican beer or a spicy mayan hot chocolate. Even a short stroll off Canyon Road we saw a picture perfect setting.

Santa Fe has an atmosphere that screams ‘Slow Down! Stay a while and enjoy yourself!’ If you’re coming from a fast paced East Coast city it can seem painfully slow and if you’re coming from the laid back West Coast it can feel casual but formal at the same time. And no matter where you’re from you probably say to yourself, ‘what’s with the green chilies in everything?’ Just the local flavour, so take advantage!

From an outsider’s perspective, this is a community that supports working artists, encourages the use and enjoyment of fresh ingredients from local farmers and welcomes visitors who want to inspire the right side of their brain. Even if you are a city girl/guy at heart, once you hit the streets of Santa Fe don’t be surprised if you get inspired to wake up early to see the sunrise break over the mountains, find yourself running your fingers along the adobe walls because you can’t resist the texture, or discover your inner photographer and start taking photos of everything because the contrasting colours are so dramatic.

For me, what I wanted to do while we were in town was to track down the iconic “colourful mailboxes”. We walked, and drove, up and down Canyon Road. We saw pictures in photo galleries of this scene and asked around, but no one would give us any real answers. Some locals had no idea what I was talking about. But guess what? Perseverance pays off….

Comments : 5 Comments »
Tags: Nature, Photography, Sightseeing, Travel
Categories : New Mexico

Sedona

28 08 2011

Sedona.

The perfect ending to a week of hiking, fishing and ‘roughing’ it. Red rocks, dry heat and an inspirational landscape.

Get a panoramic view without having to hike up the mountains. The Sedona Airport has a great scenic overlook that gets overlooked by the masses.

Chapel of the Holy Cross

Along the Broken Arrow trail, there’s a 12 mile fault line that marks a straight line through the red rocks.

Hidden away at Red Rock Crossing is the perfect place to view Cathedral Rock. A longer drive and a quick walk, or a quick drive and a longer walk and you can get an unobstructed view of one of the most photographed scenes in Sedona: red rock formations glowing during sunset, cascading clouds and the whole scene reflected in water.

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Tags: Nature, Photography, Sightseeing, Travel
Categories : Arizona

Here….Fish…Fish…Fish…Crawfish…

26 08 2011

I grew up salmon fishing in Port Alberni, BC. Waking up at 3am, taking half of a Gravol pill (aka Dramamine) and falling asleep in the truck until we arrived at the boat launch. Sometimes it was just me, other times it was me and my brother. Regardless, we would stay awake until we got situated in the boat, wrapped up in blankets and got a quick thrill riding over the waves and boat wake in the pre-dawn light. Then we fell back asleep until it was light out and my dad had been fishing for at least 3 hours.

During these summers we learned that we did not like waking up at 3am, salmon fishing is no big deal and my dad wanted us in the boat so the fish limit would increase and he could catch more fish, if the fish aren’t biting it’s time for a coffee break, and my brother and I were easily persuaded to do all of this for the promise of a 7eleven Slurpee.

Much to my surprise, in the middle of Arizona, I went fishing for the first time since my summer fishing trips almost 15 years ago. This time we fished from the shoreline, in a freshwater reservoir, with a little ultra light rod and reel.

No, we did not catch wild salmon the size of a 5 year old, but we also didn’t wake up at 3am!

Because we were not fishing at the morning bite I didn’t catch any fish. But I now realize that my special talent is to catch crawfish on a line!

It was a group effort, but we managed to catch almost a dozen crawfish. My claim to fame is the old crawfish that was covered in moss that has probably been in that reservoir forever. ‘The Old Man of the Lake’ .

And what does one do when one catches a dozen crawfish? You have a crawfish boil!

More trouble than those little crawfish tails are worth, but definitely a fun little vacation activity.

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Tags: Animals, Family, Nature, Random Life
Categories : Arizona

Going on an Elk Hunt

14 08 2011

You would think that spotting an elk in the wilderness would be a special occasion. We did too when we went searching for a herd of elk one evening on an off road trail. We kicked up rocks and plenty of dust as we drove along the off road trails near the Grand Canyon and we were rewarded by coming across a herd of elk bulls. We crept into the tall grass to take photos as these bulls with huge racks of antlers were feeding on their evening meal.

Even after we’d gotten back in the car and were far away from the herd we were still whispering. We saw another elk bull munching on some grass right beside the road. And a mixed herd complete with babies by one of the watering holes.

By the time we’d gotten back from our ride, we’d seen a ton of elk, mule deer, and I realized I may have a little fear of heights after we’d climbed the Lookout Tower at Grandview Point and it made me a little shaky.

We thought we’d really spotting something special seeing so many Elk that night, that is until we woke up the next morning to watch the sunrise and found that they were all over the main Grand Canyon Lodge grounds, and then to find that our campground was filled with Elk during Happy Hour.

So, if at first you don’t succeed…try again at dawn or dusk.

Comments : 3 Comments »
Tags: Animals, Nature, Photography, Sightseeing, Travel
Categories : Arizona

Yes. It is a Grand Canyon

14 08 2011

Who’s idea was it to hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon?? Who’s idea was it to hike an extra 3 miles to Plateau Point to get a glimpse of the Colorado River??

Who’s idea was it to look at the “Warning DO NOT go past Indian Garden as a Summer Day Hike” after we finished our 12 mile, 3000 ft, 10 hour hike down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, and most importantly, back up?

Regardless of who’s idea it was. We did it. WE DID IT! I can’t believe we did it.

August 8, 2011 at 6:20am, Nathan, Jonathan and I started our hike down Bright Angel Trail. We were bright-eyed and bushy tailed, and skipped merrily along the path, which was still encroached in shade. We took time to pose for photos, take in the views of the Grand Canyon as the sun was rising over the cliffs, and it was so quiet we heard the stirring of chipmunks in the trees and mule deer eating their morning meal.

We blew right past the first rest area, without even having to top up our water bottles. Then we started seeing some uphill traffic. There was no random chatter from the hikers heading back to the top of the canyon, unless it was to ask how far the next rest area was. Hmmmm…just a little bit intimidating. People were hiking back up to the top with full overnight packs and camping gear. Even in this early stage of the hike we felt sorry for them.

We made it to the 3 Mile Rest House and decided to keep on and we were rewarded for our efforts at Indian Garden. Think lush green trees, vibrant cactus, and the sound of running water through a creek bed. The best part – plenty of shade! We made it to the desert floor at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. But did we stop here? Oh no – let’s keep going? What’s another 1.5 miles to get to Plateau Point and see the Colorado River????

The difference between Indian River and Plateau Point is SHADE. We hiked 1.5 miles to the edge of a cliff in 110 degree heat in the blazing sun. But we made it. Thank goodness there was a water station at the point and a cool breeze. Once the adrenaline wore off and we started our hike back, it was the sight of the oasis at Indian Garden that kept us moving forward.

It took us 3 hours to hike to Indian Garden (at the bottom of the Canyon) and an extra hour to hike to and from Plateau Point. It took us 5 hours to hike from Indian Garden back up to the top of the Bright Angel Trail Head at the top of the Grand Canyon.

I don’t think that I can describe how difficult this was. We took cover in the tiny bit of shade that scrappy desert trees give off. If we hiked for 7 minutes straight, this was a good job. We drenched ourselves in water to keep our core cool as we hiked. Sometimes the effort of lifting my legs to step up 6 inches over the logs on the path was too much of an effort and I started to walk along the rocks at the side of the trail so I didn’t have to lift my legs as high. As we climbed higher the temperature got slightly cooler but the altitude made breathing harder. There was no random chatter, just the sound of deep breaths, the swish of a water bottle, and two phrases: “I just need to rest!” and “how far until the next rest house?”.

As we got closer to the top, the trail got busier with people who did not understand what we had gone through and what we were still going through. Hikers stopping randomly in the trail, people wearing flipflops and eating Doritos, and people that just did not understand how hard it was for us to put one foot in front of the other. Jonathan got his second or third wind and led the way the last 20 minutes of our hike. He was the first one to the top. But we all made it.

SUCCESS!

Comments : 4 Comments »
Tags: Nature, Photography, Sightseeing, Travel
Categories : Arizona

Making Every Day a Different Day

22 05 2011

I just watched a movie that had a line in it that said, ‘never live the same day twice’. You wouldn’t think that you’d get a little nugget of inspiration from a chick flick (that didn’t do very well in the theatre), but there’s definitely a good message in there. The opportunity to switch things up is always in the air, you just have to be ready and willing to take it on.

Once in a while you have a day that just seems to come out of nowhere. When you woke up in the morning, you had no plans, or maybe you had a lot of plans, but the way the day went, turned out to be completely different than what you expected.

I’m talking about those days when things just happen. For whatever reason the positive momentum builds up and one activity turns into another. And when you’re tucked in bed that night, you fall asleep with a smile on your face because when you woke up that morning, in the same bed with the same pillow tucked up under your head and the same blankets scrunched down around your waist, you had no idea what was in store for you that day.

Like waking up in the morning knowing that you have a formal dinner party to go to and the whole day is set for preparations for the evening…..but you and your friends rummage in the fridge and turn a few eggs and some smoked salmon into a West Coast masterpiece good enough for any downtown restaurant.

And then, as you continue with the preparations of the day, what else do you do…..but go crabbing.

Once you arrive at the formal dinner, you get to smile, knowing that you’re probably the only person in the room who went crabbing before you got there. And, when you tell people what you did that morning, their response is, ‘don’t you guys ever slow down?’ I take that as a compliment.

And when you wake up the next morning, knowing it’s a dreary rainy day, and you have a couple hour drive across the border and an evening flight ahead of you, what do you do to compete with the previous day?

Head to Granville Island for a fun photo shoot and spend way too long cooing at a group of goslings.

And then you pose the goslings for a photoshoot…

It is extremely satisfying to know that you took advantage of a day, sunny, rainy or otherwise, and you found something unexpectedly cool to do. And….to grab a lyric from current pop culture, ‘everybody dies, but not everybody lives’.

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Tags: Animals, Life, Nature
Categories : Vancouver

Tourist? Excuse Me?

25 03 2011

Someone called me a tourist. In Vancouver.

I admit, I was dressed to spend a day walking along the Seawall and I did have my camera out. But tourist? There was no fanny pack around my waist, I had on the Vancouver uniform of yoga pants and a puffy vest. Besides, the mix of locals and tourists that take advantage of the seawall on foot, on bike, on rollerblades, taking photographs and being amazed at the scenery, is so interchangeable. Everyone, local or tourist, takes time to discover, or rediscover, the area, especially on a sunny day.

I ended up on the same path of a couple of amateur photographers, and it’s so interesting to see what everyone focuses on for their photos. One woman loved cherry blossoms and boats and another guy couldn’t pass up a good photo of a seagull. So, I thought, Sure, I’ll take a photo of your seagull as well. Why not?

Which led me to a little bit of a bird kick. I spent waaay too long trying to get this crane to do something interesting.

And then a crow freaked me out by flying at me when I was very zoomed in to get a photo with it eating a fish.

And on that note, I leave you with a couple of photos to get your mind off of that crazy looking crow.

As I finished up my 15 km walk, I took in the image that was in front of me, the sun was shining, people were sitting on the beach eating ice cream, there were kayakers in the water, a sailboat was skimming the water at English Bay, and I thought to myself, ‘there is NO way that people are doing this right now on the east coast.’

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Tags: Animals, Canada, Nature, Photography
Categories : Vancouver

The Canadian Wilds

23 03 2011

Did I ever tell you about the time I was in Dallas and when hearing that I was from Canada someone asked me, “So have you ever been attacked by a wild animal?”. I was stunned. I didn’t know whether to feel angry that there was still such a stereotype about Canada or sad that this guy from Dallas had such a limited knowledge and exposure to the world. That is, until he told me that he’d travelled all over the world – Europe, Australia, etc. Then, I asked him where his cowboy hat and chaps were. Time to fight stereotype with stereotype.

Well, maybe his views of Canada aren’t so far off. Obviously not that we trudge around in the forest fighting off wild animals all of the time. But there is SO much wildlife here! Walking along the beach that I used to visit when I was growing up was like watching a show on the Discovery Channel. It also made me realize that not everyone had the childhood activities of clam digging, picking seaweed and playing in the driftwood.

I went home to visit at exactly the right time. The herring season was starting, the Brant Festival was upon us, the water was turning turquoise and the sea life was abuzz with activity.

The seals were having a party and the sea lion was barking up a storm.

The seagulls and ducks were gossiping on the sandbar…..that is, until the eagles swooped in to scatter them (for no reason other than their own entertainment – a little bit of a power trip).