I didn't do much sightseeing while in Gold Coast. Here are a few photos and video clips. The beach and the surf were absolutely beautiful.
The day started with the frustrating realization that my telephoto lens' focusing mechanism was broken. I had planned to go searching for wild koalas. Optimistic and armed with an early wakeup, I headed into Gold Coast hoping a nearby photo shop might have rentals available. It soon appeared I was out of luck. Frustrated, but just around the corner from Coombabah conservation area, I decided to go for a walk anyways. After about an hour of searching, I was lucky enough to spot a koala on the branch of a eucalyptus tree. As other folks walked up the path, I took them to the spot and one nice British couple let me use their binoculars for a better view. I was halfway back to the car when I ran into a couple women with two little girls in tow, hoping to find a koala. They are so difficult to spot, I offered to walk with them to show them the precise location. And what a coincidence, one of the women was from Beaumont and her husband was an Augustana alumnus, graduating a couple years after me!
On somewhat of a whim, and with plenty of day ahead of me, I decided to head down the coast to Byron Bay, the most easterly point of mainland Australia. The drive went smoothly and I spent time at the lighthouse first. After drinking in the views I had a bite to eat at a taqueria, wandered about town, and headed out to Wategos Bay to watch the sunset. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there.
Here is a video recap:
I got an early start to the O'Reilly entrance of Lamington National Park. The drive was memorable to say the least; the road was single lane in many places with countless blind hairpins along the steep grade. As I climbed from the valley bottom, the landscape changed from dry deciduous forest to lush rainforest.
O'Reilly's was a lovely retreat centre with colour birds noisily congregating everywhere I looked. The sun was trying to peek through the mist as I chatted with the volunteer at the visitor centre; his recommendation was that I do the 17.5km circuit to Toolona Falls and return along the Border Track.
My first stop along the trail was a small detour to Elabana Falls.
The trail followed the creek for quite a distance, offering occasional viewpoints of other waterfalls along the way.
Coming up the trail from one of the waterfalls, I was startled by a Lamington Spiny Crayfish clicking and snapping at me. The trail kept gaining elevation into temperate Antarctic Beech forest towards an escarpment that was fully obscured in the heavy mist and rain. As the trail flattened out, my pace increased to a steady run. It was definitely preferred to hike this trail clockwise, as the second half was much easier and gently downhill.
Here is the video recap of the hike:
At sunset, I headed over to Rosin's viewpoint to take a photo as the clouds cleared.
I arrived quite early at my B&B in Beechmont and was thrilled with the charming country setting and the fridge stocked with bacon and other essentials. The host shortly arrived with a fresh loaf of bread straight out of the oven.
The weather wasn't ideal, so I opted for a drive to Sprinbrook National Park to visit the Natural Bridge / Glowworm Cave. It was raining quite a lot but the rainforest cover acted like a partial umbrella. The hike was a short one, and quite a pleasant half day-out.
I noticed how close I was to the border and a viewpoint over New South Wales. It turns out the Numinbah Valley is an old volcanic caldera.
Here is a recap from the day:
I left Vancouver technically on a Wednesday before the clock struck midnight, and arrived in Brisbane at 7:30 am.
The line at border control was the only delay as I took the train from the airport direct to South Bank station. My apartment prepared to accommodate my early check-in as I dropped my bags and had a long-awaited breakfast and espresso.
I stopped at the grocery store for a few items, and then after a shave and a shower I headed out for what turned out to be a very long walk through the city. I started in South Bank where I took these infrared photos:
I then crossed the Victoria Bridge, worked my way through downtown and the botanical gardens, over to Howard Smith Wharves at its massive beer gardens, across Story Bridge, along Kangaroo Point Cliffs, and back to my apartment.
I had supper at the apartment and headed back out as the sun set to take a few more photos down by the river.
Here's a video wrap of the first day:
This was a scramble I've wanted to do for quite some time, since completing the Birdwood Traverse several years ago. I managed to find a free day to coordinate with Tony, and we had the good fortune of warm temperatures, clear and calm skies, and golden larches.
We started in the dark, around 6:30 am, whereafter the alpenglow greeted us in the valley of Commonwealth Creek.
Ascending the avalanche path was made easier by the early morning chill, and we pulled into the sunshine as we crested the top.
We stopped for a bit of food and enjoyed the view from the pass above the lakes before carrying on towards the summit. It's a straightforward scramble that requires only a hand or two along the obvious route.
With not a breath of wind at the top, we were the first hikers up for the day. It took us 3.5 hours. Shortly thereafter we were joined by two other parties and we enjoyed about an hour of conversation and drinking in the views.
We took our time on the way down, after for a moment considering detouring over to Burstall Pass but not wanting to risk the hitchhike at the other end.
In September, this might be one of the finest in-out easy scrambles in the Rockies.
May 20
I woke up to my mom breathing very, very, very, loudly(aka snoring) so I got dressed and ready for the day. We were going on the subways so we ate and then went on the subway until Roma Termini and then we switched onto line B so we could go to the Colosseum. Once we got to the Colosseum we had to wait for about 2:00 and when we got to the ticket box we purchased our tickets and went through security. After we went though security we went into the Colosseum we got audio tours around the Colosseum so we didn’t have to be in a tour group. We first went out to the arena and watched the video. After we watched some videos about the Colosseum we all went to the spot where the gladiators fought. Most of the gladiator were captured soldiers from when the Romans faught other empires and they might have been forced to kill their friends! If the crowd pointed their thumbs up and shouted save the losing person they would save him. If it was vice versa they would kill him. To make sure that someone was dead they would put a burning hot iron on him. If he was dead they would drag him out of the arena. After we got out of the arena we bought a Colosseum stone statue. After we went out of the Colosseum we walked up to the Aventine hill to look though the keyhole in the door. After we finished that we went to Piazza Navona, the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain and I threw a quarter in. After we stopped at all of that stuff we went out for pizza and I had a hotdog and fries pizza again. After our pizza we headed off to the metro and on the way we found a gluten free gelato shop and I got green apple and berry! My gelato tasted so good I wanted to get 8 scoops of it! After we ate our gelato we went back to the metro station and took it back home. After we got home we went to sleep.
May 21
We woke up and got dressed and packed for our day of leaving Italy. We atee our breakfast, which was the usal yougert and cereal. After we ate we went to a bakery to get some bread for my friends. After we got bread we went back to our apartment to get our lugage. After we got our luggage outside we went to the metro station so we could catch the train to the airport. After we got to the airport we dropped off our big suitcase and went though security. Our food bag triggered the staff again because we had 4 butter knives in it. After we got out of that mess we went to our gate and waited until our plane was redy for boarding. It finally let us on and we took off. The flight took about 10 hours, and I was able to finish the angry birds world tour! I also met my friend named Mack from a sports camp at the U of A in Edmonton! After we got off the plane we went to retrieve our suitcases.
May 19
I woke up and got dressed for the day. Our host brought us breakfast and called a taxi to bring us to the central train station. We ate breakfast and went to the central station. When we got to Rome we waited for our train to arrive and we went on to the train. After we got on the train, we waited for about 1:30. Then we got off the metro and we had to run to catch the right metro to our place in Rome. When we got there we went to our apartment and it was shared. After we dropped off our luggage we went onto the subway and took it to St. Peter’s Basilica and the line for security took about 1:30 to enter. The experience was so magical I can’t explain it in words. I will post a video of our experience in the Basilica. After we left the basilica we went out for pizza and I got a cooked ham margherita pizza. After we went out for pizza we went out for gelato and I got strawberry lemon gelato. After we ate our gelato we traveled back to our apartment and went to sleep.
May 18
I woke up to an ambulance carrying someone to the hospital so I waited until 9:00 so the breakfast would come. After we ate our breakfast we went into a taxi and he drove us to the ferry port. We bought our ferry tickets and waited for it to come. It came in about 10 minutes and we got on fast so we could get seats. We got some outdoor seats so we could watch the boat move. I decided to go exploring and I found a snack bar as well as a luxurious place to sit. I found a 20 cent euro and I gave it to a little boy so he would stop chasing me. After we got to Procida we went to the beach and we made a sandcastle and ate lunch. After we ate we went and got gelato and I got orange chocolate, cherry, and lemon. We then went up a hill and my dad took some pictures. After he took pictures we headed back to the ferry port and on the way I found a ship and a Napoli flag. We waited for our ferry and it was a hydro-ferry so we got home faster. I called a taxi and he drove us to the pizza place and I got a crispy bacon pizza. After we ate we went back home. After we got home we went to sleep.
May 17
I woke up to an ambulance wailing down the alley nearby so I got up and waited until 9:00 because our host served us breakfast at 9:00. He served us croissants and bread for breakfast as well as juice. We were going to Herculaneum so we traveled to the metro station where we got on a train to Herculaneum. The train took about 30:00 and when it arrived we walked to the ruins of Herculaneum. We got to the ruins and we went down to the ruins where Mt. Vecuivies covered the city and its residents. Here are some facts I learned. It blanketed the town, but buried everyone in molten ash. Like the nearby city of Pompeii, Herculaneum is famous as one of the few ancient cities to be preserved nearly intact, as the ash that blanketed the town protected it against weathering effects. Although less popular than Pompeii today, it was the first discovered Vesuvian city (in 1709). Pompeii was revealed in 1748 and identified as Pompeii in 1763. Unlike Pompeii, the ash was hotter which helped preserve more wooden objects such as roofs, beds, and doors, as well as other things such as food and paper. Today, only a small bit of Herculaneum has been excavated. The focus is now to preserve the exposed areas of the city rather than digging up more. [1]
Herculaneum was a vacation town, because it was wealthier than Pompeii. We saw the boat houses containing skeletons of at least 300 people. After we studied the site we went out of the site. We were walking down a street looking for a taxi, we heard and saw a lady screaming “ Pizzas and sandwiches for sale at my restaurant!” And my dad thought it would be a great idea to ask her for a ride to the train station and he said “ what could go wrong?” She had to ask two people to move their cars so she could get her car out. I said,” please don’t do this to me!” Once she got her car out of the shady parking lot we went in and my dad paid her 10 euros and she tried to swindle him out of ten more euros by saying she “didn’t have change for twenty.” She finally gave up and we got into her car which had a random whisk, a stained pillow and laundry detergent by my feet! The seats were stained with baking soda and there were no seatbelts! My dad showed her where to go and she totally went to the wrong place by a volcano! My dad showed her where to go again and she didn’t have a rear view mirror so she used her make-up mirror to back up. She almost hit a car in the process of backing up and I tried to escape from the car while she was backing up! She finally turned around and she drove down a hill that could’ve blown her tires at any moment! She finally drove us to the train station and we went to get pizza. After we finished our pizza we went back to our apartment. After we went back to our apartment we went to sleep. I was just happy to be alive!
May 16
I woke up to my sister groaning so I woke up and made myself peach yogurt and cereal. We had to check out of our apartment at 10:00 so we packed up our stuff and headed off to the Salerno train station. The drive took 2.5 hours. Did you know it takes only 3 hours to drive from coast to coast? It took about 30 minutes for the train to arrive at Naples, but we finally got there. We had to take the metro to the station by our apartment. We then walked to our apartment and the host was waiting for us for once! He let us into our apartment and we put our suitcases in there and went out for pizza. I got a stuffed crust with a thin Italian crust with mozzarella on it. After we ate we went out for gelato and I got strawberry and lemon. After we licked our tongues off we went back to the metro station where we boarded a train that took us back to our apartment. When we got back to our apartment we went to sleep.
May 15
On the way back I ripped an activity book because I had finished it. When we got back home we put our souvenirs in our apartment and went off to find a tour around the caves in Matera that people 2 centuries ago lived in. After we got there it was closing so we walked all that distance for nothing. After that unfortunate mishap we went to go get gelato and I got Nutella and milk and black cherry, it tasted so good! After the gelato we went home and went to sleep.
May 15
I woke up to an ambulance driving down the street, I was hungry so I went and made myself peach yogurt and cereal. After I ate breakfast I went to work on this journal. After I finished working on this journal, my sister came up with this game Noah’s Ark and I played it. After we finished playing Noah's ark we drove for an hour and a half to Alrberobello where I got a stone Trullo house. A trullo is at traditional dry stone hut with a cone-shaped roof. They were small dwellings and shelters for farm workers and they were built primarily in the late 1800s. Alberobello has a large area of a number of these types of buildings. Some people think the design of these houses originated because the people of Apulia realized they could avoid taxes if they could dismantle their houses quickly. [1] We went up a hill and I went and took a picture for somebody. After I took their picture it started raining so we went back to our car and we drove back to Matera.
May 14
I woke up at about 9:30 and I went to finish yesterday's entry while eating breakfast which was cereal and blueberry yogurt. After we ate breakfast I went to do my french that Mr. Stacey posted. My dad put his computer that I was using away and we drove the 3:00 drive to Matara. We went through a tunnel and it opened up into a beautiful mountain range! We decided to stop there to stretch our legs and have lunch at Castelmezzano. We went down a steep hill and I ran down, my face felt chilly while the wind blew in my face. When we decided to go up, I asked my mom if I could run up the hill and she said yes. I ran up for a bit but then I thought that I should wait for my family. After they caught up to me, I sprinted up the rest of the hill. After we got to the top we set up lunch and ate. While we ate, a cat strolled up on us and I pet its fur. We finished our lunch and we packed it up and headed towards Matera.
Then we traveled for 1:09, but we reached it in the end. We unloaded our things and my dad drove off to find a parking spot. He came back and we went into our apartment. It had nice bedrooms with fluffy blankets. It also had a very comfortable couch that we could lounge on. After we unloaded our stuff we headed off to get gelato and groceries. I got white chocolate, gingersnap, and cookies and cream for gelato. We then looked for a grocery store, we found one but we left partially because it was shady and partially because they had a knife out in the open. My parents looked up a grocery store and they found one but it was 30 minutes away so we climbed into the car and went to that store.we got food and snacks so we went back home. Then we ate supper which was pasta and broccoli. My sister and I created a story together and read it to my parents.
Sunrise in Agropoli:
May 12
I woke up because my sister was awake. I had blueberry and lemon yogurt for breakfast. After breakfast we traveled a 20 minute drive to greek ruins! There was lots of information about the Greeks and lots of eroded walls that would have been houses at one time! There also were wrecked temples that the Greeks made for their gods and goddesses. I got a stone statue of one of the temples! The temples were built in the years 450-550 b.c.! I also learned that they had used simple machines to build the temples including levers, pulleys, and wheels to help lift and move the materials. While we explored the temples a huge downpour came down on my dad and I. We climbed into the car and we drove home. After we got home it stopped raining and we went to get gelato. I got peanut and berry gelato, it tasted like berry peanut butter! We finished our gelato and we went back to our apartment and I had a bath. After I got dried off we ate our dinner which was pizza and beef. Then I finished off the tub of ice cream we got and headed to bed. I couldn’t sleep so I decided to do some math. My sister needed me to do some of her math from school which was math puzzle boxes. My mom turned the lights out and I put my math away. I went to bed and went under the blankets.
May 12
The next day a dog woke my sister and I up so I went to the bathroom and my sister climbed out of the bathroom window! We ate breakfast which was peach yogurt and cereal. After we finished breakfast we headed down to the beach and my sister and I built a sand castle and made a moat plus a huge wall. The castle somehow survived high tide and it is still on the beach until further notice! Then when my shoes got sandy we went home and had showers. After we got dressed again we played avocado smash and I won! My sister got second and my mom got third. After we finished playing avocado smash we went souvenir shopping and then we wandered up some stairs to a hill. AFter we went up the hill we went up all the stairs that led to the top. When we got up to the top we saw a tower that connected to a castle! It started raining so we went to the gate which was thankfully covered. We had to wait for about ten minutes, but the rain finally stopped. We saw cannons and I thought how dangerous they could be if there was something in them! After we saw the cannons we headed up to one of the turrets and we saw where the soldiers would crouch with bows and arrows through the narrow slits. We also saw where they would fire their cannons at other soldiers! Then we went down into a dungeon where there were some really scary noises and a jail! After we got out of that dungeon we went out through a small tunnel that led back to the entrance! We went up another set of stairs and we found the place where the soldiers would watch the drawbridge! Also up there we found some information about the castle. Some information I learned was that it was made in the years 535-553 A.D. Another fact I learned was that Agropoli stayed in Byzantine hands until 882 AD, when it fell to the Saracens and was converted to a fortified base from which raids were launched against the nearby populations. In 915 AD, the Saracens were defeated and Agropoli returned to the rule of the bishops who, in the meantime, had established their seat at Capaccio. The last fact that I would like to share is that Agropoli subsequently fell under the power of Normans, Swabians, Angevins, and Aragonese. Between 1660 and 1806, Agropoli belonged to the Sanfelice, an aristocratic Neapolitan family that merged with the Delli Monti. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, due to consecutive invasions, its population fell to barely a few hundred. [1] When we came down the stairs we found a souvenir shop and I got a ship in a bottle saying AGROPOLI.
After we got home, we got in the car and went to a pizzeria and I had a pizza with fries and sausage and I ate ⅞ pieces of the pizza. The reason I didn’t eat the last piece was because the server brought out a huge tomahawk steak that the whole family had to group together and eat it all. The server packaged up my sister and I’s pizzas and we headed back home. We saw fireworks and we heard loud noises so my dad and I went to go check it out and it was a rock party to celebrate Napoli’s win in the Italian cup. It was too loud for me so we went home and went to bed. I rolled over into the middle of the bed and it split apart and I fell though! It hurt a lot! Then my dad helped me out of the hole and I went to bed.
May 11
Today we woke up at about 5:30 am because our train left for Salerno at 7:14. We walked down to coach 6 and waited for the train. After the train came we went on and got comfortable. The train started moving and the first stop was Roma Termini. The train took about 2:00 to get there but we got there. Then we went to Naples and lots of people got off. Our last stop took another 2:00 and we got off there. After we got off the train we went to the rental car station and rented a car. We then drove to our apartment in Agropoli, but first we stopped at a beach and ate. My dad found these old German ruins and we explored them. There were geckos and these weird cellars that were full of cobwebs! After that we drove to our house and it was amazing! It had a pool, 5 decks, an amazing bathroom, and a sauna. We unpacked and went to the pool, it was so cold! I got used to it after a while and I swam around for a little bit. I got cold so I got out and headed back up. I then went into the sauna and relaxed for a little bit. After I got out of the sauna I got dressed and put my swimsuit in the sauna and got back into my regular clothes. Then we went on a walk around the city and found a good gluten free gelato shop. We decided to visit it the next day, so we headed home and got undressed and went to bed.
Today we are leaving Venice and we are going to Florence, but we are just passing by the place because we are going to Agropoli. We packed all our stuff into our suitcase and backpacks and headed off to the train station to wait for our train to arrive. The train arrived at 9:26 and we got on to it. This time the platform it arrived at is #6 instead of #2 like last time. We are sitting in seats 16-17 a-b. It was about 1:00 once we got to Florence so we took a taxi to our apartment. It was raining and we couldn’t get into our apartment because the host wasn’t there. So we went to a restaurant and put our bags in it. Then I ordered a raw meat sandwich and it didn’t taste very good. After we ate it was still raining, but someone came out and we went into the building of our apartment. We then waited for the host. It took a while but then she came! We thought the apartment would be cramped and dirty, considering what the outside looked like. But it was spacious and clean. After we dropped our bags off at our apartment we went to explore the city. We went to the Ponte Vecchio, a Lego shop, and another gelato shop. Then at the Lego shop we got mini figures. There were these naked statues and it was disgusting. Then we went up high and took pictures. It was boring for me because I didn’t have a camera. I paid 2 euros to look in a binocular for 2 minutes and it was so fun! We then went home and went to sleep.
Today we started to travel outside of the island of Venice. We walked to the water bus station and waited for a boat. A boat arrived at approximately 11:18 and we got on to it. The wind was billowing by my face while I stood on the boat deck. My calves were hurting while standing on the boat deck, while the boat traveled through the water it finally reached Murano. We then traveled to the other water boat stop so we could get to Burano. After we got to the water bus stop we waited for a water bus to arrive. A boat arrived and this one had seats! It felt so nice to sit down after standing for a while. It took about 30 minutes to get to Burano, but we got there. In Burano there were lots of colorful houses including red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and pink. There was a leaning bell tower that looked like it could fall down any moment so that made me a little uncomfortable. After my dad took lots of pictures we headed back to the water bus stop and waited for a boat. The same boat came and my family got some seats. Some teenagers were pushing through the crowd and my dad felt so disrespected that he wanted to collar them and lecture them about respect. When we got off of the boat we headed over to a gelato store and on the way my sister found 4 glass objects including a hedgehog, two small pieces of candy, and one big piece of candy. Then we went to a glass museum and looked at lots of amazing glass work. The glass work was so good it blew me away because it once was sand and it now is a glorious piece of artwork. Then we moved on to a glass factory and they were making something that was so cool and detailed it looked as if it wasn't real! After we left the glass factory we decided to move on home. We headed to the water bus station so we could catch a bus. We missed the first and second bus which made me feel very frustrated. Since the next bus arrived in 19 minutes it gave me time to go to the bathroom. The next bus arrived, but it made five stops. I was right down by the motor so it hurt my eardrums and gave me a headache. We then arrived at Venice again and we got off the boat and headed off to our apartment. Then we had supper and my dad and I went outside to sit by the canals. Then we found this plant that smelled like rosemary, so we researched it and found out it is called sea fennel and it is edible! We then picked some for my mom and went home. My dad and I waited until sunset and then we went out again to take pictures with his tripod. I got tired and we went home to go to sleep.
May 8
I woke up at about 12:30 pm and had an omelet and yogurt and went to find gelato. I had mint chocolate chip and salted caramel gelato. After we finished our gelato we walked across a bridge to a gondola station and we waited for a gondola to arrive. Thankfully a gondola arrived and we sat down in it and the gondola driver took us for a 30 minute row around Venice. After we got off we paid him 84 Euros and went to Captain Candy to get some treats. Then we moved on to St. Mark’s Square and sat down to enjoy our treats. After we left St. Mark’s Square we headed home. We then had some pasta and broccoli for dinner and had a nap for a little bit. After our nap we went off to look for souvenirs and I found a battery powered rocking gondola and a shirt. However my sister Clara wasn’t as successful because she was looking for a feather and ink plus an Italian journal. After we got home I put my souvenirs in our suitcase and went to watch Hammy & Olivia.
Callum's Travel Journal
May 6-7
Today we traveled to Red Deer and dropped our kitten Luna off at my aunt and uncle’s house. Then, we proceeded to Calgary to get my dad’s international driver’s license so we could drive in Italy. After we got that we went to my Auntie Brooke and Uncle Steve’s house to eat supper. After we ate supper my Uncle Steve drove us to the Calgary airport. At the airport we dropped off our big suitcase while watching a hilarious little boy run away from his father. Then we proceeded to go through security, where our food bag had to be double checked because a container of salt had triggered the staff. After we got through security we went to gate D-78 and waited there for about 1:30 for the flight attendants to get ready. Then when we boarded the airplane there were screens on the seats and I played Angry Birds World Tour. The flight took nine and a half hours to get to Rome, but we finally got there. We then boarded the train to Venice and I am writing this document on it.
May 7
Today we are still on the train to Venice and I have been seeing lots of beautiful landscapes out the window. I also wait at the door to the snack bar and open it when anyone comes near it. Some landscapes include many tunnels, high mountains, vineyards, and grassy plains. The train’s top speed is 300 km/h! This kind of train is a streamlined TRENITALIA train, also known as a bullet train. Then after the train stopped at Venice we grabbed our bags and headed off of the train. It was about 15 minutes before we got to our apartment. After we dropped our bags off at our apartment we explored the streets of Venice. It was about 10:30 when we got back to our apartment and we took off our clothes and went to sleep in a bed for the first time in two days!
On our final day, we were at a bit of a loss. We had our rental car for the whole day, but also didn't want to get sweaty/salty/sun-screeny for the long journey home. We drove north, first stopping to watch the whales at an established viewpoint. We then checked out the macadamia nut factory and bought our quota, carrying on to Hawi and Kapaau. Here, the weather really came in. We checked out some shops and proceeded to the Pololu Valley lookout, choosing not to hike down to the beach due to the wind and rain.
On our return, we really enjoyed the winding decent to Waimea through lush ranchlands.
Beyond Waimea, the volcanic landscapes reminded us of a tropical Iceland.
We continued to drive all the way to the Kealakekua Bay and Manini Beach. Here, we blissfully dipped our feet in the water while watching our final sunset in Hawaii.
After the sun hit the horizon, we drove to Kona for a dinner at the Outback. This left us with a perfect amount of time to return the rental car and shuttle to the airport for our return.
We really enjoyed our time on the Big Island. On a return trip, or given more time, we would have selected a second base on the other side of the island, but this was a relaxing and digestible amount of touring for a short / inexpensive getaway.
Here's the recap video:
We picked up our rental car at the airport on our second last day, after calling an Uber to our condo at Kona Plaza. We had found the beaches within walking distance of Kona to be a bit lacking, so we started with Hapuna Beach to the north, even though the water / restroom services were not working. It was a stunning beach; wide and long white sand with a gentle slope into the surf, which broke with large but soft turquoise waves. One of the highlights was watching humpback whales breach in the distance.
Afterwards, we went to the shops at Wailea for some gelato. We continue to Kua Bay, another gem, to sit and watch the sunset. This seemed to be a popular spot, and we noted the water stations which we thought we might use the next day if we required a rinse before heading to the airport.
We took the red-eye from Vancouver to Kona, and didn't manage much sleep on route. A lot of people bring tiny humans to Hawaii!
I had planned to grab a taxi into town when we got in, but there were very few at that late hour. There were no Uber rides available. Perhaps pre-booking a shuttle would be the thing to do if arriving at night. However, Erin spotted one and the driver was nice enough to pick us up. We stayed at Kona Plaza which was very well located; after ditching our bags around midnight, we walked up the hill 10-15 minutes to Safeway (open 24 hours) to stock up for our stay.
We spent the first 3 days right in Kona, without a car. We used the small beach at the Marriott one day. Another day we walked to the Queen's Bath, a tidal pool in front of a gated neighborhood (foot access was through a small gate behind the ball diamonds).
I set my alarm for before sunrise and headed across the river to an elevated viewpoint. I was very glad I'd made the effort, because I love these photos:
It's always nice to have a still perspective as the city comes to life. I returned to the Altstadt Hotel for a lovely included breakfast, and then headed to the train station for transport to the airport. This was a worthwhile one-night detour on my return!
The exam for my course was scheduled for 9:20. I carried my travel bag with me, and after the exam continued to the train station. This was the only time I used the ticket counter. The agent scheduled me on a train 35 minutes later, which would be direct to Lugano. This worked perfectly! I arrived at the Paradiso station in just over an hour. From there, it was a short walk to the funicular station which took me to the top of the mountain (San Salvadore). The weather was magnificent: in the low twenties and not a breath of wind. I spent a long while eating my picnic lunch on the park bench I shared with a young Australian girl. I used my infrared filter to get a unique long exposure.
After returning on the funicular, I walked the lakeshore and meandered up the steep hill to the central station. In the early afternoon on a Sunday, most of the shops were closed. There wasn't much to stick around for, so I caught the next train to Zurich.
The train was clean, comfortable, and fast. Some of the glimpses I got of the Alps were beautiful. It was interesting to watch the architectural characteristics change from Italian to German as we reached Zurich.
Once in Zurich, I marvelled at the bustling and glistening train station and made my way to the river. From the bridge, I pulled out my camera and tripod for a nice sunset photo.
After checking into my hotel, I found few dining options on a Sunday night. A local place called the Raclette Kitchen was open, and absolutely packed. I got a seat at the bar and treated myself to this casual Swiss dish.
I wanted to get back to Busto Arsizio in plenty of time to get situated and return to Milan for the Champions League match at San Siro. To do so, I took the early train to Levanto and purchased a first class ticket on a direct train to Milan. This was a more comfortable journey than the one I'd made on the way to the Cinque Terre. I made the change at Milano Centrale and then climbed aboard the Malpensa Express to Busto Arsizio.
My hotel was a boutique family-run place in an unassuming alley, located right in the centre of the city. It was lovely in all respects. I spent the afternoon studying on the terrace, then set out to return to Milan. I passed a children's store in Busto and found a replacement Lego character for Clara, hilariously sporting an acorn hat. The metro was easy to navigate right to San Siro where I enjoyed pre-match food and drink in a great atmosphere and lovely weather. The stadium had awesome energy and Inter played really great football. All four goals were really well created. The local fans were hospitable and I had a terrific experience.
The return journey was more challenging because the first three metro stops I walked to were closed, presumably to prevent crush injuries. At last I found an open station and jammed myself into the hottest, most humid train journey of my life. Thankfully it lasted only 6 stops or so, and I was able to find a train back to Busto.
In the morning, I took an early train to Riomaggiore, hoping to get some sunrise photos. It's a very interesting entrance to the village from the train station; you have to walk down quite a long tunnel. It turned out to be a broody morning and I had the whole harbour to myself. I walked up the main street, which was congested with delivery trucks jockeying for space along the steep and narrow road. There seemed to be scarce options for good cafes compared to Vernazza, so I headed back there.
In Vernazza, there was a market setting up, so I bought some fresh vegetables to supplement my carb-rich diet. I packed up my things and returned to the station for the short trip south to Manarola. I really enjoyed Manarola. Like Riomaggiore, you have to walk through a tunnel to get to the town. I found this town had the most selection of quality shops, cafes and restaurants. I had a really nice ravioli lunch and spent the majority of the afternoon relaxing on the beautiful terrace of my hotel.
Sunset was gorgeous. I took some photos from the viewpoint at the top of the town, and then rushed past the water for a second viewpoint at blue hour. It was from this viewpoint that I got my only view of Corniglia, just north along the coast.
I walked around Monterosso a bit before checking out and taking the train to Vernazza. My accommodation was kind enough to let me check in before noon, so I had a place to stash my bags. I had lunch at a place across the street: tuna with a light exterior cook on a bed of tomatoes, and a beer. I spent the rest of the day meandering around the village and scoping out my photo locations for evening. Sadly, it was at one of these viewpoints that I tried to take a picture of my Lego kids and dropped Clara's into the abyss.
There was an absolutely fantastic liquorice gelato in the shop down by the harbour.
My flight left in the early afternoon for Montreal, and then I boarded a sparsely-filled, brand new Air Canada plane after a short lay-over. The journey was comfortable and I did manage a bit of sleep. Upon arrival in Milan, I caught the first train on the Malpensa T1 line into Milano Centrale. It's actually quite a long ride, probably an hour by the time I got on the train to wait.
I was hoping to be as efficient as possible as I burned this travel day on the way to Monterosso, so I grabbed a quick focaccia in the central station and bought the first ticket to La Spezia from one of the machines. It required a quick change in Genoa and after almost 4 hours I was finally in Monterosso. Quite a day!
After our PCR tests in New Braunfels, we drove up to Austin to meet old friends Nate and Lindsey at Butler Metro Park. This is a lovely space near the river with lots of fun equipment, tunnels, climbing structures, and slides for kids. As it turned out, it was unseasonably warm at 28 degrees.
We moved across the street to play mini golf, then north of the river and east of 35 to a restaurant called Wilder Wood. It made gluten-free dining non-stressful, if not overly refined. We ate under the silo and enjoyed the sunset over the state capitol.
Day 4 was spent traveling from Galveston to New Braunfels. It felt like a long drive, and after a few bathroom stops and Interstate traffic jams we made it to the little country place we booked. The host was very welcoming and after dinner we drove into the historic town of Gruene. This was the first place it felt like there was no pandemic going on. The beer gardens were full of people enjoying live music under hanging lights and Christmas decorations. The atmosphere was really enjoyable but we chose caution over walking around amidst the crowds.
The next morning, I decided to return to take a couple pictures of this charming place and its historic hall.
The kids started the day by swimming in the pool. The water was cold, but the sun was quite warm. After an early lunch, we left for the beach and spent the whole afternoon playing in the surf.
After supper, we drove to the historic center of town and I took a few photos:
Traveling with celiac and autoimmune paleo needs requires some planning. We had brought lunches for the plane packed in Rubbermaid containers and froze water in them overnight to use as ice packs. We'd also brought a cooler bag within our checked luggage, so we packed lunches and were able to keep them cold in the trunk of the car. We arrived 20 minutes before our entry time and met up with Jason, Tandi, and Jax.
We jumped on the first tram tour to the training facility and toured some of the exhibits before a picnic lunch on the lawn in the warm breeze. After lunch, we listened to a presentation by retired NASA astronaut Bill McArthur.
After our fun day at the Space Center we left for Galveston and checked into our condo at The Victorian, just across the street from the beach. The day concluded with a bit of fun by the water as the sun went down.
It had been a long two years since the last time we traveled anywhere! We got our rapid tests done and drove to Calgary the night before. Steve was kind enough to drive us to the airport in the morning after putting us up for the night.
There was a family check-in area with Westjet which was incredibly convenient. They checked our test results, proof of vaccination, and sent us on our way without any lineups. We had been sure to arrive 3 hour before our flight just in case; however, there were no lines at US Customs either, so we found ourselves with quite a wait in the departure area. We were much happier to have it this way than a hurried departure. We also took this time to pre-order groceries at a Kroger close to the Houston airport, and change accommodations in the San Antonio area after having second thoughts about staying in the congested downtown area in the middle of a pandemic.
It felt like a long wait after boarding as we queued for de-icing but the flight was uneventful as we arrived into Houston close to supper-time. We made the grocery pick-up and drove to the Clear Lake area south of the city, checking into a Sonesta Suites. I'd forgotten about these freeways: big roads and big speeds. We were starving at this point and the kids were both excited and exhausted (a dangerous combination). We prepped some food for the next day and crashed.
On our way back from Ireland last year, we were disappointed to find out at our check-in that our continuing flight from Keflavik to Edmonton was canceled due to weather. After a period of uncertainty and scrambling around on our phones, it was announced that the flight was reinstated. We were certainly relieved as we proceeded through check-in and security.
However, during the boarding process I received an alert on my phone that all outbound flights from Keflavik to North America were cancelled due to high winds. And here we were about to fly to Iceland! I knew there would be a much greater chance of us getting home on time from Dublin than to be stuck in Iceland with only one way out. However, I was told that my only choice was to proceed, so we boarded the plane as instructed.
Upon our safe arrival in Iceland, we found out that we had been one of the only flights coming in that day. There were hundreds of people lined up for customer service. Nearly resigned to nursing our hangovers on the floor of the airport as we waited our turn, Erin happened to catch the notice of a passing Icelandair staff member, who in turn caught the eye of the supervisor. The supervisor was surprised (and annoyed) find out they had sent in another plane knowing the situation. She whisked us to the front of the line and in moments had us booked on an emergency flight the next day to Edmonton! What luck! She then issued vouchers for a hotel and meals and we found ourselves soon on a bus destined for downtown Reykjavik.
It was surreal to be back in Reykjavik after a few years, without intending to be there. It was a cold, windy day but with blue skies. The kids were missing us terribly, and the stress of disappointing them did not leave us in a mood to make the best of it. However, we were happy with the way Icelandair cared for us and it's kind of fun to look back on the situation now.
We stayed at the Premier Inn in Croydon, south of Gatwick, which was well worth the small taxi fare for the difference in nightly rates. We took the train into the city from Gatwick (this time using our Oyster Cards) and headed straight for St. Paul's. Clara was certain we were at the wrong church because it looked more like a castle to her; I needed to have one of the staff confirm to her that it was indeed St. Paul's, which Clara was very excited about seeing.
Once inside, the novelty quickly wore off for the children. Again, we cut our visit short due to the nagging claims of boredom. Our friend Claire was waiting for us in the gift shop, and we walked across the street together for lunch at Wagamama. Callum did a great job about being more adventurous with his meal, and enjoyed a noodle dish. The staff were amazing with Clara's celiac disease and Erin's autoimmune paleo diet. At the end, one of the staff made a big deal about Callum's picture he'd coloured, and even posted it in the front of the restaurant which made a young boy's day.
We took a taxi over to Covent Garden to pick up tickets for an evening performance of Matilda at the Cambridge Theatre. We walked around in the rain a bit, stopping at a pop-up tea shop for a great time with some friendly staff, and to a crowded Monmouth Coffee for a late-day espresso. Tony met us for dinner at a great Italian pizzeria near Seven Dials. We said our goodbyes and the four of us took in a very fun evening of theatre. What a memorable way to conclude our family vacation to Europe!
Here is the final video of our trip:
Once again, I got up before the rest of the family to catch the sunrise and enjoy some quiet time. I started in the old, quiet section above the Roman baths, and then crossed over the main road and descended the trail into the gorge to view the bridge better.
Then we packed up the car and headed for Malaga. Looking at the skies, we chose the less scenic option. This turned out to be a good choice, as the ceiling was quite low and it rained heavily even at lower elevations.
It wasn't the nicest way to end our vacation in Spain; we arrived in Malaga in the early afternoon and had planned to spend the afternoon at a park or on the beach. It was really cold and windy after the rain quit but after eating lunch in our car outside the outlet mall, we braved the conditions along the promenade. The kids had fun but Erin and I shivered the whole time. What then followed was a frustrating search for a gluten-free restaurant that was open at 4:00 pm. We finally found a pizza joint that could accommodate us, though a gourmet experience it was not. Our early evening flight timing had given us probably the only logistical challenge of the entire holiday. However, we were in plenty of time for our flight after returning our rental car, and a stress-free return was the main priority on this day.
We were picked up by a taxi at our apartment after breakfast and arrived at the VW dealership as it opened. We were outfitted with carseats in our Renault hatchback and soon found ourselves crossing the bridge towards the mainland. It was so nice to have the freedom of the road after using public transportation until this point in our trip. I had planned for us to eat a picnic lunch at a scenic rest-stop overlooking Arcos de la Frontera. I had imagined a sunny warm viewpoint, but instead it was very much a cold and windy viewpoint. Regardless, the view was terrific and I used an infrared layering technique in my photos:
The drive became increasingly scenic as we approached the mountains, but also increasingly wet. By the time we neared Grazalema we were fully in the clouds and crawling slowly around the hairpins behind a vehicle intent on setting a new speed minimum. There was a little rainbow of hope at the bend in Grazalema as the rain pelted down.
We descended towards Ronda and dropped out of the clouds. The rain eased up, and by the time we checked into the Hotel Polo and eaten lunch in a nice little restaurant, it had stopped entirely. We walked around this amazing little city taking in the breathtaking views of the valley below. One of my favourite memories will be watching Clara dance to the accordion music in a mirador overlooking the hills of Andalusia.
We ended the day with some gluten free churros and chocolate.
Here is our video recap:
I headed for the seawall in Cadiz for sunrise while everyone slept, and was treated to some incredible colours.
Once everyone else woke up and we had some breakfast, we went for a walk. Back to the apartment briefly to re-fuel, we went down to the beach. It was chilly but the kids enjoyed playing in the sand. Callum built a fort and the walls withstood the waves of high tide.
In the late afternoon, we went to the Torre Tavira and saw the camera obscura, which was really interesting. The views from the top in the late day sun were terrific.
We walked past the cathedral and through a square filled with music before taking the seawall back to our apartment as night fell.
Here is a video recap:
A comfortable Renfre train journey brought us into the old city of Cadiz. We hired a taxi to drop us at the door of our aparthotel, located within easy walking distance to everywhere in the old city. They were accommodating to move us into a non-smoking room after ours wasn't to our standards.
It was, however, cooler than we'd hoped; the wind off the ocean had a bite to it. The kids were thrilled to have a fantastic playground just outside the hotel. Unfortunately, this part of the city seemed to be quite sleepy this time of year, and cafes, restaurants, and music were limited.
Here is the video recap from the day:
I got up early to enjoy some final solitary moments in this wonderful city. I found some puddles to create some reflections, and although the sunrise didn't amount to much, it was a nice way to end my time there. Sevilla has so much to offer, but it's hard to fully explain why it's one of my favourite places in Spain.
I slept through my alarm and didn't take any sunrise photos. Our first activity of the day was to visit a large playground along the east side of the river, rather far to the north. It was a mistake to walk, in retrospect, we should have taken a taxi. The kids loved the big pirate ship and water features at the park and we took the bus back towards the centre.
Our second activity after lunch was to visit the Alcazar. The gardens were extensive, and would have been magical in the spring or summer. It was a cold day so we didn't linger as long as we might have otherwise. The palaces were also very beautiful but the kids were predictably underwhelmed. While the Alcazar certainly cannot be missed, it is difficult to beat the Alhambra Palace in Granada.
After supper, Callum and I left for the highly anticipated match at the Villamarin between Betis and Sevilla, intercity rivals. There was great energy as we arrived outside the stadium. We found ourselves behind a crowded barricade under guard while the Sevilla fans paraded towards the stadium flanked by mounted police. The chanting between the fans was really something to witness, although I had to explain to Callum that some words are not okay to repeat, even if they are in a different language.
The start of the match, including the unison singing of the Betis Hymn, was unforgettable. The rest of the game won't linger as long in the memory. We got to witness a tying goal by the home side shortly before halftime, but overall the match was rather disorganized and lacked some of the reckless enthusiasm going forward, which I'd accustomed to seeing from Betis in recent years.
We left the stadium amongst the masses, and with luck caught a bus when Callum was clever enough to identify the #3 which I missed. This got us home just before midnight, and we hung up our green and white striped scarves for the evening.
Here is a video of another very long but very enjoyable day in Sevilla:
I got up early while the rest of the family slept, and enjoyed the incomparable Plaza de Espana with few other people around.
Afterwards, we had a late breakfast and toured the Cathedral. It was a very popular attraction but we had purchased our tickets at another cathedral the day before, which allowed us to skip the line. Once inside, however, we were faced with even more people and it took quite some time to reach the top of the Giralda Tower. The church itself was breathtaking but it was difficult to take in as much as we wanted to, due to young children claiming boredom.
We had a late lunch and went back out for a good espresso at Torch, a playground stop, and then returned to a bustling Plaza de Espana where we rented a pedal cart and toured around the park.
We could have spent a bit longer, but we wanted to get to the Setas before dark. We thought about taking a taxi, but in reality it was just as quick to walk. On the way, we passed through some colourful squares:
We did catch some nice colours after sunset from atop the "weird mushroomy thing." By this time, the kids were quite tired; however, we found it a worthwhile stop for the interesting architecture and good views.
Here is a video recap:
The day started early, with a taxi to Luton airport. We were in good time, but it's amazing how the moments evaporate. The security line at Luton is not my favourite; it feels reminiscent of a cattle auction, and sure enough Erin had to wait quite some time to have her bags manually searched. Meanwhile, I thought I'd get started towards the departure area with the two kids. In the dutyfree shop, we found a double decker Lego bus that was a perfect souvenir for Callum. Clara was begging for water, so I picked up those items and carried along the way. After several minutes, it became apparent that I'd walked right out of the shop without paying for the Lego and water. We hadn't passed through a payment area near as I could tell, so we backtracked against the flow of people. As time ticked along, we found the payment area located off to the side, waited in the queue and paid for our items. Looking up at the departure screen, it now said that our flight gate was closing. I picked up Clara and ran with Callum sprinting behind me. Erin was waiting at the gait, quite worried and confused about our absence. Fortunately the sign turned out to be rather alarmist, as we were penned in for quite some time before boarding our EasyJet flight to Seville.
The flight was uneventful until we started descending. I got a fantastic view of Arcos de la Frontera from the air, though now photo of it. The pilot was most welcoming to the children and allowed them to sit in the flight deck once we started deplaning.
We had planned to get a taxi direct to our apartment, but a strike left us taking the bus into the city. In the end, this saved us a bit of money and the walk from the station was okay. As it was, we needed to drop our bags and head out for lunch prior to being able to check into the Giralda Suites near to the Cathedral.
We had a nice lunch, wandered over to Triana, then back to check in. In the evening, I returned to Triana for some sunset photos. The atmosphere was very pleasant as the sky turned from orange to pink to purple.
Here is a video from the day:
This would be our first overseas trip with our kids, aged 5 and 7.
We booked Westjet flights from Edmonton to Gatwick via Toronto. Even though our final destination was Spain, Westjet did not offer their seasonal flights to Barcelona in November. We thought it would be a good opportunity to see London during our trip, and EasyJet offered excellent flight options. We flew all four of us return to Spain from London, including one checked bag, for $400 CAD total.
Westjet's new 787 Dreamliner comfortably took us from Toronto to Gatwick overnight. Sleep was minimal; I find this flight is not quite long enough to get comfortable for a night's sleep, and you don't get the same quality of meals as on a flight from Calgary to to London, for example.
We got in earlier than expected and were onto the train by 9:00 am. Changing to the Underground at St. Pancras, we exited Baker Street and found my friend Aaron's place, which was generously offered to us as a staging area for our half-day in London. Becoming quite hungry at this point, we met at Nando's in Picadilly. This was a safe and healthy option for us, as we were traveling with a 5 year-old celiac.
We walked through Trafalgar Square to the Thames and crossed over Westminster Bridge. We used the 2-for-1 promotion offered through the National Railway to purchase tickets for the London Eye. I had chosen to pre-purchase train tickets from Gatwick rather than using an Oyster Card, in order to qualify for this promotion. This also allowed us to buy ourselves "regular" Oyster Cards at St. Pancras rather than the tourist ones which were available at Gatwick. The children could travel for free with our Oyster Cards, although we needed to purchase them a child's fare on the railway. It's all rather complicated, and needlessly so.
With luck, there was no queue and it was sunny in the late afternoon.
We walked to Waterloo Station, and after making a wrong turn we by chance bumped into friends from home! We collected our luggage from our layover residence, ate some Pizza Express takeout (celiac friendly), and returned to King's Cross to see Platform 9 3/4.
I had also pre-purchased tickets from St. Pancras to Luton, and we arrived at the Ibis after a small hiccup when I assumed the shuttle would drop us at the hotel, but finding in retrospect it only stopped outside the Holiday Inn before carrying on to the airport. We were more than ready for a good sleep when we finally got there. Our budget-style room had a queen bed and a small single next to the window. I slept comfortably in the single, while Erin and the kids shared the queen.
Here is a video from our very long day!
This leg of our journey was relatively uneventful. We left Killarney in the late morning after a good sleep and had lunch in Cobh. I wish we had more time here; it was a very cute town perched on a steep hill with bright-coloured buildings and a seaside promenade.
Then it was the tedious return to Dublin on the motorway. We made good time until we approached the city through a construction zone and the beginning of rush hour traffic. We dropped off the rental car in Swords and caught a taxi to our hotel in Malahide.
Here's a video recap:
We slept late and were on the road by late morning. Hardly out of Killarney, we stopped to see Torc Falls which were pretty, but not particularly special. I found the stream itself a bit more photogenic:
The climb to Ladies View and then Moll's Gap was really exceptional.
It didn't take long before we found ourselves in Kenmare. The triangular shaped historic town centre was really attractive and pleasant to spend a couple hours. After some ice cream and espresso, Erin found some lovely boots for a good price at Simplicity Shoes.
The weather was holding so we ventured a bit farther to Sneem. This little tidy town was attractive too, but felt more contrived for the benefit of the many tour buses which seemed to make it a regular stop. However, we had a truly amazing dessert and coffee at The Village Kitchen. They offered a couple tasty gluten-free options too.
Our luck with the weather seemed to be running out and we had grown weary of the winding roads. We chose a high-country return route to Moll's Gap and enjoyed the views immensely; clear skies and green grass would transform this landscape into something really special later in the spring I'm sure.
The rain began in earnest after our return to Killarney. We enjoyed dinner at Robertino's and then settled into a local sports bar for a couple pints and to watch some Champions League games.
Here is a video recap from the day:
I forced myself out of the cozy B&B to make the most of our time in Doolin. I roamed the quiet streets in the cold, humid morning air and caught some soft pink clouds over the street we'd been on the night before:
I then returned to the house on the hill where we stayed, capturing these shots:
After a nice, relaxing breakfast in the southwest facing dining room, we hit the road for Killarney. The first stop was to check out the grounds surrounding Bunratty Castle but we chose against a visit. We had learned that what looks like a short distance on the map can turn into a surprisingly long day of driving, so an earlier arrival in Killarney appealed to us after our late evening fiasco getting into Doolin.
Lunch was a healthy one in the suburbs of Limerick at Delish and we did arrive in Killarney in decent time as anticipated. We found the centrally located Scott's hotel to be adequate for our needs, and the underground parking was actually very convenient in the city centre. We walked around a bit, in and out of some shops, before settling on pizza for supper at Milano.
After dinner, we enjoyed a quiet dusk at Lough Leane in the shadow of Ross Castle.
Here is a video recap of our day:
We enjoyed a relaxing morning and a nice breakfast before calling a taxi to the Enterprise car rental agency on the east side of Galway. We soon found our way in a nice Toyota C-HR hybrid.
Driving in Ireland (or on the left) for the first time is quite an experience. It was extremely helpful to have Erin watchful in the passenger seat, but really I adapted quicker than I expect to the directional flow of traffic. It helped that we picked up the car on the outskirts of a smaller city; this was by design. The other helpful factor was getting an automatic. I actually really enjoy driving a manual transmission, but we did so much slowing down and speeding up as we wound up, down, and around the wild curves that Erin was almost carsick even with an automatic. The hardest thing to adapt to was not hugging the nonexistent shoulder on the left side, especially as tour buses and trucks often leaned over the centre line. The speed limits on the small, windy roads were ludicrous; 100 km/h in places that the laws of physics would prevent you from reaching 60 km/h!
Given the sunny weather, we chose to go north instead of south towards Doolin, our next night's accommodation. We did a loop north through Headford, Cong, Finny, and to the head of the Killary Fjord before traveling counterclockwise through Connemara and south back to Galway. It was a great drive with some terrific scenery, although the photos don't really do it justice.
Our ambition also turned our day into a very very long one. We pulled into Doolin as the sun was setting and rushed out to see the Cliffs of Moher under favourable conditions. It turned out to be a nice time; very quiet without other tourists and the light was quite nice. However, we didn't linger as we were starving.
We found seats at the bar at Gus O'Connor's pub and enjoyed a very good pub meal and a pint. They even had quality gluten-free beer for Erin! On this Sunday night, some folks were playing/singing some traditional Irish songs and it was quite a nice atmosphere.
We then retired to the Doolin View B&B for a good night's rest. Here are some video clips from the day:
The flight over from Edmonton via Reykjavik was fairly direct. After clearing customs in Dublin, we picked up a SIM card for 25E at the airport and some lunch for the bus ride. Our new connectivity system was to use an old phone with a local SIM and run it as a wifi hotspot for our Canadian phones kept on airplane mode. This turned out to work really well.
The GoBus is located straight out the airport doors past the parking garage, at point 13. It is very well signed and easy to see. I would also note that there are a couple places to get food in this through-way that are far less busy than the ones inside the airport. The bus fare to Galway was 20E cash, and other than stopping in central Dublin, it was very comfortable and direct.
It was easy to find a taxi at the drop-off point in Dublin and we were dropped off in front of Merrion Townhouse bed and breakfast in no time. The rooms and bathrooms were very small, but that is to be expected in a conversion of such an old building. The host was lovely and the breakfast offerings were very good, including a proper french press coffee. Compared to other options in Galway, it was pretty good value.
Craving a proper meal, we walked to Hooked for some seafood. This was a terrific little family-run restaurant and Erin was thrilled to have some fish and chips made gluten free in a separate frier! I went with a fish taco and some slaw. There was a Spanish spin on this place but I was too full to indulge in some churros for dessert.
We walked around the city a bit and found the central area to be very touristy and crowded. Uninspired for whatever reason, we stopped at The Secret Garden
for tea and dessert. This was a good choice. It was a packed little place with a cool vibe and a cute stone-walled patio out back. A musician was just setting up as people were gathering around tables and on the floor nearby in anticipation. Had we not been so tired, we would have definitely hung out for a while. But that was to be the end of our first day in Ireland.
Arriving around 9:00 pm from a day in Edinburgh that started with a sunrise photoshoot in Newcastle, I was pretty beat. But the stars were shining brightly and the next day's forecast looked poor. After a brief glimpse of the still reflections on the Tyne, I decided I'd really kick myself if I didn't go shootin'. A couple hours later, these were the results:
The next morning, I had a very productive business meeting. Wrapping up around 11:00 am, I took an Uber to Ryton and found the address of my great-great-great-great Grandfather!
My driver then brought me to the Blaydon cemetery where I was very pleased to find the headstones I was in search of.
I walked down Shibon road, the presumed site of the family farm, and then to the train station
Here are some videos of my little family history foray:
From the station, I caught a perfectly timed departure to deliver me back to Newcastle in time for a very fun afternoon of lunch, coffee, and tea at Quay Ingredients with Sam, a travel blogger I met on Twitter. She was lovely and we really enjoyed our time chatting. I arrived back to my hotel in time to put my feet up for a few minutes and catch up with family back home. Then I packed a bit for my return journey and got dressed for a cold night at St. James' Park. I had wood-fired pizza nearby at a terrific place built underneath the train bridge to fuel up for the match between Newcastle United and Manchester City. It was a really fun event, with great energy, and unbelievably a win for NUFC!
And finally, here are a few other scenes to remember my time in Newcastle:
I arrived just before noon on a crisp, sunny winter morning. The train journey had given me glimpses of the seaside, shimmering blue under the bright morning sun. I had no agenda, other than hoping to catch the sunset from Calton Hill, so I wandered west across a bridge and up a hill. I found myself in Old Edinburgh with the sound of bagpipes echoing through the streets.
It seemed natural to continue uphill, and I soon arrived at the castle. The light was harsh and the day was young, so I decided to take a spin through the castle. It was an interesting couple hours; I saw the one o'clock gun fire, I read stories of medieval history that made Game of Thrones seem like a documentary, and I saw the Crown Jewels. I looked at the time and the rumblings of my empty stomach convinced me to sit down for a truly underwhelming and overpriced lunch at the restaurant (my only bad meal of the entire trip).
I thought I might have quite a bit more time to wander around after my castle visit, but the sun began dipping quite low to the horizon before I knew it. I proceeded up to Calton Hill as planned. It was a viciously cold wind and it seemed I was growing quite accustomed to adjusting my camera and tripod techniques to accommodated for that. In the end, I got a few nice ones and the sunset was quite intense. I had to count myself quite lucky for the short time and season I was there.
I retired to an Andalusian restaurant for some very nice tapas, followed by desert at another second floor cafe where I meditated the time away until near to my departure time.
My first memory of Newcastle Upon Tyne was listening to Coldplay's bonus track "O" off the "Ghost Stories" album as the train rattled across the bridge over the river. After arriving around midnight from Liverpool, I really should have slept in. After all, I didn't need to leave for Edinburgh until nearly 11 am. However, the forecast was good and I simply couldn't pass up a sunrise photoshoot. Fortunately, my hotel was close to the High Level Bridge and I first set up there to get my first view of the Tyne. Had I waited here, I would have eventually captured a blooming colourful sky. But I chose to carry on towards a second location down-river.
Happy with my morning's activities, I settled in for a breakfast back at the hotel, backed up my photos, and repacked my backpack for a day's adventure in Edinburgh.
I arrived on the train just before lunchtime. It was dry, thankfully, and I was able to walk easily from Lime Street Station to the Ibis Styles on Dale Street. Endeavouring to eat healthy on this trip, I suppressed all cravings and bought a wrap from a raw food place called "Naked" just down the street. Then it was time to get out and explore, since my course wasn't starting until the next day.
I started with the docks area, in order to scout possible evening photoshoot locations. All these daytime photos were taken with my iPhone XS; it was liberating to walk with only a phone in my pocket, and I was really happy with the quality I was able to achieve with a device that could both help me navigate and take photos.
Next, I walked southeast to the Baltic Triangle. It was an interesting area that looked previously derelict but now quite revitalized in areas. I saw some nice street art along the way:
One of the best, of course, was this one of Jergen Klopp:
At this point, it began raining quite hard and I took refuge in the coffee shop across the street from Klopp. When it relented, I carried along towards the Ropewalks via Chinatown.
I returned to my hotel to pick up my DSLR kit as sunset approached and snapped this photo from the end of the hallway:
Sunset didn't amount to much, so I waited patiently as the light diminished. It became a challenging photoshoot to fight the cold wind gusts and keep the tripod stable. Thankfully, between volume and technique, I ended up with quite a few keepers:
I thoroughly enjoyed the city and the course that followed for the next couple days. The weather degenerated over the rest of my visit and my work stuff kind of took over, so these were the last photos I took:
Here are a few video clips of my time in Liverpool:
This began a very good business trip to England. I worked Wednesday morning, left at noon, and arrived in London late Thursday morning via a Vancouver stopover. Unfortunately the Heathrow-Paddington express train was out, so I endured 24 stops on the Underground to King's Cross. I used to find international arrivals so disorienting, but by now less novel and I walked confidently in the drizzle past St. Pancras towards my aparthotel. This was the first photo I took:
I walked past a coffee shop called Origin on my way across the street. Then I doubled back. What was the hurry after all? So I sat at the window, sipping an espresso with a veggie toastie, slowly acclimating to my new environment. Later, having checked into my hotel and getting cleaned up, I went to a grocery store to pick up some yogurt and bananas for breakfast.
Then it was off to Camden Market for a meeting. We wrapped up around 8:00, so I found myself back at my hotel quite early. The intelligent thing would be to go to bed. However, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see the Thames for a second time. I took the Underground to the London Bridge station, walked along the south bank to Millennium Bridge, and hoped to see the bridge nicely lit up. It was not, so there would be no photo opportunity on this occasion. I crossed the bridge and carried on towards St. Paul's. I quickly found myself in a great perspective with excellent foreground leading lines and lighting. So this is the only DSLR image I have of London on this trip, but I'm quite happy with it:
The next morning I was off to Liverpool, so I hurried back to repack and turn in for the night.
This was the first international trip for our kids, ages 4 and 6. It was a great holiday and a perfect destination for a combination of comfort, safety, culture, nature, and adventure. We spent time in La Fortuna and the Arenal Volcano area for a few days before getting comfortable in a rental house in Playa Hermosa.
Videos from each day can be seen HERE
Well, I guess I crossed this city off the bucket list. There were a few neat pockets spread far apart and not linked by any decent public transit. The people were... eclectic? The weather was fantastic. There were some good restaurants, coffee shops, and gastropubs. Hollywood was awful. The view from Kenneth Hahn park at sunset was epic. Uber came to my rescue a couple times, most notably when I left my wallet in the car. I liked Pasadena and Santa Monica but there wasn't much to fall in love with. These are my good shots:
And here are my iPhone snaps:
It had been a while since I was in Vancouver. I was soon reminded what a fun place this is for a couple days. Some great coffee and terrific meals at La Taqueria Pinche and The Nightingale.
We were lucky enough to get a flight arriving in Brussels from Faro in the mid-afternoon and not carrying on to Edmonton via Amsterdam until the following day, so we experienced a nice evening in the Belgian capital. The central area was full of people eating and, well, mostly drinking. We went for a long walk to find a good gluten-free Italian restaurant for Erin before taking the metro back to the Grote Markt area.
The next morning, I tried to get some early morning photos but didn't have much luck with the overcast skies. The clean-up along the streets and squares was immense after what must have been quite a Friday night. Workers with garbage and recycling trucks were feverishly trying to make the city look presentable again.
We caught an Uber to the airport in Porto from our downtown hotel and an early Ryanair flight to Faro. Thanks to our early arrival, we picked up our rental car, groceries in Faro, and to our apartment in Carvoeiro by noon. It's always such a thrill for the senses to arrive at the sea. We got into a nice relaxed routine for the next four days, spending most of the days on the beach and occasionally striking out at sunrise or sunset for photos.
Here is a video recap from Portugal:
It turned out that we really liked Porto. It really is a hipster's paradise (not that we qualify, although I'm writing this with a Macbook while wearing dark rimmed glasses, t-shirt and blazer), with its street art, breakfast cereal cafes, vintage and other eclectic shops, and (of course), port. We took a lot of iPhone shots, so I'll post them below and link to my better SLR photos here: http://dreamingoutdoors.zenfolio.com/portugal/porto
The weather system had set in by morning, which was probably for the best so I wasn't tempted to go take sunrise photos again. We had a leisurely breakfast and took an Uber to the Entrecampos station in an absolute downpour. The train, always a nice way to travel, hit 220 km/h en route to Porto.
Another short Uber ride from the train station brought us to our hotel. After check-in, we set out walking. Porto is a hipster's paradise, with breakfast cereal cafes, eclectic shops, and cool street art; here are some examples of the art we found around the city, big and small:
We dragged ourselves out of bed only to find ourselves running 10 minutes late as we headed for the Miradouro de Santa Luzia to watch the sunrise. Just in time, I rapidly fired off a bunch of shots into the burnt orange rising sun, just as I'd always imagined it over the clay-roofed Alfama district. We walked to the Terreiro Do Paco where we imagined kings and explorers arriving centuries ago. Then we returned to the hotel for breakfast and a nap.
The nap lasted until 3:30. Disoriented, we collected ourselves and packed a lunch from the grocery store nearby. We set off this time for Belem. As it turned out, this long nap may have been a bit unfortunate because the rain clouds threatened just as we arrived. I managed to get an interesting infrared photo at the riverside but had only one chance because the fisherman started pulling in his lines as the raindrops hastened.
We found refuge in a nearby cafe where ice cream and coffee helped us pass the time. Finally, with the clouds looking like they'd never lift, I braved what had suddenly become a torrent and created a makeshift umbrella for my camera as I huddled, cool and increasingly drenched, over my low tripod. Successfully completing a couple photos, I sprinted back to the cafe and we called an Uber to take us back to the train station. Sure enough, just as we were dropped off, the clouds parted and it became quite pleasant again.
Back in Lisbon, we walked from the train station via the Baixa and Chiado districts to the Open Brasserie, recommended for their gluten free options. The service and food was excellent, though the price was a little higher than average. Still, it was a nice way to end the evening.
Here are some iPhone snaps from the day in Lisbon:
And Belem:
The night before we left for Portugal we had quite a scare. Labor action by AIr France employees had resulted in our flight from Vancouver to Paris being cancelled. In the chaotic few hours that followed, I discovered that trip interruption/cancellation insurance does NOT include a strike affecting airline service. Everything did turn out okay in the end, and perhaps better. We were rebooked from Vancouver via Toronto and then direct to Lisbon which gave us a slightly earlier arrival in Lisbon without the hassle of Customs and a plane change in Paris.
We took Uber right from the airport which is quite centrally located by large city standards. It cost 9 Euro for the fare door to door. I think my days of taking public transport from the airport are over.
After a shower, short nap, and lunch near the hotel, we took the train to Sintra for the evening. A bit hesitant given our late start, we were thrilled we made the trip. We didn't want to waste a moment so we caught an Uber to the Pena Palace right from the train station. The palace and the surrounding grounds were more beautiful in person than the pictures we'd seen online. Walking down via the Valley of the Lakes, Erin commented that it felt like we were walking in a fairy tale. The bird songs were music to our ears after a long Canadian winter.
Taking a taxi back to the town as darkness fell, we wound up in a restaurant called "Metamorphosis" which offered excellent service and good food at a very good price. We then returned to Lisbon confident that we'd made the most of our first afternoon in Portugal.
Here are the photos of the day taken with my SLR:
I slept in again and headed into the city around noon. I went shoe shopping and ate at a nice restaurant for a late lunch.
Then I headed back to my hotel to change and get ready for the big game. I arrived early to greet the team bus and take in the atmosphere. The game was incredible and we came away with an important win. I doubt I'll witness such a spectacle for quite some time.
Afterwards, I met up with Frederic and Anton for a celebratory drink.
And like that, my brief time in Madrid was over. What an experience though!
After my tour of the Santiago Bernabéu I had a nice salmon fillet of a menu del dia around the block from the stadium. Then I walked around Madrid, visiting sights from our trip a couple years ago.
I went up to the terrace of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando to watch the sunset and night fall over the city. It was cold and windy, but it was a perspective I hadn't seen before. Unfortunately the Palacio de Cibeles was undergoing repair and covered in scaffolding.
Bumper stickers you don't expect to see in Spain:
I arrived late from Rome, and checked into the Ibis in Barajas. Here I am toasting my arrival with an Alhambra cerveza.
The next morning, I slept in until around 10:00. I headed straight to the Bernabeu for a tour, which was well worth the line-up and 25 Euro entrance fee.
The trophy rooms were interesting, but it was surreal to see the dressing rooms and stand pitch-side.
10 years after our honeymoon in Rome, I spent three days there for a course. It was a bit surreal to revisit so many of the same sights from so long ago.
I arrived back in London from Ljubljana at Gatwick, and found the whole passport control and city transport process to be a lot faster. I found my accommodation on the north side of Kensington Park, got settled in a bit, and went for a dinner of Thai green curry at Tuk Tuk, just a couple blocks away.
My course started the next day, so I didn't have much time to do any sightseeing. I met up with a Camrose contact, Aaron, for a terrific Italian dinner at Il Blandford's followed by a couple glasses of port at his house. I was back in my hotel at 12:30 am, which was perhaps a little too late for my 8 am start the next day.
The following day (Friday), I went for an evening walk from Waterloo Station across Westminster Bridge, past Parliament, and all the way to Victoria Station.
I took the tube to Notting Hill Station and strolled down Portobello Street. This was probably my biggest evening adventure in terms of mileage.
Saturday night, I went for a more abbreviated trip to the Thames to see Millennium Bridge. Then the weather turned, and I called it an early night with my exam coming up the next morning.
My final day (Sunday) began with the exam for my course at 8:30 am. Afterwards, I went for a nice walk through Kensington Park, Hyde Park, past Buckingham Palace, and along the mall towards Trafalgar Square, past Picadilly Circus to Oxford Circus to catch transit back to my hotel. It was cool, breezy, but quite sunny.
I picked up the direct Heathrow train from Paddington, and that was that! Here are a few video clips from London:
"Well, off I go, into the night," was the echo that accompanied the last warm sips from my mug of Slovenian craft ale. Here, in an Irish pub tucked away in an alley basement in the old city of Ljubljana, I had found more than the 1-1 Real Madrid-Tottenham draw I'd arrived for.
A few hours before, I'd slain the dragon city with a lucky photoshoot from the Neboticnik cafe terrace. Well, I suppose it wasn't just luck. I'd arrived just before sunset, not wanting to loiter for too long. I'd chosen a place near to one of the high bar tables that sat somewhat privately on the southeast corner of the terrace. I'd watched as the couple finally paid their tab and made their way from the table, then slid in amongst their crumbs and crumpled napkins to secure my position. It cost me only two pints on an empty stomach, but I would have paid far more as the overcast sky erupted ethereal rose for twenty, maybe thirty seconds, before fading to the blue that would usher in the night. My tripod perched unobtrusively on the table, positioning my camera over the glass to freeze the moment not only in my mind, but now on my screen:
I entered the bar a few minutes after the start of the match, having stopped first for a dinner of traditional Carniolan sausage, then at the hostel to back up my files from the day. To my memory, it was a welcoming pub, dimly lit of course, with walls of brick and arched doorways granting it an appropriately cave-like feel. There were two rooms sharing the adjacent sides of the bar. The first room was full of traveling Liverpool supporters and local Maribor fans gathering side by side for the Champions League match-up.
I asked for the Real Madrid - Tottenham match, and the accommodating bartender flicked on the TV in the other room for me. There was only one other patron on this side and, pulling a stool up to the counter, I asked for some help deciding between a couple different IPA's. The slim, long-haired young man a couple stools over made his recommendation, which settled the matter for me.
"So what part of the world are you from?" he asked in an accent that could have been my own.
"Canada," I answered. Then realizing he must be American, if not Canadian, quickly added, "Alberta. How 'bout you?"
"You wouldn't know it. Have you heard of Nelson?"
Count me among the unsurprised.
"South of there, a small town in Washington," he continued.
For the socially curious, this guy was like that big mysterious Christmas present having an odd shape and a low clunky rattle near the bottom, and couldn't ever be wrapped very neatly, but attracted your fascination more than all the others despite itself.
His slender forearms seemed poorly matched for the heavy glass beer mug frequenting his lips. Under the brim of a dark flat cap was long, stringy brown hair that draped his shoulder blades, and these were punctuated by a long nose and hollow cheeks that made my sister giggle when I told her reminded me of Niccolo Paganini. My wife, the hygienist, would have been drawn immediately to the periodontal situation revealed by his kind and nervous smile. This was a guy with a back-story.
We chatted back and forth casually as I looked down from the soccer game at times. He didn't have any interest in the match, and had moved into the quieter side of the bar after discovering he was too tall for the Liverpool guys to see over. It was obvious that Ljubljana meant something to him, since it would take anyone in their early thirties a fair bit of commitment to visit the same European city a half dozen times. It had been eight years since his last visit, however, and I got the sense it was a long anticipated return. "This is my city," was one of his comments.
"So where are you staying?" I asked.
I think he was staying eight or ten days, so it made sense that he had rented an apartment. It's a great way to feel more connected to life in the city and reduce the restaurant tab at the same time.
"That works out nicely for you I'm sure," I replied. "That way you can cook your own meals."
"Yeah," he stated, "it would be, but I can't eat solid food."
It took me moment to step into the bear trap because he said it so casually and I was on my fourth beer, but ultimately I did take the bait. "What do you mean, you can't eat solid food?"
"In the ulcerating silence perspective comes. The way it always does for it's ransom" (The Tragically Hip: A Beautiful Thing).
He put his head down, and muttered, "I really don't like to talk about it, but I have a condition that's... well... it's going to kill me." He said it with such resignation. "I really should have a feeding tube."
I didn't muster much in return, other than a meek, "Gee, I'm really sorry to hear that."
I let the awkwardness linger for a bit, eyes drifting upwards to the football pitch, searching for some distraction. In the moments that followed, the beer mug two seats over bore witness to some deep, lonely sorrow. I can't imagine the story behind those tears. I wonder who he was texting with those long, shaky fingers.
"Long conversation or idle chit chat, maybe dive in or maybe hang back[?]" (The Tragically Hip: Escape is at Hand for the Traveling Man). We chatted a little more over the hour that followed. Neither about his condition, nor anything else of importance. I'm left with a hint of regret, unsure whether I ever did choose the right words or strike the right balance of distance and intimacy. When it was time to go, he got up and uttered that phrase, "Well, off I go, into the night." And that was it. I pictured him walking the vacant cobblestone alleys alone, lost in that slightly inebriated nostalgic sorrow that inhales treasured familiarity and exhales a final farewell.
Early next morning, as I pulled on the blue Tragically Hip t-shirt I'd bought at their final Edmonton concert, I scrolled my Facebook feed for the news of the day. Gord Downie had died. It was an interesting coincidence to be sure; I hadn't worn that shirt in months.
Gord's final months were punctuated by headlines centred around the legacy of a Canadian music icon as he tirelessly championed reconciliation with Indigenous communities, love, and equality. His death made top headlines in every Canadian news service. Meanwhile, how many other individuals were grappling with the same challenges of impending mortality unnoticed in basement pubs, homes, churches, and hospitals around the world?
There's a lot to un-pack here, and I don't really know where to start. Of course, there's the obvious lesson driven home: no time like the present. Another theme I keep returning to is, "how do we say goodbye?" The Hip lyric "Now the struggle has a name" takes on additional context (beyond the "Truth and Reconciliation" theme) when our final challenge is known. But should our actions be influenced by the "named struggle?" In a purposeful life it wouldn't make a difference, because our actions would always be made in light of our mortality.
We generally don't do goodbyes very well. However, we need the closure of saying goodbye. We see this in the elderly who seem to have an uncanny ability to hold on until they have a chance to see or hear that last special loved one. But I've also been thinking about the smaller goodbyes in life: moving away, bidding farewell to friends, and even returning home from an endearing city like Ljubljana. I'm reminded of the time I turned the wheels north on I-35 from Belt Line Road, instead of the usual south, as I began my journey back to Alberta from Dallas. I think about the wonderful, generous people I knew in those days before Facebook allowed for easy ongoing casual contact; saying "goodbye" really meant it in those days. There are some people I wish I'd said a better "goodbye" to. What if I'd released from an embrace, looked a person in the eyes and said "Have a good life" with absolute sincerity? And while our relationships with people as they cast themselves in and out of our life's script hold great importance to us, so do our relationships with places and things. I think about our first house, the memories created there, and how it looked as I closed the door the last time. I remember the places in the world that continue tug at my heart, like South Africa, Spain, and Slovenia. I'm often asked after a trip if I'll go back, and I generally say "no," regardless of how much I loved the place. There are just too many gifts in this world to unwrap and I'm truly skeptical if a return trip would ever live up to the original as it's painted in my mind.
So how do we say goodbye to these places? For me, photography is the typical way I connect with a place. When in a city, I like to scout a location with a great perspective, arrive half an hour before sunset, watch the steepening angle of light reduce to the point of a sunstar on my camera sensor, and stay until the sky turns blue and the true energy and character of a city is revealed in the glow of the streetlights. Hopefully, this creates some great images, but it also imprints an experience. My photoshoot in Ljubljana from the skyscraper was one of these moments. Could it be that a really great "goodbye" is about intentionally creating the moment you want to remember? We recently watched Shakespeare in Love again, and I was reminded of how great the ending was; William wrote the ending that he wanted to exist, in all its joyous sorrow, which allowed his fantasy to triumph over reality. So long as I never return to Ljubljana, the fantasy that I've written about it can remain true.
Gord was the author of his last act, which was played out on a national stage in a beautiful ritual of bidding farewell to his country, his fans, his band, his Chanie "Wenjacks," and more privately, his family and friends. The sincere "goodbye" at the end of each concert of the tour was proud, joyous, and above all, distinctly final. He had the look of a man relishing his living wake, wanting to press pause on the moment, to drink in every detail and preserve it eternally. So notable was his bravery, that he went outside himself to leave a generous mark on those who admired and loved him. He worked tirelessly until the end to push the Indigenous affairs agenda so dear to his heart. This was a man who wanted to leave a legacy; not for his own sake, but for the benefit of those left behind. Perhaps the glioblastoma added an element of urgency to the last several months; there was a need to compress the pace and trajectory of a life's mission.
"O' for a good life, we just might have to weaken; And find somewhere to go; Go somewhere we're needed; Find somewhere to grow; Grow somewhere were needed" (The Tragically Hip: It's a Good Life if You Don't Weaken).
Now picture my friend in the pub. Why did he go to Slovenia? He'd been several times before, so this wasn't a "bucket list" pursuit. He wasn't seeking something novel; he talked about visiting all his "old haunts." Is Ljubljana, then, a place where he found meaning, or at least was connected to by a strong feeling of nostalgia? I find nostalgia to be an interesting topic, perhaps because I'm a bit inclined that way. It is a therapeutic paradox; the yearning for something familiar but impossible, an un-scratchable itch that is itself more satisfying than if the itch was actually scratched. I believe my identity is rooted in such things. We saw Gord's identity defined publicly in the people places, and things that adorned the last months of his life. In this fellow's more private journey, I really don't know the rest of the story other than Ljubljana was one of those places for him. While the impression that Gord left behind is undeniable, somehow more personally profound is this odd interfacing with a stranger in a basement pub in Ljubljana. So regardless of whatever legacy this person will ultimately leave behind in the circles he travelled, I thought I owed him a few words as tribute. Whether or not he set out to make the last days, months, or years of his life count for others, he did manage to do something profound in my life. He's not someone I'll ever forget; each time I think about my surreal few days in Slovenia, I'll be reminded of these meandering thoughts of nostalgia and goodbyes, whether my struggle be near or far.
Here's a video of my trip, full of nostalgia:
I don't think I've been to a sizeable European city with as much appeal as Ljubljana. The beautiful cobblestone streets, bright coloured architecture, cozy cafes and restaurants, and interesting shops in the shadow of a castle, under 22 degrees of sunshine and falling autumn leaves... I'm starting to swoon here.
I navigated successfully to the Europcar return, then stepped across the street into my hostel. After cleaning up, I went for a walkabout.
As sunset approached, I went up to the Neboticnik cafe and sat down for a pint of terrific local craft IPA. I snapped up a high bar table in the corner the moment a pair vacated it, and waited for my moment. Suddenly the sky erupted in pink, for mere moments, and after a flourish it was gone. But I have proof:
With my victory images in hand, I toasted the images with another pint and weaved my way down the charming streets on an empty stomach to find a restaurant. I got replenished with a nice traditional sausage meal and a truly awful ale, then headed back to the still-empty hostel to get squared away.
I wandered around the corner to an Irish pub for a final pint and to watch the Real Madrid v. Tottenham match. It was while chatting with a very slim young American at the bar that I stepped into quite a bear trap. Somehow he dropped the comment that he couldn't eat solid food. But I saw him drinking a beer. So I took the bait. It turns out he was on a trail of tears, visiting one of his favourite cities, before whatever condition he was suffering from ultimately took his life.
I have some more thoughts on this interaction, which perhaps I'll flesh out when I get a bit more time. So in an effort to post this quickly and head out to dinner, I'll put that on hold (as well as my thoughts on traveling Liverpool supporters).
I set my alarm early, hoping to catch the sunrise from atop the walls bordering the old town of Piran. Little did I know, they didn't open the gate until 08:00. And worse yet, the fog was thick. So I returned to the hotel for breakfast, which was lovely. I returned to my room to process some photos, and after a spell I looked out the window to see clearing conditions. So I raced back up the hill, only to be disappointed once again by the return of the fog. Down I went. This time, I found some good perspectives along the harbour and shoreline. Then I had second breakfast and tea. Finally, it did clear enough, so up I went to the walls. The girl remembered me from earlier, and let me in again without making me pay the 2 Euros. What a fabulous spot to take in the view of the sea. These types of views are such a novelty for me, I hated to leave. But, I had miles to make for Ljubljana.
It was ambitious, but it worked out better than planned.
I made quick time to the border via the tollway from Bled. I stopped briefly along the way for groceries (ie. breakfast on the go), and then again at Koper in order to check my bearings on Google Maps on my phone. Thanks, McDonald's, for the use of your bathroom.
The border crossing was quick. No questions were asked by agents for either country. I took the beautiful windy roads through northern Croatia to find a hilltop town called Motovun. I'd heard it was one of the nicest examples in Istria. The drive itself was thrilling as the road snaked up and over the hills. At the bottom of the hill approaching the town, you can pay for parking and drive up to one of the nearer parking lots outside the city walls. They take only local currency here; no credit cards.
The town was lovely and the streets were lined with shops. It had a slight tourist trap feel to it, but not extremely tacky. As the weather warmed up to around 25 degrees and I realized I was in no hurry to get anywhere else, I slowed my pace.
After a late lunch at the car, I headed onward to Rovinj. The drive was short but I grew quite tired. I pulled into a pay-for-parking lot with the old town in view, rolled the windows down, and smelled the amazing sea air. This is not a smell I'm accustomed to, and it screams 'vacation!'
I gathered some energy and searched some online forums (thank goodness for mobile technology), striking upon a free parking lot within walking distance to the old town, and moved the car there with the help of Google Maps (distracted driving - guilty).
This seaside city was bustling with people enjoying the many cafes and restaurants that bordered the harbour. It was a hot day, but waves of fog blew over the city and created some wonderful photo moments even before magic hour began. As I was watching the tower seemingly rippling with fire as it cut the fast-moving fog, a woman commented that she had visited Rovinj for 20 years and never seen such a thing. As darkness made its slow approach, I waited and waited until the right moment to take my final images, drinking in the view while fishermen tried their luck from the dock. Each passing moment would delay my return to Piran, but I told myself, "I'll only be here once, see it through!"
I made a fairly direct and easy return to Slovenia via the tollway and arrived quite tired to Hotel Piran, though very happy with the extent of my day's adventure to Croatia.
Exiting the airport in Slovenia was a surreal experience. Widespread fog was lifting, revealing lush greens and autumn yellows and reds on the hills. My first stop was to see Kamnik, near to the airport, and by all reports a pretty town. It didn't disappoint. I took in the view from the top of the hill, and then sat down to some homemade gnocchi and smoked salmon.
One of the first things I noticed on this sunny Sunday morning, was the number of people riding bikes. And not those urban bicycles you see everywhere in Holland, but proper road bikes, and people logging some serious km's. Another observation is that if the speed limit is 60 and you aren't going at least 80, you're holding up traffic. Which is difficult when you're also trying to navigate!
I then headed for the city of Skofja Loka to locate a couple viewpoints I'd tagged on Google Street View. Success! I was slightly unsure of my parking choices here but given that it was Sunday I thought perhaps things weren't enforced.
The Capuchin Bridge was built in the 14th century and leads from the monastery that bears its name. In the calm, sunny conditions I tried shooting some photos with an infrared filter. In the image that follows, I layered it with another identical image taken without the filter, and blended the colour into the infrared layer.
It was after Skofja Loka that my drive really got interesting. The roads twisted and turned up the mountains with one hair-raising hairpin after the next. It was simply stunning with the autumn colours as I passed Jamnik (the panorama) and Kropa en route to Bled.
I found my B&B (Rooms Jerman - recommended!) at 17:00. After a hurried check-in, I dashed for the vantage point overlooking Lake Bled, hoping to catch the sunset. It was more of a legitimate hike than I expected, though relatively short. At the top, I met two boys covered head to toe in mud and walking barefoot. Their parents explained that it was good for their growing feet to develop strength and touch, able to feel the earth as they walk. I couldn't agree more! Before we all began our hike down in the dark, we took this picture:
I paused on the lakeshore for another photo, then sat in the first restaurant I came across for supper, around 20:00. I retired to the B&B to deal with the plethora of images I'd taken from the day.
The next morning, I made a rather hasty farewell from Bled because I wanted to spend the day in the Istrian region of Croatia. I took these photos on the way out of Bled:
It was one of those days that started like most others, but had a very different conclusion.
I worked most of the day, wrapping up at 4:00 or so in order to drive to Calgary and catch a direct flight to London. The QE2 was shut down for an accident around Crossfield, and the radio told of power outages at the International Terminal at YYC, but by the time arrived at both sites, the delays had been fortunately dealt with. Having time to spare, I decompressed with a pumpkin chai latte in the shiny and vacant departure lounge as my 9:45 boarding time approached.
Despite being at the very back of the bus, I have to commend British Airways for pleasant service, standard food offerings, and better than average entertainment selections. Being next to the washrooms and galley resulted in only a couple hours of sleep, and the very long queue at border control was not particularly welcome. I grabbed a bite at the convenience store on the other side of security, and navigated easily to the Underground station. A lengthy commute on the Picadilly Line followed, switching at Green Park and arriving at London Bridge Station. I found myself at The Shard with 45 minutes to spare before my entry time, and after a bit of wandering found myself at this lovely market:
Finding a couple fresh items to snack on, I returned to The Shard and waited for an eternity for blue hour, since the overcast skies did not break up enough to enjoy a sunset.
It was a lovely view, but pricey and very, very busy on a Saturday evening. With my backpack and travel attire, I felt like a hobo compared to some of the well-dressed patrons enjoying cocktails.
I then walked across Tower Bridge, capturing these photos, before hiking all the way to Blackfriars Station.
By this time, it was after 20:00 and I was starving. I found a nice little Mexican restaurant near to the station, and had my first proper meal since Friday lunch.
I caught the train to Luton, on to the shuttle, and finally to the Holiday Inn Express at 22:00. Here I sit in the departure lounge at Luton after a 4:00 wake-up, thankful I upgraded to priority boarding and emergency row seats for my upcoming 2 hour flight.
Incredible weather for camping with the family in Waterton Lakes National Park for the Canada Day weekend. Some photos from the trip:
We didn't have time for a morning river cruise, so we walked around the city a bit before heading for the train station. We will certainly return on a stopover in the future, so we didn't feel bad about cutting short our time in Amsterdam, especially in favor of the wonderful day we had in Haarlem.
Weary of crowds and pace, we took the short train ride to a small city neighboring Amsterdam for a beautiful afternoon of walking, shopping, and dining.
We began the day at sunrise at the Trocadero, hoping to do some self-portraits with the tripod, to moderate success. I didn't post those photos here. We then walked a lot, north of the river ending at Montmartre and Sacre Couer for a picnic lunch on the sunny south-facing slope. The day concluded at the Luxembourg Gardens for (almost) sunset before the guards kicked everyone out at the stroke of 8:00. We headed right back to the apartment, hoping for an early night before our morning departure for Amsterdam.
We walked the Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe in the morning, visited Notre Dame, and watched night fall from the Trocadero.
On Sunday, we went to this beautiful museum, set in an old train station. However, the line was so long when we first arrived, we actually went walking to the Arc de Triomphe instead. We returned later to the museum, hoping for a shorter line but, not finding one, realized the first Sunday of the month was free admission!
The day finished with a walk along the Seine at sunset...
... but the day began with the Louvre!
We started the trip off in style with a free quasi-upgrade to business class legroom seats. The flight was uneventful to Paris, and we easily found our apartment and checked in. Our day concluded with a world class sunset atop the Tour Montparnasse.
I had an early exam time Sunday morning, after which I drove with Nick to Oslo for the rest of the morning. We walked around the center of the city and, with our eyes often looking up at the nice architecture, found ourselves stepping in puddles left and right. Here are some iPhone shots from the morning:
I had another great day at my course, but had to sneak out at lunch and during the afternoon break for a little walk to see the sunshine. Here are my photos:
What followed was a fun little adventure to Sarpsborg. I had a care package to deliver to a friend's relative in that city. Thanks to Google Maps on my smartphone, I made it to Sondre's house where he lives with his family. It was a beautiful home, decorated like a Christmas dollhouse. We chatted over delicious pastry and coffee before going on a tour of the family's bakery, which first opened in 1930! I learned a lot about the process and their hospitality was much appreciated.
I made it back before too late. Here is a picture of the church next to the Moss Hotel.
I was busy with my course all day, but snapped a couple pictures during an afternoon break.
I picked up some food for supper at a local grocery store, ate in my hotel room, and went out for a walk in the increasing drizzle.
After the course wrapped on Tuesday, I flew to Munich on a very comfortable Lufthansa flight. I had a good sleep and the time passed quickly. Here was my supper in the Munich airport, at what my body thought should have been breakfast time.
I then arrived in Oslo after a short flight, picked up my rental car, and successfully navigated in the dark rain to my hotel in Moss, about 1.5 hours with detours.
After our course Monday night, Amanda and I went down to the Bay Bridge to watch the "super-moon" rise.
Afterwards, we went up to Noe Valley to have a nice dinner in a restaurant called Firefly. It did not disappoint.
I had only half of Sunday to get out and see some of the city. I forgot how much it smelled of urine. But there were also some lovely sights as I wandered the streets between Mission and Castro, south of Market. At one point, a large anti-Trump demonstration marched by.
After tiring of walking around, I got a Uber ride to Marshall's Beach, where I watched the sunset over the Pacific and the lights of the Golden Gate Bridge.
The return to the airport hotel was long via public transit, but in all it was a successful day touring the city.
Late August in Tombstone Territorial Park has long been a bucket-list trip of mine, and it certainly did not disappoint when Alana, Dad and I went on a 3-day woodland caribou hunting trip. The ripe berries and yellowing tundra made for beautiful hiking, and encounters with caribou, Dall's sheep, and moose only added to the experience. Here is the eye candy:
I couldn't pass up one more time at the lookout on the Parador hill at sunrise. It wasn't anything special photographically, but the memory is worth it.
We had a smooth start to the train station in Toledo after dropping off the car at the Europcar office. The train was pleasant and soon arrived in the heart of Madrid. We navigated to our hotel and made a plan to see the city on foot.
And here are some photos with the big camera:
Here is a video with some clips from the trip:
We bid a reluctant farewell to Alicante after a lively Saturday night. When I went out to watch the sunrise, the young people looked to be just returning out of the clubs and the street sweepers were just wrapping up a herculean clean-up effort.
The drive to Toledo meant 3.5 hours on the Autovia through wine country. There were innumerable abandoned farmhouses which we hypothesized had lost their occupancy through the consolidation of farmland into wealthy hands.
Toledo: What is there to say? The place is a marvel. We stayed at the Parador with a commanding view of the city, and had an exemplary meal at Restaurante Alfiterios 24 inside the old city.
We got a late start from Granada after returning to the car park from the palace. The scenery was quite nice as we passed through land reminiscent of a spaghetti western. There were some beautiful rock formations in the mountains, and in one region we spotted some old dwellings carved right into the rocks. Unfortunately, it seemed to take forever because we were so tired. At one point, we pulled over for a power nap when I could no longer keep my eyes open.
We were nearing the end of our rope as we arrived in Alicante. After squeezing into a parking garage, we located our apartment along a pedestrian street. Paloma met us at the Beach and Urban Attic which was truly beyond our expectations. It was clean, spacious, and modern, with a large terrace. We found a friendly and bustling pub called Tribeca just down the street that was very celiac-friendly; a gluten-free burger and beer was just what the doctor ordered for Erin. Barcelona was playing Atletico Madrid, drawing a captive audience.
Alicante has a bit of everything: shopping, cuisine, nightlife, markets, and a great beach. It was a bit more cosmopolitan and lacked the white-washed appearance of the Andalusian towns we'd become accustomed to. The weather was great; 23 degrees and sunny.
I did it! I got in line for the few tickets that were to be released the same day for the tour of the Generalife gardens and the Nasrid Palaces. And let me tell you, 6:45 am was none too soon. It was down to the wire -- quite tense actually -- as I watched the number of available tickets diminish to single digits before I got to the wicket at 8:20. My only advice for others would be to take a taxi and arrive at 6:30. One would think that two hours of waiting in the dark/cold in a queue would be a waste of time. This is not the case with the Alhambra Palace. However, booking in advance would certainly spare you some leg fatigue.
Leaving the Generalife gardens and exploring the rest of the palace grounds:
Before we had our scheduled tour of the Nasrid Palaces, we had the most exceptional lunch at El Trasgu, recommended for their gluten free accommodation, and they did not disappoint. It was the best meal we had thus far.
Next came our tour through the Nasrid Palaces, which were superlative.
So after this long, warm day got started, we struck off towards Alicante.
We had a final breakfast at Casa Mercedes in Nerja, enjoying fresh fruit, meats, cheeses, and coffee. We discovered a fruit called medlar, which is grown very few places in the world, and characteristic of the region.
We then drove directly to Granada. The freeway ascended next to the high Sierra Nevada range, home to Las Alpujarras UNESCO heritage site. En route, Erin read this fascinating article about vegetable and fruit production in the Almeria region. Yes, I'm serious -- it's worth a read.
Finding our hotel easily thanks to the greatness of Google Maps and cheap data, we were lucky to be checked in early, before noon, and we took off on foot. I think we walked every street in the city! I found it interesting that very few people in Granada spoke English compared to Nerja. This led to an entertaining Tapas experience for lunch, where the chef, waiter, and owner bent over backwards to provide Erin a satisfactory "sin gluten" meal. I'm happy to say they were successful. I put a Canadian quarter on the tray with the rest of their tip, resulting in some excitement on their part.
We voluntarily subjected ourselves to the Bib Rambla market district, full of Moroccan merchandise, typically made in Nepal.
Here we are climbing through El Albaicin up to the Mirador San Nicolas.
This is the fabulous view from the top:
And a few more photos as night fell on the city:
After lunch, we went to tour the Nerja Caves, not far from town. The caverns were immense and we walked through at our own pace with a self-guided tour app we downloaded.
Then it was up the mountain a little ways to Frigiliana. I had found a couple spots on Google Streetview that I thought looked quite photogenic, and the roads were quite literally goat trails in a couple places.
We decided to head to Nerja for supper, then return to Frigiliana to photograph the sunset from a viewpoint we had discovered just beyond the town, up the hill. The sunset didn't materialize, so we waited for night to fall on the town. It was a nice end to our second day.
While Erin was sleeping, I went back to the Balcony of Europe to catch the sunrise. It turned out to be a great one, well worth the effort. The colors were so overpowering I had to reduce the saturation in parts of the first image. After a terrific breakfast at the hostel on a sunny terrace, we struck off to explore the town by foot. We stopped in some nice shops and I finally found a suitable hat to replace the one I'd lost on the plane. Erin bought a scarf for 5E and I found a very nice leather wallet for 15E. The morning was capped by a light lunch with the most delicious sangria at La Fuente and a chat with a few nice British people along the way.
Our Westjet flight left on time at 10:00 to Toronto, and other than forgetting my favorite hat on the airplane, our connection went smoothly to our overnight flight to Paris. The descent to Paris was lovely, as the dawn was breaking over the English Channel and the fog was lifting around the city. I had a great view of the Eiffel Tower from the plane.
The airport in Paris is huge. We were bused from the airplane to the terminal, where we waited at a bustling and newly constructed terminal gate for the final segment to Malaga. It was on this flight we finally slept for a couple hours:
We had no trouble navigating the lovely airport in Malaga, and had a local SIM card loaded and activated in no time. To Erin's surprise, our bags arrived and we were on our way to the car rental counter. After a fairly aggressive attempt to up-sell us at the EuropeCar counter and some difficulty finding our old Peugeot wagon in the parking garage, we documented all the various dings and scratches with photos and struck out.
Always the biggest shock of arriving at a new country is the moment you find yourself thrust into the local traffic. Our SIM card cost 15E and allotted us 1.5GB of data with 60 minutes of calling, so we felt much more confident navigating by the "little blue dot" on Google Maps. Here we are climbing east on the A-7 from Malaga:
We checked out the promenade in Nerja for a few minutes while waiting for our check-in time at Hostal Casa Mercedes. We were greeted promptly at 5:00 and whisked up to a beautiful room overlooking the city and the sea. After a much-needed shower, we headed out for supper (or what our bodies were telling us was breakfast). We found La Fuente, a friendly restaurant that was extremely celiac-friendly, much to Erin's excitement. The owner's wife is celiac, so they have all the proper precautions and more options that you could imagine, including gluten free beer, pizza, and pasta. The meal cost 42E for 2 beers, appetizers, and entrees.
A bit of a storm starting blowing in as we finished supper. We quickly took a photo from the Balcony of Europe and headed back to our room for the night.
Anytime you leave for a holiday, you're prepared for some inclement weather. But you kind of expect to have an afternoon here, a morning there, where the rain holds off or the low clouds lift. Such was not the case this time. This August, we had a week of +3 degrees, rain, snow, and a low ceiling without relent. When we drove to Haines Junction I had to assure Erin that not only were there mountains around us, but they were some of the most large and majestic mountains in the country. The northern lights activity was very high, and we had the most picturesque view of Cowley Lake from the yurt, but the low clouds never parted; the autumn colors were brilliant but we couldn't see the mountains; I had six days to arrange a flight-seeing tour for Erin in Kluane National Park, but the plane didn't fly once. So we spent a fair bit of time in Alana and Jonas' apartment, enjoying time with them, and concluding that we'll need to return sooner than later.
This is the highest the clouds lifted for an entire week, and fortunately allowed me one photo I'm quite happy with, taken just below our yurt. Can you imagine the northern lights?? So can I...
One afternoon, we visited the hot springs and did a tour of the wildlife preserve. The rain held off but it was cold and windy.
On the final day, the best weather forecast seemed to be in Skagway, so off we went. It turned out to be a good decision, as we had a relatively nice day on the American side of the White Pass. Back in Canada, the inclement weather continued -- at least until we had returned to Alberta. Apparently, the next few days were spectacular around Whitehorse!
After a few emails back and forth between Clayton and me, we had settled on a backpacking destination for the long weekend which ultimately got derailed late Friday night when I learned the trail had been closed for high bear activity. Now past 11:30pm and sitting outside a gas station in Wetaskiwin, I woke him up with a phone call to inform him of the news and to try to come up with a back-up plan (which, of course, we should have done in the first place, in addition to checking the Parks trail bulletins).
Lake of the Falls was one of my first significant backpacking destinations several years ago, and having been quite a while since Clayton had been there, it immediately held some promise. Being outside the Parks, it would require a minimum of planning and fit the three-day itinerary. We chose the difficult ascent route up Wildhorse Creek and over the col to Landslide Lake for scenery, simplicity, and novelty.
Day one was long. We gained 1000 m over the first 5 km before descending sharply to Landslide Lake. It's a long walk from the upper meadows past the lake, and then a short 2.8 km through the forest to the junction with Entry Creek. New since our last visit was a couple kilometers of re-routed flagged/cairned trail zigzagging through rocks and fallen trees since the floods a couple years ago. It was easy to navigate and there were no major obstacles. We then gained about 650 m up to Lake of the Falls, completing a 12 hour day over 22 km. I was happy with how my legs held up on my first hike since last year at the same time. There were only 4 other camps at Lake of the Falls; Landslide Lake, by comparison, seemed quite busy. A few folks had pitched camp around the fork along Entry Creek. The camping area at the far end of the Lake of the Falls is preferable for hikers and photographers; it is very well laid out with a green throne, flat tent sites, and fresh running water down the hill. The areas along the lake are handy for fishermen, which seemed to be the majority on this trip.
Here are some pictures from the first day:
Day two was more relaxing. We poked around in the morning, taking some photos, and then moved camp to the meadows above Landslide Lake. We found an excellent spot on a bench at treeline, with good visibility and clear water below. We had a great evening as the smoky sky turned orange for sunset, and retired for another peaceful evening in the backcountry. There seemed to be a lot of campers at the lake, and it was nice to have the solitude and views from the meadows. Here are some photos from the second day:
The ascent to the col the next morning was quite straightforward, and we detoured slightly up the small peak for a different view of the area. We soon learned that 1000 m straight down is almost as unpleasant as 1000 m straight up. Regardless, we arrived at the vehicles in good time, but with sore feet. For a hastily planned trip, it turned out very well; the weather was fantastic, the scenery as good as I recalled, and the company was good as always. I only took one photo on the last day, but linked together some videos from the weekend at the end:
This was officially a trend. Early starts. We checked out of Le Port-Royal (which we absolutely loved for its amenities, location, and cleanliness), and walked to the Via Rail station with our luggage. This station was beautiful, designed by the same architect responsible for the Chateau Frontenac. The staff were very helpful to a family toting too much luggage and a baby, and we were soon seated in the priority boarding area. I got chastised for trying to take a picture inside the building. After some clarification, I deduced that I was allowed to take a photo if I was in it, but not just a regular picture. That kind of pissed me off, because I saw plenty of other people with their phones out. There must be something about a DSLR that makes grouchy security ladies grouchier. Here are a couple iPhone grabs:
The train was spacious and comfortable with reasonable wifi; we enjoyed our train journey to Montreal with just a few short stops en route.
Upon arrival, we got oriented and began walking towards McGill and our hotel for the night. It was a bit of an adventure navigating crowded streets with lots of luggage and a stroller. How anyone with a wheelchair can go in or out of any building in Quebec City or Montreal is a mystery to me, as ramps don't seem to exist.
Fortunately we were able to check in early, and had a power nap and lunch before heading down to Old Montreal. We walked around for a while before sitting in the park a while to enjoy the sunshine. We scouted out a location to return for sunset, near the clock tower, and then settled on dinner at The Keg on Rue Saint Paul.
After dinner, we walked back to Le Vieux Port and anchored down for sunset.
It was a great spot, and we wondered what a helicopter was doing hovering over downtown for well over an hour. We wondered if it was getting aerial footage of the Bell Centre where the Canadiens were facing off against the Lightning, but it turned out to be a May Day demonstration and police kettle. A couple worked-up demonstrators warned us to avoid the area where they, with flags, signs, and gas masks, were taking it to the "capitalist bastards." We had no idea what May Day meant, and they were surprised by our puzzled looks. We got the insinuation that we looked more like capitalist overlords than disenfranchised workers from them as they crossed the street, but nevertheless they were quite concerned that we keep our bourgeois baby clear of the fray. Anyway, it was quite a scene from our vantage point a block away.
On the way back, we walked past Notre Dame:
For just one half-day in Montreal with a baby, I think we did it pretty well!
My alarm went off at 5:00 am so I could try to catch a sunrise and somehow overcome the drab spring appearance of this beautiful city. The sunrise wasn't much, but I got these photos:
Then up the hill, to the statue of Samuel de Champlain.
And back down the hill again...
After breakfast, we packed a picnic lunch and struck off to Le Petit Champlain for an espresso before walking up the hill and peeking inside the Chateau.
We then walked around a bit and found a clothes store to do some damage in.
We proceeded to the Citadel for our picnic lunch, followed by a guided tour.
We looped north and stopped at a grocery store for supplies. We didn't get the kangaroo.
Thinking a dinner out might push our luck with the infant, Erin made a delicious meal in our hotel kitchen:
As evening approached, I had one last chance for a sunset, and the sky looked good. From the viewpoint below the citadel, I set up the tripod in a very brisk and cold wind. I wanted to have both the colour in the sky and the city lights in the foreground. To accomplish this, I would need two exposures taken quite some time apart. I anchored the tripod as securely as possible to the concrete wall, attaching my bag underneath for extra weight. When I pressed the shutter, I would straddle the wall and crouch around the camera to block the wind. I was absolutely frozen, but next to me was a guy without a jacket, playing dice all by himself on a park bench. I'm not sure he was fully human. The first photo is a shot of robot dice-solo's bench, and the second photo is a combination of two photos taken 1 hour apart.
It was a cool, breezy grey day as we walked up, down, up, and down again through Quebec City. We enjoyed the sights but wished that spring had arrived on time this year!
We walked through the market at the old port, picking up some nougat and licorice.
Then to find our Christmas decorations for 2015:
Walking around Le Petit Champlain
And to Chez Ashton for some poutine!
I went back out as the sun was setting to see if I could get any decent photos. A few turned out okay:
On the second day of my course, I took the Queen's Quay streetcar to Union Station, reaching Yorkdale Mall in about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, Erin checked out of the condo and took the short walk with Lara to the Billy Bishop airport ferry. Apparently everything went smoothly for them, and it was a beautiful day to be on the island.
From my course from near Yorkdale Mall, I used Uber for the first time. I give it a strong endorsement! The app is great, and the driver arrived promptly in a nice vehicle that didn't smell like a taxi. Salim was very nice and dropped me off right at Terminal 1 in record time. The whole trip cost me $0.07 due to my $20 first-time user coupon.
I breezed through security and soon found myself having a bite to eat, sipping a Mill Street seasonal ale, and listening to The Tragically Hip pound over the restaurant speakers. How very Ontario-ey!
Guillaume was kind enough to pick me up from the airport despite working a very long day and feeling under the weather. His sister Marie had picked Erin up earlier, which was very helpful. He oriented me to the city and dropped me off at l'Hotel Port Royale, which turned out to be an excellent choice for both location, space, and amenities.
As the day was winding down, I went for a little walk and took these photos:
Our time here was short, but enjoyable. The setting sun was glowing in the west-facing windows of the downtown office buildings. Here are a couple unique pictures!
We arrived yesterday after a long travel day, beginning with an April snowstorm on our drive to the airport. Clara, at 7 months, was an angel on the plane and just as terrific as we negotiated the bus to Kipling station, then train and streetcar to our Lake Shore destination. In all, the public transit probably took over 2 hours as we humped luggage and stroller through the crowds. Lara was kind enough to meet us on Fleet Street as we exited the streetcar, and we met up with Uncle Steve, Aunt Deb later on for a nice visit. We all ate at "Fresh" on Queen West. It was a nice meal. Fresh, indeed:
We had a nice sleep but I woke early to catch the sunrise. What a great start to the trip!
What to do with one full free day in Toronto? The weather was just nice enough for a long, long walk. These pictures were all taken with my iPhone.
From Dan Leckie and Lake Shore, we cut across Fort York Blvd, crossing Spedina, towards the Rogers Centre, where a Blue Jays game was about to start. It was tempting, but not with a baby.
Continuing north along Blue Jays Way, we passed a memorial to the Chinese railway workers, then Wayne Gretzsky's restaurant en route to King Street.
I spotted The Second City along Mercer St. Then a left and a walk north along John Street to Grange Park and the Art Gallery of Ontario.
We stopped so Erin could nurse the baby in a relatively cool spring wind. The next leg of our journey took us up to Dundas and back west to Spedina. This is Chinatown. We then went a bit north to reach St. Andrew Street into the Kensington Market area.
We walked around Kensington Market for quite a while, and stopped for an excellent coffee at Jimmy's Coffee. I got called "cute" a lot by passing women. Or maybe they were talking about Clara, rocking her baby sunglasses.
An awesome lunch followed at The Kensington Cornerstone, an all-gluten free restaurant featuring a wide selection of GF beer.
Too soon?
Redundant??
Recharged, we walked north to College Street, then west for quite some distance, through Little Italy (perhaps a little less impressive) to Crawford.
Turning south down Crawford, we enjoyed the pretty houses en route to Trinity Bellwoods Park and cut through to Queen Street West.
Erin did some shopping along Queen Street West, as we made our way back to Bathurst, then south to Lake Shore, completing a long but enjoyable circuit though some lovely neighborhoods.
I came to the conclusion that, in contrast to Edmonton's assholes and Vancouver's asocials, the people of Toronto are very friendly. Lara had tried to explain this to me, but I kind of get it, after just a day here. We had lots of great conversations and found everyone very approachable.
As the day ended, I went down to Ireland Park to catch the sunset. Here are the results:
I really like this one. It's like the Canadian version of "Coming to America."
Finding myself with no plans on this warm and sunny October evening, I took the Sky Train from Richmond to the Olympic Village Station, hopped onto the first bus I saw, and got off at Granville Street. I had taken a couple nice shots last time I was in Vancouver from the Burrard Bridge and Vanier Park, and thought I'd catch sunset from a slightly different vantage this time. Here are the results:
I couldn't pass up the ironic placement of this sign:
Afterwards, I retired to White Spot to have dinner and a couple pints while watching the Oilers' season opening disappointment. Another great evening in Vancouver!
Ever since I day hiked to Cataract Pass in 2010, I've been itching to return and visit points beyond -- specifically the evocatively named Valley of the Lakes in the White Goat Wilderness. Fortunately, Clayton also had the weekend free and agreed to join me on short notice. Even the forecast was looking great, with temperatures in the low 20's under mostly sunny skies.
We both arrived late Thursday night at the Nigel Creek trailhead and slept in our trucks. It was an enjoyable morning of catching up on life events as we meandered up to Nigel Pass. We stopped for a snack before heading up the upper Brazeau valley. It was as remarkable as I recalled, and we made very slow progress while taking lots of photos and marveling at the colorful and erratic scenery.
The horseflies escorted me up to the base of Cataract Pass, despite my insisting otherwise, where we stopped for lunch. The trail was better worn than what a recall from a few years ago. It stays to the left of the valley and our feet stayed dry the entire time. The pass itself was a relatively short climb from the head of the valley, while the descent into Cataract Meadows was much longer, though not any more steep. At the bottom of the pass, we found some bright patches of wildflowers. We also took some time here to scope out a route up the ridge across the valley.
Here we encountered another couple of hikers who were quite familiar with the area, so we stopped to chat for a bit. While the best camp spots turned out to be within a few hundred meters downstream of the base of the pass, we continued across the hummocky meadows to make camp closer to Saturday's intended destination. It turned out to be a nice spot at the edge of treeline next to a creek. Sunset was unremarkable under clear skies, so while I took a lot of photos, none made the cut. However, I've resolved to take a few more self-portraits, so here I am in my glory:
The next morning, I took a few photos by a little reflecting pool near our camp:
After a quick breakfast, we headed towards a small valley to our east, before reaching Cline Pass. The "conventional" route into the rarely-visited Valley of the Lakes takes you over a steep ridge just beyond Cline Pass, but we liked the looks of a higher, flat ridge further to the southeast. Initially we had planned to cross the moraine and ascend a natural ramp to the lowest point on the ridge. However, from below and after traversing a dark grey boulder field, we saw a decent route heading straight up a tan-colored fall line. We aimed for some rocky outcroppings, switching up towards a prominent "stack," and occasionally using our hands on the loose medium-sized scree.
From this point, it was just a short ascent beyond some larger rocks until the grade eased. The rest of the way was easy walking, and we took advantage of a long snow field to aid our ascent. We aimed for the peak at the end of the ridge and took in a terrific view from the summit.
We carried along the ridge, walking slightly downhill, just feet away from the steep edge. There wasn't even a hint of a trail along the crest, which is unusual for a ridge-walk. Clayton's keen eye spotted a goat with a kid at the far end of the ridge. I wasn't carrying a telephoto lens so I didn't get any shots. Each of the multiple small lakes in the valley glistened a different color, and the mountains on the far side took on a really purple hue, particularly through a polarizing filter. I was surprised when I processed my photos, as it looked almost unrealistic. One of my favorite aspects of this trip is looking at the layers and veins of different colored rock: grey, tan, salmon, red, and apparently even purple.
We descended the slope at the end of the valley, went straight down the moraine, and were about to return to camp when we decided to detour to Cline Pass. Here I found a really neat natural cobblestone pattern just south of the tarns.
We iced our feet in the stream and napped on the rocks until suppertime, then turning in quite early as the skies clouded up. At one point in the night, the wind became quite strong, but we received only a little rain overnight and woke to dry tents.
Sunrise was better on Sunday morning, tinted a bit by the smoke from nearby forest fires.
We packed up and crossed the meadows in the morning light, noting how the west side of the meadows received the sun at least an hour before our campsite on the east side, pictured above. We hiked up the prominent hill in the center of the meadows to get a perspective on a small green tarn Clayton had spotted from atop the ridge the day before. This is a panorama from that promontory:
After that, it was a bit of a long, tedious hike up Cataract Pass, and then a relatively uneventful exit, other than me blowing out the sole on one of my boots. The section from Nigel Pass to the trailhead seemed so much longer this direction but, with thunderstorms brewing behind us, we made it back to the trucks in good weather.
Here's a little video retrospective:
In conclusion, don't do this trip. It will be thoroughly miserable and not worth your time or effort. In fact, when you finish this sentence, you will forget you ever read this trip report.
Saturday, May 31
It wasn't a pleasant morning in more ways than one. Everything seemed disorganized as we drove in circles trying to fill the tank with diesel and find places to empty the grey water and sewer. Our motorhome banged and clanged around the traffic circles and over the speed bumps, and I recall muttering under my breath a lot as I shifted furiously. We found Touring Cars again and Erin packed meals for later while I tried to load the suitcases. The clock was ticking as we finished cleaning out the motorhome, but at the end of the day, they decided we didn't damage it at all and refunded our 600 E deposit. They were surprised to see we had put on more than 2000 km in just a week, but being from Western Canada it didn't seem like a lot to us. Back to the airport, just a little later than intended, but early enough. It had been an awesome trip but we were eager to get home.
Our trip went about as well as we could imagine; the weather was variable, and that is the way it is with Iceland. However, we certainly hadn't expected high temperatures of 15 degrees on a couple days, so that was a pleasant surprise. We had packed our sleeping bags and pillows with an extra blanket for use in the motorhome. It turned out to be warmer than expected at night, so we didn't need the blanket. In addition, we purchased a wool blanket as a souvenir in Vik (the best place we found to buy blankets). As far as kitchen supplies, Erin brought a collapsable colander, a couple paring knives and plastic cutting boards which saw a lot of use. We brought lots of Ziploc bags. We didn't find food exceedingly expensive in the grocery stores, and it was certainly cheaper than eating in restaurants. Their hotdogs were as good as advertised. Skyr, unfortunately, didn't live up to is reputation in my opinion.
Clothing: For bottoms, we packed synthetic base layers, quick-dry hiking pants, and rain pants. For tops, we wore regular shirts with a light thermal layer on top, a down jacket for a heavy thermal layer if necessary, and a Goretex waterproof shell. I always kept a thin pair of gloves and a buff in my pocket. We were perfectly comfortable in all weather.
Communication was quite easy. I bought a $20 Alterna nano-SIM card for my iPhone 5s at the duty-free shop upon arrival. A word of advice: bring a little safety pin with you to pop the SIM tray out. It was easy to replenish the card on the fly, simply by visiting the link sent by Alterna via SMS and adding money by credit card. Gas stations were always easy to find. I was unable to use my VISA chip card at the pump, while it worked inside at the till. I would purchase pre-paid 10,000 ISK cards that specifically are designed for the pumps, and can be used later if there is some left over. Late in the trip, I discovered that my Mastercard chip card worked fine at the pump. As far as our combined transportation and accommodation were concerned, our choice to use a motorhome turned out to be a great one, with the obvious restrictions of restricting the amount of gravel we could negotiate, and I would recommend this to anyone seeking to explore the country of fire and ice.
Here are some videos to wrap up the trip:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Friday, May 30
It appears I ended the last post too early. The wind became so strong that I moved the motorhome into town and parked in a sheltered nook behind a gas station. After a poor sleep, we made our way back towards Reykjavik. The drive was one of the least pleasant of the trip, as the wind was quite strong on this grey day. We stopped for a time in Borganes before carrying on. The highlight of the drive was a 6 km tunnel underneath the ocean. It was almost a bit of culture shock arriving in the city of Reykjavik after seeing such little traffic. Three things I hate about driving a motorhome with a manual transmission, and Reykjavik had them all: roundabouts, speedbumps, and wind.
We successfully found parking across from the conference centre and walked up a few streets into the shopping district. The street was quite long with a variety of shops, mostly overpriced and redundant. But it was fun nonetheless. We made sure to get another frappe at Te & Kaffi; Erin went with the usual caramel while I tried a spicy chilli mocha.
After a quick tour of the church and scouting out a swimming pool, we returned to the RV for a quick dinner. With an hour before closing, we pulled up to the swimming pool in a building that resembled a boarding school at best, and a prison at worst. But cleanliness is never an issue in Iceland, and they have a strict policy that I wish Canadian pools would adopt. You shower completely naked and aren't allowed to put on your swimsuit until afterwards. Upon exiting the pool, you strip down, shower, and dry off before returning to the lockers.
I went up to the viewing platform of the church again, with my camera this time, while Erin waited patiently.
We made our exit by way of the Pearl (revolving restaurant and fancy-pants building on a hill), and figured we'd spend the night at a campsite in Grindavik, close to our rental place. This didn't really work out, as the winds were the most severe of the entire trip, and right about the time we reached the Blue Lagoon, I decided to turn around and head for the safety of a Bonus parking lot. We camped there, only a stones throw away from Touring Cars.
Thursday, May 29
We woke up mid-morning, cooked some oatmeal, and walked to the centre of town. Not much was open, as it turned out to be the holiday “Ascension.” In search of wifi and a licorice frappe, we ended up in the Icelandic equivalent of a Chapters/Starbucks. The upload speed was too slow to get photos up on my website, so we just sat around for a bit, watching the street. A few stores opened up around noon, so we did some looking around before heading back to the vehicle. We really enjoyed the feel of Akureyri. After looking at the forecast, we realized the high mountains were holding the bad weather in the west at bay, and reluctantly bid farewell to the sunny city in the north.
Here are some photos taken with my iPhone.
Another high pass separated us from the west. At the summit, there were multiple snowmobile trailers and the terrain looked great for ski touring. Another long descent to Varmahlid reminded me of my fear of “the careen.” I don't know why I have the overwhelming fear of twitching and causing the tippy RV to sail through a turn, crashing and tumbling into a burning pile of steel and bone, but this feeling is certainly not helped by Iceland's apparent reluctance to put up guardrails.
We had a nap and lunch at a pull-out where a bunch of Norweigans killed each other back in the 12th century. I don't remember all the details, but we strolled around the battlefield imagining a bunch of Vikings bludgeoning each other to death.
We made two stops outside Blönduós; the first was to catch the storm clouds over the distant mountains as we entered the city, and the other was to photograph some Icelandic horses on the way out. They were very friendly, which makes me think they were accustomed to getting treats.
As I was driving and Erin was navigating, we developed a goofy habit of re-naming cities and towns so the other person would understand, rather than attempting to pronounce them properly. Hence our foray into the Snafflehound peninsula.
The rest of the drive was really rather boring after we'd seen such amazing sights over the last several days. A look at the forecast said that, while cloudy, very little rain or wind was expected overnight on the Snaefellsnes peninsula. The beauty of smartphones; I highly recommend getting a SIM card upon arrival in Iceland. Telus unlocked my iPhone 5 over the phone for only $35, and a $20 Alterna nano-SIM purchased at the duty-free shop lasted almost the whole week for checking emails, directions, references, and using Skype occasionally. Anyhow, we decided to drive out to the peninsula as the evening progressed, remembering what a fun experience it had been to drive through the night. We were surprised that no one else was taking advantage of the near-24 hour daylight and found the roads almost eerily deserted. All this made for a great feeling of adventure.
We pulled into Grundarfjörður sometime around midnight. The weather was really starting to blow in, so I darted up to a small waterfall Kirkjufell for the final photos of the night. We parked at a viewpoint over the bay for the night, as the pitter patter of rain eventually drowned out the chatter of the shorebirds.
Wednesday, May 28
We started our day with a stroll down a path of wet volcanic sand to Dettifoss, and then further to Selfoss. The sun was already warm by 9 am, and we were happy to be back to the RV by the time the tour buses arrived. We were really appreciating the convenience of the camper, which allowed us to stop whenever and wherever we liked. Few places seemed to have signs restricting overnight parking.
Back on the road, we soon encountered the Namafjall mud pots. This scene was a remarkably colorful but odorous, hissing landscape of sulphuric gases. We were able to wear only our t-shirts in the hot morning sun and save our outer layers from the stench.
We then headed up to Viti to see the crater and power station at Krafla, which still looked very much like a winterscape.
Over the pass to Myvatn, we soon found the road to the famous hot springs and took a lengthy break to soak in the bright turquoise pool. It was interesting because often your left leg could find a hot jet while your right settled in a cool spot. At $30 per person, it was still worth the money. We found some humor in watching the bus-load of noisy old Germans pile into the pool, and were slightly disturbed by a young couple a corner who we were quite certain were having sex.
Lake Myvatn is a bizarre volcanic landscape, perhaps more interesting than beautiful. The flies were bad next to the lake, which made filling with diesel a nasty experience. We talked about having dinner at the Cattle Shed (it is exactly what it sounds like), but their unfamiliarity with celiac disease and high prices had us moving on towards Akureyri by way of Godifoss:
Akureyri was a lovely town, and our favorite urban centre so far. We ate at Noa restaurant which came highly reviewed on TripAdvisor. It touted “local food, local beer, and local art,” and did not disappoint. We started off by being surprised sashimi, which the owner boasted was the best he had served. I couldn't refuse his offer, but sadly discovered that even the best sashimi is nearly unpalatable for my prairie tongue. Fortunately, the Viking beer I had was delicious and washed it down nicely. While Erin had the chef's salad, I tried the local meat and cheese platter. Not knowing what the meat was, I enjoyed what tasted like prosciutto, lamb, and venison. The dark, salty wilder meat was very good, and I asked the waiter afterwards. He said it was horse. Our main course was a shared pan of fresh cod fillet, and it was terrific.
It cost us almost $120 for this night out, but we enjoyed the local cuisine and personal service. Also, we had been making our own meals in our little RV kitchen and were ready for a break. We saw the parking lot behind the newly-opened Hof arts centre, next to the harbor, and pulled in for the night. The building was gorgeous in its design, cylindrical in shape, and the sides were reminiscent of the basalt columns seen throughout Iceland.
While Erin went to bed, I caught up on processing photos and ventured out to take some more. The bar scene seemed to be in full swing on this weeknight, and a few local boys wanted to be models for me. Icelanders like to party.
Tuesday, May 27
Our decision to stop early at Skaftafell and hope for the weather to clear turned out to be a good one. We poked our heads out the window to see partly clear skies for the first time in the trip. At 7:00 am we hit the trail to ensure we took advantage of the opportunity, and also knowing that we would have a long day of “catch-up” ahead of us. We hiked up to a viewpoint of a small tongue of the enormous Vatnajokull glacier, stopped for some photos, and then traversed across the alpine to Svartifoss. I had hoped to hike up to the summit of Kristinartindar, but the trail was closed beyond the viewpoint in order to protect the trail from erosion and braiding. One of the questions I'd had prior to the trip was whether the summit would be snowbound, but it looked easily attainable by late May.
Back at our RV by the time the rest of the tourists were starting up the trail, we filled up with more water and dumped the septic. We planned to dump the grey water, but apparently the valve had been open from the time we left Touring Cars. With all the rain, it was impossible to tell!
We arrived at Jökulsárlón and made lunch. I walked around a bit to take photos while Erin had a nap; the hike took a lot of gas out of a pregnant woman! I had expected this stop to be a bit overrated, as I've seen several glacier lakes in Canada. However, the sheer scale here was overwhelming.
Pulling out of Jökulsárlón, we picked up Andy who wanted to hitch-hike to Höfn to pick up groceries. We all agreed there seemed to be a shortage of grocery stores around Iceland. Conveniently, I discovered Icelanders have a thing for chocolate-covered licorice, and I made it my mission to try every variety.
Höfn was not particularly appealing, so after an hour's drive, poor Andy was going to try to catch a ride back the other direction. Again, it was windy and raining, but this was about to change.
Shortly after Höfn, we passed through a tunnel more than a kilometer long and emerged to a completely different scene. The mountains and glaciers in Iceland appear to shape the weather immensely, as the eastern Fjords were much warmer and sunnier, and with each bend of the road seemed to become more beautiful. We were beyond the typical tourist route along the south coast, and the drive was serene. At one point, Erin spotted some reindeer and I reversed into the nearest approach. I took some pictures but they were beyond the scope of my zoom, but we took advantage of the opportunity to have a quick Skype with Callum and my mom. Pulling out of the approach turned out to be pretty tense, as it was plenty steep and the gravel was loose. In addition, my angle was less than ideal. I had to get a pretty good run at it and spun some good-sized ruts on my successful exit.
The road snaked around the mountain, revealing a magnificent view. Knowing we had a long way to go, hoping to reach Mývatn by nightfall, we parked down by the ocean and I napped while Erin made supper.
Onward to Djúpivogur, we arrived shortly after 7:00 hoping to get diesel for the next leg. To our horror, the station had closed at 6:00. It was a pretty town but we were in no mood to stop. We had just over a quarter tank and Egilsstaðir might be just within range.
It was a good thing we pushed on, because the “major paved road” marked on the map turned into a gravel road around the fjord to the next town and took us quite a while to rattle around to Breiddalsvik.
Calculating the amount of fuel we used over this last distance, we thought it wouldn't be too dangerous to continue on to Egilsstaðir. Up the valley into the setting sun, the pots clanged and the drawers banged.
We reached the head of the valley and wondered where this “major” road went. “Up and over,” turned out to be the answer. I shifted quickly up the hairpins, cursing our RV for the first time in the trip. Much to our relief, we crested the pass and stopped for a final view behind us.
Here are a few videos taken out the window of the vehicle:
Onward, the road snaked down less steeply as it had ascended, making us thankful we chose this direction. It was a wintery landscape and would not have been a nice place to spend a night without fuel, but instead we cruised downhill happily knowing we had avoided that situation.
Pulling into Egilsstaðir, we were ecstatic to see the first gas station was open! We had made it within just a few minutes of 11:00, which is a late hour in Iceland. Looking at the setting sun ahead and being reinvigorated by our good fortune of safe passage and a full tank, we pushed onward into the night.
This turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip, driving the deserted highway over the high country with the midnight sun ahead. The temperature was more hospitable than the landscape appeared, and only dipped to around 3 degrees. Amazingly, I had 3G service throughout most of the journey despite it feeling like we were at the very end of the earth.
At long last, we pulled into the parking lot at Dettifoss and settled in for a sleep. Before doing so, I took these photos of the only sunset of the trip.
Monday, May 26
The day started with optimism, as the winds had calmed and there was even some blue sky to be seen. We hurried back to Seljalandsfoss to get some better photos.
We drove onward towards Skógafoss, alongside some beautiful mountains.
We left as the tour buses arrived, and headed onward towards Vik. At Dyrhólaey we saw some amazing black sand beaches, cliffs, and sea stacks. Another weather system pushed in as we were preparing to leave.
Vik was nestled in a lovely spot at the base of the mountain, looking rather like a fairy tale as we descended. We bought a wool blanket which was made on site in the factory.
Beyond Vik, we drove through some remarkably unique and downright bizarre scenery. Volcanic fields spread as far as the eye could see... which was not really that far on this day. We stopped at a pullout in the midst of this desert landscape for a late lunch before carrying on towards Skaftafell. The forecast called for clearing skies, but it seemed to do the opposite, so we decided to end the day early at Skaftafell and hope the weather cleared for a morning hike.
A final shot from the drive:
Sunday, May 25
We slept. And slept. 15 hours later, we awoke to the sound of tour buses. Apparently we were tired! It was 2:00 pm and the crowds were in full force. We joined them at Strokkur to watch it erupt a few times, which was quite fun, and then headed down the road to Gullfoss. It was tourist central at the falls, and I would say it was not particularly spectacular compared to other waterfalls I've seen, and other ones we would later encounter on the trip.
The rain let up a bit for us to view these attractions, and then we drove to Þingvellir where we were able to hike the rift between two tectonic plates! Here a beautiful waterfall Öxarárfoss cascaded into the gap.
Here are some video clips from Þingvellir.
We drove to the south coast through green fields and grey skies, into a strong headwind. We pulled into Seljalandsfoss and drove onward to Gljúfurárfoss. I struggled with the poor lighting, as well as the constant spray onto my camera lens. Pictured below is Gljúfurárfoss:
We decided to head onward, but the storm grew too intense for comfort, so we turned around after a few minutes and camped for the night at a pullout near Seljalandsfoss. I had to get out of bed and turn the RV around so it faced directly into the wind, because the back end was shaking so much.
Saturday, May 24
Our day started Friday afternoon. The previous weeks had been stressful as we were moving into and renovating our new acreage. To say a holiday was in order was an understatement. Adding to our anxiety was the strike action on the part of the Icelandair pilots, thankfully resolved only a couple days prior to our departure. Everything did work out and things went off without a hitch.
A short 6 hour flight found us at Keflavik and soon into the awaiting shuttle to our RV rental agency, Touring Cars. We spent a good couple hours in their warehouse, first watching a video about our vehicle, then receiving a demonstration, and then inspecting every inch of it for damage and taking pictures. A strong east wind pelted the tin roof with rain as we wrapped up at Touring Cars.
Eager to put some distance between ourselves and the airport, we drove to Hveragerði, a town surrounded by countless hot springs. We bought some groceries at Bonus and, having not slept much on the plane, drove just out of town for a nap. We had planned to do a short hike up to the hot river, but it was still cold, windy, and rainy, and we concluded that we would likely get a similar chance elsewhere along our journey. I took this photo just outside the town:
We stopped for supper on a side street in the town itself, and when we wondered where the steam was rising from, we found this geothermal cafe:
We drove up to Geysir by way of Skálholt in the pouring rain and low visibility, where we parked outside the local campground for the night.
My wife and I took our one year-old son backpacking over the Saturday and Sunday of the August long weekend for the first time. We had perfect solitude at Kinglette (Kinglet) Lake in the David Thompson, while every campsite and pull-out along the Highway 11 corridor from Rocky Mountain House to Saskatchewan Crossing was packed with campers.
The hike itself is short and steep, gaining 750m over 4km. No switchbacks here.
We left home on Saturday morning, figuring it easier to wear our hiking clothes and have our bags packed, than to rush out Friday night, sleep somewhere, monkey with breakfast and the child, and re-pack. Not to mention the dog was playing a part in this adventure too (we forgot to reserve a spot at the kennel in time). This is but one example of how the baby has changed our decision-making. Normally we would sleep in the vehicle or camp after driving late, allowing us an early start on Saturday (not that one needs an early start for Kinglette Lake other than to avoid the hot afternoon sun on the steep south aspect). However, it did backfire a bit because after all that time in the car, he was not particularly excited about sitting in the backpack.
The sun was hot as we headed straight up the slope and the additional gear made the climb a bit more strenuous than usual. Regardless, we arrived at the lake in good time and got busy setting up camp on a lovely little knoll south of the lake. We were pleased to find no traces of garbage or waste around the lake. A little green throne was in pretty fair condition too. To our surprise, the few fishermen who were at the lake departed before supper, so we had the whole place to ourselves -- on the long weekend of August! This turned out to be a good thing, because our son had about 4 incisor-related crying spells in the night which certainly would have woken up any neighbours. The one thing we forgot to pack was a pacifier.
At night, we laid him on a blue sleeping mat between us. He was dressed in a sleeper and a snowsuit with mittens. However, not being able to squirm like he does at home in his crib meant he woke up a few times. The teething thing may have factored into this as well. After some heavy rain and thunderstorms overnight, the morning began to clear at our elevation, while the valley was was shrouded in fog. It was quite beautiful as the fog lifted towards our camp.
As far as packing goes, this is what we did:
My wife carried him in a backpack carrier. He wore a sun hat and sunglasses. In the backpack: all our food, alcohol stove and methanol, water filter, diapers, wipes, Ziploc bags, sunscreen, toothbrushes/paste, baby's bottle, snacks and dog food.
In my pack: tent, 3x sleeping bags and pads, 2x down jackets, baby snowsuit, 2x Goretex shells, 2x base-layer bottoms, first aid kit, survival kit, pot and utensils, toilet paper, camera, tripod, 2x headlamps, large garbage bag. The dog was leashed around my waist as well.
In all, it was a success. However, it was a lot of effort for the reward, particularly because we couldn't truly relax when we were constantly tending to the little one. The dirty diapers added to the weight penalty but it wasn't as much of a hassle as I thought it might be.
Now that we proved to ourselves we could backpack with a baby, we don't necessarily feel in a hurry to replay the same scenario (unless some friends come along as sherpas, hint hint). Our next adventure might be canoe tripping and see how that goes. It was a fun and memorable weekend, though!
This was our first legitimate hike with our baby. He was a real trooper and we enjoyed stretching our legs up to Bald Hills.
It was Callum's first camping trip and time for summer holidays! Transitioning to 'car camping' from backpacking creates different photo opportunities during the magic hours of the day, when I'm not called upon to be a parent. Here are my keepers from the week:
We returned to Durban for the remainder of the trip. The Golden Mile was a gorgeous stretch of beach and the water was warm. If I had another free day in Durban, I definitely would have tried surfing. The waves were perfect height and the water was warm.
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I put my camera away for the last few days as I enjoyed the conference I was attending. I did snap a few quick photos with iPhone, however. We had a great African Night event at Moyo restaurant at uShaka on the Thursday night where I was treated to true South African hospitality at my table. Brendan and Marius did their best to ensure I woke up with a headache.
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Posting a few more pictures now that the wifi is working. I'll have some great ones going up on my website when I get home, but I'm poaching a signal outside the conference centre at the moment. In a country where free wifi is unheard of (even at hotels), I might be thrown in the clink if I start uploading 50 MB .TIFFs! Anyways, I get a kick out of the different vehicle models here. This is a Toyota Fortuner. #nicecurves
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They make 'em big here too #supersizeme
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The International Conference Centre in Durban. I guess my holiday had to end. After all, this is a business trip #revenuecanada
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Had a great event last night hosted by the city of Durban at uShaka Marine World. They turned the aquarium into a club! Hung out with fellow Canadians Jairus and Jessica #eh
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Getting my last bit of sunshine before starting the long journey home #draggingfeet
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So I'm returning from a walk on the beach, and in front of the hotel parade a bunch of young women clearly attending a burlesque-themed bachelorette party. Yet more entertaining was the look on all the old people's faces in the coffee shop as a beautiful woman walked by in a flurry of feathers, leathers, and fishnet carrying a blow-up doll #impeccabletiming #littlebluepill
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Waiting for our connection in Dubai while the sun rises. Didn't get much sleep overnight from Durban, so hopefully I'm sufficiently exhausted to dream away some of those 14 hours. #sandman
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The waiting is the hardest part #tompetty
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Defeated an 8 hour layover in Seattle by catching an earlier flight #champion
Home sweet home. Haven't seen the new baggage carousels yet. They could have been tacky but aren't, surprisingly. #oilers #losingrecord
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And after a great trip, I was so happy to be home with my family. Thanks to my wife for being so supportive and parents for sharing this fun experience with me.
In retrospect, I wouldn't have done much differently. Perhaps I would have rented a car in Durban and driven to Drakensberg by myself rather than paying for a tour guide to take me there, as it would have saved a bit of money. But all our guides throughout the trip were fantastic and the weather and wildlife were cooperative. The only thing that didn't work out as planned was the hot air balloon ride in Dubai, so I consider us very lucky.
I had one day off before returning to work. My bags arrived 3 days later.
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Edit: I compiled all the photos and video clips into three videos, set to music, that are giving me serious nostalgia. You can see them HERE.
After tackling Cathedral Peak, I wanted to take the opportunity to photograph the mountains from the Zulu village just outside the gates. We parked next to a little shack where an enterprising young man had started a 'convenience store,' selling mostly candy and snacks. He was very friendly when I approached him and complimented him on having the best view in the village. Just up the street some young men were kicking a soccer ball around. Next thing I knew I had little children running up to me and I was buying them treats from the store. They of course wanted their picture taken and struck goofy poses for the camera. At one point, a toddler walked up to me with wide eyes and held out his hand, offering me a coin. I took it, thanked him for his generosity, and then gave it back to him. I like these images and they hold nice memories for me.
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The next morning, I had dreams of photographing the river with the spectacular alpenglow we had witnessed the sunrise before. The weather had different ideas, but I was happy enough to capture the rain clouds which hung low over the Berg. Thanks again to Tim for a wonderful trip.
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Here is a short video of clips from our time in Drakensberg, including my parents' helicopter tour:
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We returned (a little earlier than we otherwise would have if it wasn't for the rain) to our hotel at the Belaire Suites in Durban and settled in for a few days. This would be the last phase of the journey as I was attending a conference for 3 days. What a trip it had been so far!
Eager for an adventurous hiking goal in Drakensberg, Cathedral Peak was the natural choice from Didima Camp. However, as I was researching the route online prior to leaving Canada, I had a tough time predicting the difficulty level to any degree of certainty. Perhaps this trip report will help others in the future. Please leave a comment if you found this helpful (or not), and I'd love to hear from anyone who's been there!
Having a fair bit of experience in the Alberta Rockies, I am most familiar with the Kane ratings for scrambles: easy, moderate, and difficult. I'm also accustomed to seeing crumbly shale and limestone. Though I am sure-footed (and handed) and agile, I have never liked scrambling with a lot of exposure due to my relative unease with heights. I have done very little climbing. I found some technical gradings on a reputable South African hiking website, but was unable to correlate these ratings with my own personal experience.
The statistics for this hike/scramble are close to 20 km and 1500 m elevation gain. They recommend giving yourself 9 hours to complete the objective and people call it "pretty difficult." Now, I've been given the recommended times and subjective reports for international hikes in the past, and found that they completely overestimated the hike. In this case, I think they pretty much hit it on the head. I would only recommend this hike to reasonably experienced hikers and if you don't know what 20 km and 1500 m feels like, then just perhaps this isn't the time to find out. However, if you've experienced 20 km days with 1000+ m gain in the Rocky Mountains, you will find Cathedral Peak pretty reasonable. I would rate it a moderate scramble with a couple short technical sections.
This is a small braid of the river crossing:
It's quite unrelentingly uphill starting early on. At one point, perhaps 1/4 of the way to the summit, you reach an open plateau above a little waterfall. It's a good place to get fresh water, although there is a small spring later on and perhaps a stream in the gully leading to the summit climb. The trail itself is well maintained and the footing is secure. At the base of the gully up to Orange Peel gap I was anticipating a bit more of a scramble but a trail switchbacked up the gully proving it to be nothing but a steep walk.
Orange-Peel Gap, just past the half-way point, is a nice objective on its own, and makes for a turnaround point that doesn't feel like a failure. This is what happened with Tim, as his legs started cramping badly on the steep portion of the hike. He turned around at this point and Absalon (the camp guide) and myself scampered towards the summit. After the Gap, there is a long traverse during which we spotted baboons on the slope. Halfway along this traverse there is a spring.
At the end of the traverse, you find yourself looking up a long gully. This is a pretty tedious slog. We got water from the stream on climber's right. At the top of the gully, this is the view:
Looking upwards and unfortunately out of the frame, the actual scramble route goes straight up to the right, crossing the narrowest parts of two rock bands. As far as difficulty goes, this is the crux. If wet, the rock can be extremely slick. If dry, it's not bad because the old basalt is smooth and provides reliable holds. It does require some technical moves, or a lot of tense coaching from your guide I'm sure. It's about 15 feet of kissing the rock and then you're back on your feet. The second rock band is easier than the first. This photos shows the approximate route:
Beyond, it turns into fun scrambling on good rock. I was glad to have the camp guide with me to pick out the best route. A fall could be really scary in a few places where there is some exposure, yet the probability of a fall for the sure-footed is quite low. I am not great with exposure, and I felt comfortable in my abilities even though sometimes my heart told me differently.
There is a chain ladder with maybe 15 rungs on it fairly close to the summit which was well anchored but for some reason played with my mind a bit. Next thing I knew, I was taking in this view:
The descent was quite uneventful and the downclimb was a bit easier than I expected. However, we did rappel the lower rock band just to be safe. We kept a very rapid pace on the way down and ended up only an hour behind Tim back at the hotel. We sat and had a coke on the patio, and I think it was the best coke I've ever had!
Here is a little video with scenes from the hike:
We spent the night in Durban after our three-day safari and again Tim was there the next morning to pick us up for two nights in the Drakensberg mountains at Didima Camp. En route, he told us the terrifying tale of his dog being bitten inside the mouth (!) by a Mozambique Spitting Cobra and his wife bludgeoning it to death with a hoe just the day before. Turns out he had spent most of the evening in the vet hospital but the dog was expected to make a full recovery thanks to the highly regenerative buccal mucosa.
It was a hot day, and we enjoyed a nice lunch in the shade before taking a short afternoon hike to Doreen Falls. It was a pretty spot and my dad tried swimming. Be thankful I didn't take pictures of that pasty white figure in his ginch. There was a cave behind the waterfall which was unspeakably difficult to photograph.
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As night fell, we took a walk up the hill to look at the stars. It was clear, with no moon, and the southern sky was bursting with stars. This was one of my favourite moments of the whole trip: looking towards the Southern Cross over the mountains while crickets chirped. It was bittersweet, because my thoughts turned to my wife and son at home, thousands of kilometers away.
It also struck me that I could stand here, in the middle of the mountains, on the edge of the long grass, alone at night, and be literally at no risk of being attacked by a cat. I imagine a couple hundred years ago, standing in my shoes would be a bit more perilous.
Our guide, Tim Brown, met us at our hotel promptly at 7 am for three days of game driving at Hluhluwe-Umfolozi. In short, Tim was great and we lucked out with high quality animal encounters. Because the area is so bushy, every encounter was by necessity a close one. The only small disappointment was not getting any great cat photos. We stayed at Hilltop Camp which was more than adequate.
Less talk, more pictures!
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This is the view from our hotel room at the Belaire Suites.
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Some early morning surfers spotted from our window.
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We intercepted the elephant parade early upon our arrival in the park:
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Shortly thereafter, we were roadblocked by cape buffalo:
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Spotted Thick-Knee
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Crocodile
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My favorite antelope were the nyala.
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Scenic intermission:
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Sabango monkeys were clamouring about in the trees adjacent to our cottage at Hilltop camp.
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Baboon
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Crested Guinea Fowl
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Impala in the late-day light
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Pumba Warthog
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Lion
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African Hoopoe
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White rhinocerous
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On the way back to Hilltop Camp, I wanted to stop and take a picture of the gorgeous sunset. However, you aren't allowed to leave your vehicle so I pushed my tripod out the window, set it on the ground, and pressed the shutter from inside the car.
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By the afternoon of day two, we still hadn't found giraffes or zebra and I was getting impatient. However, Tim did not disappoint! We had a great encounter near the park gate with giraffes to be seen in every direction, all around the car!
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With giraffes on one side of the vehicle, we had zebras on the other. There was an interesting moment when the zebras began mating and in a flurry of stripes, hooves, and dust nearly ran right into the vehicle!
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As the day neared to a close and we were headed back to the camp, I was able to cross another big antelope off my list, the waterbuck:
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We elected to do an evening game drive. It was fun to be out in the cool night air and hear lions in the dark, but I didn't return with many respectable photos, save this one of an owl:
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We searched and searched for lions, hyena, and wild dog on the last morning but were unsuccessful. We continued on to St. Lucia, now renamed the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. It was a great way to end the safari, as we enjoyed the hot sun, kingfisher, hippos, and kudu as the icing on the cake. We also saw a magnificent fish eagle but I didn't get a photo worth publishing.
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Hippopotamus
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Kudu
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Here we see an African Fish Eagle:
We nearly had a National Geographic moment when an unsuspecting grey heron walked right next to a huge crocodile. The big reptile lunged towards the bird but was unsuccessful.
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Okay, less pictures, more video!!
On the morning we were to leave for Durban, I got up early because I had yet to get the waterfront photo I had envisioned. And I was rewarded.
One thing you have to watch for in terms of personal safety is what I call the 'quiet approach.' This is just my impression, though. It seems anytime someone speaks to you in quiet tones on the street, they are up to no good. This is actually quite clever; firstly, it doesn't draw attention except to the intended target. Second, it takes advantage of the natural tendency of a well-meaning person to respond inquisitively and draw near. This happened on my way from the Breakwater to the Waterfront. A man was walking across the quiet parking lot next to the school and let's just say he looked local and would know his way around. He mumbled something to me about directions to the hospital. Now why would a "local" looking fellow, also clearly not a student, be asking an obvious tourist carrying a tripod where the hospital is at 6:30 in the morning in the middle of a parking lot? I assumed the part about the hospital was meant to evoke a sense of concern and catch my attention. I picked up my pace slightly, not making direct eye contact, and said confidently, "Sorry, don't know" without breaking stride. I skipped down the stairs and into the safety of the street. It was a good wake-up call because I was perhaps getting a bit complacent in the perceived secure vicinity of the V&A Waterfront. It's too bad that we must brush aside our natural instincts to help someone out of paranoia, however justified. I noticed the same thing (the "quiet" approach) in Durban with some of the people who approached us on or near the Golden Mile. Maybe it's a "thing," maybe it's not.
Anyhow, back to the photos!
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I put my camera away for the day, content that I'd got my shots, and excited to begin the next stage of the journey. Off to the airport for our 10:30 flight to Durban. Here is a short video compilation of our time in the Western Cape.
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I'm going to miss this city #goodtimes
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At the airport in Cape Town. Where won't they play Carly Rae Jepson? #earworm
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South African airlines have goofy names. #fruityplane
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So... apparently to Kulula airlines, aircraft emergencies are funny! #casualties
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Atlantic Ocean #cold
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Indian Ocean #warm
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Drove past quite a stadium en route to the hotel #poverty
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Durban's Golden Mile is great during the day, but I got a sketchy feeling when headed to the ATM as the sun went down. #sorethumb
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So this looks fun... #offmywave #soundgarden
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Random thought of the day before I go off the grid for 3 days... #rhetorical #swimwear
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The view from our hotel #asadvertised
So... we're driving back to the hotel from our great day in the wine country, and Clive asks, "Hey, do you want to see if Table Mountain is open?" He knew we hadn't had time to get up there since the weather was so bad.
"Absolutely!" was the response.
Clive checked the report and found that the mountain was indeed open. And we had 10 minutes to get there for the last cable car of the day. Being the consummate guide he is, and not wanting to disappoint his clients, he told us to hang on tight as he proceeded to evade rush-hour traffic in an eleventh-hour push for the cable car station. He dropped us at the gate and said he'd be waiting when we got finished. Sure enough, we had only a minute or two to spare.
This made our trip complete. What a view, what a sunset, what a memory! I rushed around the summit as the sun touched the horizon, trying to make the most of my opportunity. And Clive was patiently waiting for us when we finally got back down. Thanks again to Clive and Godfrey from capetowntourguide.com for giving us three days we'll never forget.
On this morning, after a couple great days with Godfrey, it was Clive of capetowntourguide.com who picked us up, bound for the beautiful colonial cities and lush wine country of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek.
Before leaving the city, however, we stopped at Signal Hill to have a good view.
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Once in the Stellenbosch region, we visited Ernie Els Wines and then Hidden Valley Vineyards. It was super relaxing on this warm summery day.
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Ernie makes some good wine #majorwinner
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Ernie is a good landscaper #greenthumb
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Ernie has a nice view #deeppockets
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Hidden Valley Vineyards for chocolate and wine tasting #indulgence
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#ohyeah
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Apparently the blue mascot's team lost to the zebra mascot's team #universalhumor
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Here are some road-side shots from the wine country. Mom loved the bouganvilla flowers.
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Stellenbosch was a quaint city with a vibrant tourist core and a university-town feel. It has two sides to it, and there are townships here too with a great deal of poverty. #jeckellandhyde
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Lunch spot #freshgingerbeer
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From Stellenbosch, we drove over gorgeous Helshoogte Pass and descended to Franschhoek.
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Huguenot Monument
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We walked the main street of Franschhoek for an hour or so before driving back to Cape Town.
Simon's Town reminded me of Monterey, California. The restaurant, which I'm sure every tourist eats at, produced good food and a great view. I could have loafed around Simon's Town all day. After lunch, we walked to Boulders Beach for one of my most anticipated activities: seeing the penguin colony!
Lunch at Simon's Town #catchoftheday
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After Simon's town, we returned to Cape Town via Silvermine to take in the view.
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We then stopped at the Botanical Gardens at the foot of Table Mountain. We were at the tail end of the summer, so I can only imagine what the blossoms would be like in the spring.
Botanical gardens at the foot of Table Mountain #girlystuff
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Before returning to our hotel we stopped at the colorful Bo Kaap neighborhood up on a hill. The colorful hilltop townhouses in this harbor city reminded me of St. John's.
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And now with some visibility, we walked to the waterfront from our hotel on our way to dinner. The clouds on Table Mountain are called "The Tablecloth."
After a great sleep, we thought things might be turning in our favor when we discovered the breakfast buffet!
So our hotel restaurant has a great buffet breakfast too! #fillyourpockets #insulin
Godfrey picked us up at the front door of our hotel and we looked nervously at the skies. The thick cloud showed signs of breaking up, but you never know around the Cape!
Well, the timing couldn't be better as we wound our way along the stunning road hugging the cliffs en route to the cape. At Camps Bay, I had perfect shooting conditions. That's my parents on the rocks, completing the composition for me.
We passed Hout Bay where the shooting conditions weren't as favorable. The viewpoint looked back into the harsh sun so I will not publish those photos. The drive itself was an experience, however, and the closest thing I can compare it to is the Pacific Coast Highway south of San Francisco. With bigger mountains. Fabulous.
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En route to the cape, we stopped at an ostrich farm #dinosaurbirds
We ate ostrich a few days later. It wasn't bad; it was a darker meat, closer to beef than turkey, with a bit more of a gamey flavor.
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The excitement started shortly after the ostrich farm, as Dad spotted an red hartebeest in the distance, and then I noticed some baboons closer to the road. I was happy to cross the baboons off my photo 'bucket list' and an unexpected antelope.
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Here she is, the Cape of Good Hope!! #endoftheroad
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#bucketlist
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We hiked from the Cape of Good Hope to the parking lot for the lighthouse. It was a lovely walk, and I just couldn't believe where I was standing.
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Just as we were ascending the hill to the parking lot, we spotted a giant eland close to the trail. I was happy with this photo, and glad I packed my telephoto lens on the trail.
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At the cape lighthouse #cliche
The day was only half finished and it had already been a great one. The temperature was probably around 28 degrees and winds were light. It was really starting to feel like a vacation. The next stop was going to be Simon's Town for lunch and a visit to Boulders Beach and the African penguin colony!
It was a long couple days but the anticipation and novelty of it all carried us through. 1.5 hours to Seattle. A breeze. 14 hours to Dubai. Surprisingly easy due to the fact that I hadn't chilled out for 14 hours anywhere without interruption in forever. I watched some good movies and enjoyed the good service and food on Emirates. Sleep? Negligible.
We had arrive at our hotel around 9 pm. Up at 4 am for the balloon ride that didn't materialize. Then to the beach, then to the mall (malls are always tiring and overstimulating), then up the Burj Khalifa complete with long lines up and down (45 minutes in line for the elevator both directions). We were back to the hotel around 9 pm, where we repacked and waited for our airport transfer at 1:00 am. Then waiting at the airport for our 3:45 am flight.
So... yeah. This was a long haul. I caught a little sleep on the plane this time, in addition to watching Django Unchained. Good film. The anticipation built as we began our descent into Cape Town and as I stepped off the plane I was surprised. It felt around 12 degrees and it was raining. Not the introduction to Africa I expected! Sadly, there would be no trip up Table Mountain as planned, due to the weather.
Expectations aside, we breezed through customs and picked up our luggage. Our guide, Godfrey, was waiting for us as we exited. He was a local young man from the townships, and gave us a nice whirlwind tour of Cape Town before dropping us off at the Protea Breakwater hotel at the V&A Waterfront. This hotel was converted from an old prison and while the rooms were well equipped, they were kind of strangely laid out and truly it felt like a very nice prison cell!
There are three properties associated with the hotel. There is a graduate school of business next door, and beyond that we had great restaurant facilities. These catered to the staff, faculty, and students of the school as I understand it, and we found the food and service to be excellent. The restaurant overlooked the waterfront, yet we could not see Table Mountain for all the rain. While looking at the menu, I did the conversion from Canadian Dollars to South African Rand in my head, and quickly decided that I'd eat and drink anything I damn well pleased. It's nice to have some currency leverage!
After dinner, we went back to the room with hopes of clearing weather tomorrow. The forecast called for scattered showers, but we really needed some blue skies to experience the Cape of Good Hope properly!
I didn't take any worthwhile photos on this day, so what follows is my Instagram stream.
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Arrived on African ground. Having some wifi challenges, so updates will slow. The weather is rainy and cold, and most of our plans got derailed as a result #weatherkryptonite
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Walking about in central Cape Town #surreal
The central market area of Cape Town was really quiet on this rainy day, with the exception of a few vendors holding out. They sold the typical souvenir junk so we did not feel compelled to stick around for long. #madeinchina
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This large pizza cost me around $6 CAD #leftovers
The Journey Begins...
(and an argument for Instagram)
This was the first leg of my trip to South Africa. The travel agent had twisted my arm to take Air Emirates and the opportunity of a free stopover in Dubai en route to Cape Town. It was a tough sell. We were leaving Edmonton on the afternoon of March 29 and while waiting in the newly renovated international departure lounge, I decided to try something new on this trip and keep friends/family engaged with Instagram. I'd never used the app, but I thought wherever I was in the world with wifi, I could quickly and conveniently upload an iPhone picture. So my narration from this trip will include my social network commentary. I hope it's an interesting read.
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38 hours earlier...
"Sitting in the new #yeg international terminal, beginning a long journey to South Africa and loaded with camera gear! I'm going to try the social media thing. Please follow me for updates!"
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Seat 9D. Goodbye 3G coverage, hello free wifi abroad! #fingerscrossed
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So long, snow! As we gain altitude from #yeg, I am glad my sinus infection started to clear up yesterday. Shout out to my sinus rinse kit. And pseudo-ephedrine #time2party
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Flying over the Alberta Rockies.
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Imagine doing donuts in this bad boy! #funjob
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We all hated to leave the sunshine on our way into the terminal in Seattle! #loitering
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You know you're on a fault line when... #mayhem
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I'm fixin to get real familiar with this beast #bedsores
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I think I could eat off the floor in the Dubai airport. #shinyprettythings
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The transition from the airport was smooth. After a lot of walking through a beautiful airport, we were whisked through customs by a friendly officer who approved our visas. The shuttle I had arranged was waiting for us, as were the hotel staff when we arrived. This is home sweet home for the next day and a half. Our suite is basic but equipped with a kitchenette. It looks like easy walking distance to the metro station from here, through residential type apartments. I hope sleep comes easily; it's bedtime here but it would be before noon at home.
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Disappointment in Dubai. After getting up at 4 am for a sunrise hot air balloon ride, the wind had other ideas. I had been pumped to get some sweet pictures. Oh well. We're going to have breakfast at the hotel and then catch a shuttle to Jumeirah. #staytuned
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Returning to Dubai from the desert. The Burj Khalifa shines on the left of the frame. Chatting with some nice Swedes and an Argentinian. #goodstrongs
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Sand and construction everywhere #workinprogress
Shooting out the window.
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Returning to our hotel from the hot air balloon non-tour.
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Eye spy something that is Canadian #doubledouble #eatfresh
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One of the funniest moments of the trip followed shortly after breakfast. A guy in a Bugs Bunny costume was running around the hotel, with a camera guy in tow, shoving carrots at the mouths of guests while exclaiming "meep meep!" #confused #funnybit
The restaurant at our hotel was decked right out in tacky Easter decorations #unexpected There's an Easter joke in there somewhere about our hot air balloon not rising until Monday #crucifixionhumor
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Spent the morning at Jumeirah Beach. Lovely water and sand. We rented an umbrella and some beach chairs. There was interesting people-watching and it was the most diverse group of tourists I've ever seen. No cameras are allowed at the beach, but I snapped a couple discreetly. I played volleyball with some guys with big accents and small speedos. Oh, and the weather? About 28 degrees with a soft breeze. #toughonepal
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Jumeirah Beach club. After a long winter it was nice to walk around in bare feet for a while. I hope I don't burn #itsacurse
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We walked from our hotel to the nearest metro station. In the mid-day sun I found myself hurrying from one shadow of refuge to the next. #movingtarget
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Descending into Dubai's metro system. It is clean and easy to navigate but it has a distinctive aroma. #armpits
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WEM eat your heart out. The Dubai Mall has a Euro-sized ice rink #nohitting
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Who buys this stuff? #opulence
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Really?? #bratsintraining
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Don't forget to wear your googles. #giggle
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This time we lucked out. Stood on the tallest building in the world as day turned to night. My real camera and tripod finally got a work-out. The line-ups were horrendous and the Dubai Mall was a maze, so we didn't make it to the Burj Al Arab afterwards. After the hot air balloon fiasco, I'm going to call the rest of this day a win.
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Returning to the airport at an obscene hour, Cape Town bound. Will have been awake for 24 hours by the time the plane departs. A little hiccup with the booking may result in us sitting apart. #lotteryseating
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Doesn't air travel look fun? #allsmiles
On a warm, calm, and sunny Saturday in January, we decided to get some turns at Vermilion Peak. This time, instead of skiing trees, we skied the gully right from the alpine. The upper section was perfect, but below treeline it became pretty hard and choppy from previous tracks. Still, a great day out and unlike last time, I was rewarded with a view.
On July 13-15, with snow still persisting in areas like Assiniboine, Dustin, Jessica, and I decided to do a highly rated front-range hike, in the Highwood Circuit. We had a couple route descriptions and the GemTrek map to navigate with, but for the most part we hadn't heard much about the area.
The first day involved hiking Mist Ridge. It was warm and visibility was reasonable, and the views were excellent.
Then we descended Rickert's Pass, past an old coal mining site to the Sheep River, with the backside of Mt. Gibraltar dominating the view. We walked the decommissioned road for a few kilometers before setting up camp. This involved a couple easy fords.
We set up camp along a tributary to the west, next to a pretty little stream with a small waterfall.
The next morning at breakfast, a bull moose walked right across the top of the waterfall. It was a beautiful sight.
Day two involved a fairly monotonous hike to Blue Rock Provincial Park and up Junction Creek Valley. Getting to the Junction Creek trail, however, involved a thigh-deep ford of the Sheep River, and with a strong current, it was not to be taken lightly. En route to the Waterfalls Valley turnoff, we walked past an old dam, created to ease the passage of logs down a rough stretch of creek, and an old sawmill site. The hike became steep as we gained the subalpine of Waterfalls Valley, and we found a perfect camp site on a bench overlooking the valley.
The next morning, the visibility was low, and rain looked imminent.
We navigated to what we expected to be the head of the valley but without being able to see the the col, we just started climbing in the direction of our compass bearing. All I can say is thank goodness for a brief break in the fog; we got turned around for a while until we were able to locate the small break in the ridge to access the descent to Picklejar Lakes. For a few moments as I shivered and we struggled to find our bearings, I was getting pretty nervous. The point was also driven home that clear decision-making is more difficult when you're soaking wet and shivering. Anyway, we discovered our location, wondered how the hell we got there, but were glad to be sure of our route. The scree descent was very steep, and a lot of fun. The rest of the hike out Lantern Creek was uneventful, other than meeting a surprising number of unprepared day-hikers in ponchos and running shoes, slipping and shivering in the cool rain.
I'm not sure how best to rate this hike. There are sections of well-maintained trail and sections of route-finding. And to borrow from the Copeland's rating system, I would say that some sections are "premier" (Mist Ridge and upper Junction Creek to Picklejar Lakes), and some would be rated "don't do" (Sheep River and lower Junction Creek). The fords added some adventure, as did the route-finding in the fog. In summary, I'd say this hike is definitely worthwhile in the early summer before the bigger Rockies objectives are in good condition. The "new Rockies Classic" as Explore Magazine claims? Meh.
We had a great weekend at Twin Lakes, where on Sunday I took an early morning paddle to take some waterfowl photos. The song of the loon is always a beautiful one, so it was quite special to float so close to five of them and get some good pictures.
Here an osprey flies overhead, but I never did see it dive for fish over the weekend.
Barrow's Goldeneye
Loons
Harlequins
Distance: ~18 km
Elevation: 1600 m (start), 2800 m (finish) = 1200 m (gain)
Anytime my alarm goes off at 4:50 am, I know it's going to be a good day. I'm either headed to the airport or up a mountain. Why else would you get up so early?
Chris, Dustin, and I started skinning up the Lake O'Hara road shortly after 6:00 am. We were looking forward to a warm, stable day on Popes Col. As the pitch steepened towards the shoulder, we found ourselves bootpacking up the crust. This would be the downside of such good avalanche conditions; the melt-freeze cycle was firmly set on "freeze."
We arrived on the shoulder as the morning sun illuminated the Trans-Canada Highway on its route into British Columbia.
We dropped into the hanging valley below, we found it faster to boot pack than to ski along the rock-hard snow.
The beautiful glaciers and couloirs of Popes Peak greeted us at the top of the moraine.
In due time, we were back on skis and reaching the crux of the route, which involved negotiating a small rock band. We thought that scrambling to the right would be the simplest ascent, which it would have been, had I not underestimated it and decided against strapping my skis to my pack. I found myself needing a handhold without a hand with which to make it, so Chris had to grab my skis from above to help me out. Lesson learned. Dustin managed to capture part of this section:
As we traversed around the rock feature (centre frame, above) on foot, we began to encounter a little avalanche debris and noted a crown fracture encompassing the whole slope below the col. It wasn't fresh in the last few days, no more than 20 cm deep, but it was broad; it was continuous across the low-angled crest of the ridge separating the two fall lines.
We hit the col and were rewarded handsomely for our effort. Here is Chris, grabbing a drink on the summit of the unnamed peak to the east of the col.
Great views towards the Death Trap:
And to the north:
After several minutes taking in the calm, sunny views, we headed back down. We had counted on the sun softening the crust for a spring-like descent, but it turned out to be hard and choppy almost all the way to the road. However, a terrific day in the mountains to end the ski season.
I caught a ride to Lake Louise with my buddy Chris, who was on his way to an ACC trip for the weekend. We met up with Lukas and his friend Petr at the hostel and made plans for the next day's adventure.
We decided to try to summit Vermilion Peak. The forecast looked good for the earlier part of the day so we tried to get an early start. We arrived at the parking lot for the Paint Pots at around 8:00.
The snow was quite rain-affected at lower elevations but once we hit the freeze line we began encountering very nice fresh powder through the burn. As we gained the alpine, it took on a more slabby feel but no cracking was observed. We dug a pit on a 32 degree southwest slope just above treeline. The February 14 surface hoar was 100 cm down and we were unable to get it to react. The snowpack was indeed very well consolidated.
Consistent with my experience in the mountains this winter, the weather closed in and we lost visibility. We abandoned the idea of a summit and began skiing down. We took our time and tried to get some fun action shots. It was a blast!
We stopped in Calgary for some Japanese food before getting home around 9:30. Thanks guys!
On the morning of February 19th, I arrived at Chris' house in Edmonton to begin our journey to the Trophy Chalet in Wells Gray Provincial Park, BC. Lukas arrived shortly and we threw his gear into my Equinox and hit the road. We met Jon, who had driven from Rocky Mountain House, in the parking lot outside the Bear's Paw Bakery in Jasper. We had a gracious offer from Cindy to allow us to park his jacked up Toyota outside her apartment so she could keep her eyes on it while we were away, so after dropping the vehicle and having a bite to eat, we headed west again.
We pulled into Clearwater around 5 pm and met up with Dustin & Jessica, who had organized the trip, at the Wells Gray Inn. We also met Andrew & Valerie and Greg & Melissa who had driven from Vancouver. The ten of us had a great dinner at the Old Caboose restaurant, finished our final packing, and went to bed with great anticipation.
Monday
We met our guides Ian and Nick at the hotel. We shuttled vehicles to the trailheads, with the original plan to start at the Trophy Mountain trailhead, ski out of the Trophy Chalet for a few days, then traverse to the Discovery Chalet and ski out to the exit point. The Sno-Cat rattled us up the logging road 11 km to the true trailhead and we were all keen to begin the adventure. With packs heavy with gear, food, and (of course) wine, we skinned up to the cabin and settled in. It was a terrific hut, furnished with propane stove, lighting, solar power, composting toilets, and, best of all, a sauna. Let the skiing begin!
Tuesday
Here are Jess, Val, and Dustin preparing to drop into the Terminator chute. We had good stability all day. Temperatures were mild with intermittent flurries.
Wednesday
Snow picked up overnight and we woke up to poor visibility and flurries. We spent most of the day in Lower Meadow and Steep Trees and finished the day with a nice run down from a 1964m subpeak south of the chalet. The snow was excellent.
Jon kept us entertained in the chalet with the guitar; some might say that he has the voice of a redneck angel. We played some cards, which mostly involved Chris and I getting our asses handed to us in crib by Jessica and Lukas.
Thursday
We split into two parties for this day. While the Vancouver crew spent most of the day in Lower Meadow, the rest of us took some sweet lines down to Caligata Lake. There were some steep trees and open glades, and we took some time to get some action shots. Here are Chris, Dustin, and Lukas doing their thing:
We then skinned up to Mid Mountain. Despite the snow, stability was still good. We saw that a small windslab had released at the top of Mid Mountain but at treeline and below the snowpack was less wind-affected.
We took a look at the Elevator Shaft couloir and it looked good. Nick, then Lukas, Chris, and myself had the run of the week. It was so good that Lukas accused Chris of having an erection at the end of the run. Here are the guys dropping in:
Once at the bottom of Mid Mountain we reunited with Ian, who would relieve Nick of his guiding duties for the rest of the trip. And at the same time, a remarkable thing happened: the skies started to clear! For the skin back up to the chalet, we had beautiful late day sun and I frantically started snapping photos at every turn.
The creek that drains Lower meadow:
Steep trees:
Jessica traversing Lower Meadow:
Climbing to the hut:
Lukas saying "peace out" after a long and fulfilling day:
Scenic outhouse:
Lukas saying..."and this is how we roll"
As a few of us were stargazing out behind the hut, we noticed a peculiar full moon as Jon had just come out of the sauna to join us.
After such a terrific day, we celebrated with some good food, plenty of wine, and perhaps too much rum. It turns out that drinking in the sauna can make your head swim a little bit...
Friday
Well, the weather reprieve was short-lived. More snow and wind overnight, accumulating close to a metre over our trip. The stability in the snowpack was starting to break down. With a traverse to Discovery Hut looming on Saturday, Ian thought it best to break trail to Lunch Lake. We took a more conservative approach to Terminator and still had a good run after ski cutting the slope. We were starting to release a lot of soft slab but the surface hoar layer now 80 cm down was still unresponsive. We did a couple laps below Look-out Lake and we did the Cleopatra run again. All really good skiing, but we were a lot more careful. I ski cut a big sluff all the way down to the bottom of the run. I think we all were greatly appreciative of Ian's guiding skills and his ability to teach at the same time. We learned a lot with regards to managing the weather, snowpack, and terrain under such conditions.
Saturday
The snow and low visibility had persisted into the morning. Valerie had been suffering all week with her IT band, and Lukas wasn't up to completing the slog to Discovery, especially with a 6 am flight looming to Winnipeg on Monday morning. Val, Andrew, Lukas and I decided to ski down to meet the sno-cat at noon which would be dropping off another load of skiers.
We were very fortunate on this trip for a few reasons. At a time when all of B.C. was under high avalanche danger, we enjoyed surprisingly good stability and an abundance of snow that none of us had ever experienced. We enjoyed different styles of guiding by Nick and Ian and learned much from both. The accommodations were great and the company was terrific. And the sun came out just long enough for us to fully appreciate the paradise we were fortunate enough to occupy for just a short time. Thanks to everyone for making it a great experience!
I spent 3 days at the Shangri-La Cabin in the Jasper backcountry this past weekend with Liz, Roger & Linda, and Tanner & Pam. It was very warm out, we got some snow, and the only thing we didn't get was great visibility except for a couple hours early in the mornings. The ski up Jeffery Creek was in good condition on an established track. The wind had covered it by our return, so we were thankful for the next party who broke trail and made our exit a lot faster. While at the cabin, we spent a lot of time skiing off Sunshine and Aberhart, eating, drinking, and being merry.
Snow conditions were good at treeline and below. There was a lot of wind transport in the alpine; the north side of Little Shovel Pass was bare in places. We found easy to moderate failures (without propagation) of the storm slab on southeast slopes at 2200m but otherwise the snowpack was very well consolidated. It was over 2 metres deep half-way up Aberthart.
Not many pics, but it was a nice three days in paradise nonetheless. The only yardsale of the weekend happened on the way out Jeffery Creek, when one of our party tried to miss a collision after rounding a corner and ended up doing a four-point bridge over the open creek to avoid having an icy bath. Wish I had a picture of that...
I went for a little warm-up ski with Liz to Rummel Lake in the Smith-Dorrien. We didn't ski any good lines, as it was pretty thin with a lot of windslab in the alpine. It was just good to get the touring legs back. The weather was cool and windy with low clouds.
We spent a lovely week in St. Lucia. We stayed at a vacation rental in Castries we found on VRBO.com and used the beach at the Sandals Resort just down the road. Our highlights were Pigeon Island and hiking up Gros Piton (though steep, a relatively easy 3 hours for fit hiker). It is a beautiful island, but very expensive for tourists. If we could do the trip over again, we would spend more time in Soufriere, which was exceptionally pretty. Thanks to our hosts John and Shirley, and their excellent accommodations, we had a great trip.
At the tail end of larch season, Erin & I, Liz, and Holly went for a hike up Mt. Fairview which is the mountain just to the left of Lake Louise as you look at the lake. It is, bang for your buck, one of the best hikes around. I think it took around 3.5 hours and the view from the summit is amazing on a clear day. We had light winds and warm, sunny skies on this mid-October day.
I booked an extra day off work to hike Northover Ridge in Kananaskis with Clayton. After sleeping in my truck at the trailhead Friday night, we got an early start to Aster Lake and set up camp. The route follows the south shore of the upper lake, then past Hidden Lake and up a scree slope to the upper valley. There are a couple easy scramble moves to gain the upper valley.
At this point, you reach a small gully and must make a quick right turn downstream a short distance before making a left towards the lake. Going left (upstream) at the gully is a small route-finding error that some have made in the past.
Aster Lake is a beautiful spot, but the weather started closing in and we kept a close eye on the route to the ridge between snow flurries. The next morning, we could see Northover Ridge was still mired in low clouds so we decided to wait it out. The weather never cleared, so the decision was made to stay an extra night instead of camping at Three Isle Lake which was the original plan. This is a hike you want to do with visibility.
Unfortunately, the last morning was even worse than the first. We returned the way we came, just in time for the clouds to start lifting. The ridge will have to wait for another time, and I plan to do it as a dayhike next time around.
This image made the whole trip worthwhile, however:
After a long August, Erin and I finally had a chance to get away on September long weekend. We spent the night at the Overlander Lodge outside Hinton and drove to the Edith Cavell Road to park our vehicle and hitch a ride to the Portal Creek trailhead. Our plan was to hike the loop from Maccarib Pass and exiting Astoria Creek.
No sooner had we parked our vehicle did we notice a suspicious white Ford F-150 with a Team Canada plate coming up the road. We had hiked with Darren and Steve a few times before, and they had brought Shauna along with them for her first backpacking trip. They started down Astoria Creek, and we planned to meet them during our second night at Clitheroe campground. What a nice surprise!
Despite being at a trailhead along a slow mountain road filled with tourist traffic, it took us 45 minutes to hitch a ride. I don't know what is so suspicious about a young couple in hiking gear in, you know, the mountains... but whatever. We finally found someone who didn't think we were going to kill them and hit the trail.
The hike to Maccarib campground was beautiful the entire way. The only part we didn't like was near Portal Creek campground, which was overgrown with thick willows and followed a noisy creek. Perfect place to run into a bear. We did run into a big animal but it wasn't until beyond the pass.
This was something I'd been hoping for: a big bull woodland mountain caribou. He was quite tolerant as I snapped a few pictures, as caribou tend to be (which is certainly part of their undoing).
We set up camp at Maccarib campground with the Ramparts in view, and were eager for the next morning to see the massif up close. This photo looks back towards Maccarib Pass and Clitheroe.
The next morning, we hiked down to Amethyst Lakes. What a view! We had contemplated a side trip to Eremite Valley, but chose instead to spend the day basking by the lake, eating, and playing cards. Why leave something so perfect?
We then hiked up to Clitheroe to our camp and hung out with Darren, Steve, and Shauna for the evening. We had a lot of laughs as usual and spent time catching up on everyone's summer trips.
The final morning, we went down to the lake to bid a reluctant farewell to the enchanting valley and take some final photos.
We saw two caribou cow/calf pairs playing in the soggy meadow by the lake. You can see them in this picture if you look closely.
And the final views on a perfect sunny day as we climbed towards the switchbacks which would bring us down to Astoria Creek.
The only unpleasant thing about the Tonquin Valley (other than mosquitoes if there has not been a hard freeze yet) is the muddy and rutted trails which are mercilessly pounded by horse traffic. We could be heard cursing the horses on more than one occasion.
We met up with a nice couple, Clayton and Emily, on the hike out. Conversation always shortens the day, so we enjoyed the last few hours together before returning to our vehicle at the Edith Cavell road. We hope to meet up with those two again.
The plan was for Erin and I to relax at Fish Lakes for August long weekend. For the most part, we did just that.
Mosquitos are to be expected in early August, but every year I seem to forget how bad they can get in marshy lakeside campgrounds. They never showed up in my pictures from last year, so they couldn't have been too bad, right? Ugh. Wrong. Anyhow, moving on.
It was muddy for most of the distance, which isn't unusual. It slowed our progress as we tried our best to stay in the established rutted trails. But the views were good compensation. Wildflowers were ripe in the meadows. I tried to get a look at the alternative route to Molar Pass from Fish Lakes on the return, but we decided against going that direction.
Sunday night we had a wicked thunderstorm. We brought my OR Nighthaven, which I'm happy to say performed very well as we got pummelled in waves all night long. The lightning was hitting very close at times, igniting our orange shelter like a fluorescent light bulb as the thunder shook the ground beneath us. We awoke to clearing skies and a beautiful sunrise over the Pipestone Valley.
Evening photo from the Waterfowl Lakes overflow campground the night before:
Molar Meadows:
Ascending the meadows:
Snafflehound:
Richardson's Ground Squirrel:
Climbing North Molar Pass:
Upper Fish Lake:
Sunrise after the storm:
Molar Meadows:
This is a trip I have had my eye on for a while. From the topo, it looked look it might be an enticing loop. It is an approximately 32 km mostly trail-less route with an elevation gain of ~1100 m and loss of ~1000 m, beginning at Tangle Falls and ending at Nigel Creek trailhead. It takes you from Jasper National Park into Banff Park. And it is without a doubt one of the most spectacular hikes I've ever done. The alpine vistas, solitude, and wildlife were remarkable. And I got to spend some quality time with my sister.
You follow the trail to Wilcox Pass from just south of Tangle Falls, ignoring any cairned creek crossings you see. You finally cross a footbridge and soon encounter a low rock ledge as views open up towards Wilcox and beyond.
At the small rock ledge, you break off into the trees towards Tangle Pass. It doesn't take long to reach a wide plateau with Tangle Pass visible ahead. It's a long walk through willows and up to the pass. It is easiest to begin the ascent on the left, and then cross over to the right side before the rocky drainage gets too steep.
There were great views in three directions. Behind was the Columbia Icefield, ahead was the Beauty Lakes basin, and to the right was our route over a snowy col.
We stopped for a while to take some pictures of a bighorn ram, framed by Sunwapta Peak, before beginning our descent down the scree field to the left of the stream. The descent was easy on soft, stable scree, and we had to traverse a bit to the right to get through the rock bands to another scree slope.
Once at the valley floor, we were struck by the magnitude of this wide alpine valley. Behind us was a high, thin waterfall coming off Tangle Ridge. Anvil-shaped Sunwapta Peak dominated the north-west end of the valley, while a long, gradual climb terminated at a snowy col to the south-east.
I struggle to adequately describe the long walk to the col. Ever improving views, colorful rock and tundra, and a moulting mountain goat accompanied us as we worked our way across the moraines.
Beyond the pass was a punchbowl lake, still mostly frozen. From the northeast ridge, you could see down a tributary into the Brazeau.
We went over the southeast col that forms the border between Jasper and Banff National Parks, and down a wild, rocky valley dominated by a massive rock wall on our right. The valley turned boggy and mosquito-infested only briefly, before bringing us to the head of the gully that drained the valley.
The best route, which we didn't quite nail on the the descent, would have been to stay very high on the scree slope to the west side of the creek to avoid being trapped in the gully.
Some bushwacking then allowed us to bisect the horse trail on the northwest side of Nigel Creek. We crossed the creek after a while and bashed through high willows towards the hikers' trail on the opposite side of the creek, and it was an easy final couple kilometres to the trailhead. I carried a stupid amount of camera gear, but I used all of it. It took us over 30 minutes to hitch a ride back to my truck. The highway was busy, so that was a lot of rejection!
The East Coast Trail is a much different trail than I've hiked before. It weaves 540 km along the coastline, in and out of 32 communities. It isn't really meant to be backpacked, but rather to stop at B&B's in between sections. It's very much a cultural hike. You get to see some scenery during the day, then experience some of the local fare at night. You can mix it up by doing a boat or kayaking tour, see a local dinner theatre, or go to a pub. We hiked a few sections of the trail, but also spent some time in St. John's itself.
Monday
We began our tour of Newfoundland with a foggy walk around Fort Amherst, Quidi Vidi, and Signal Hill.
Afterwards, we checked in at our B&B at Bay Bulls and did some hiking along the coastline. This is where the "Spout Path" section begins.
I was very happy with the food and accommodations there. The staff and owner were very nice and helpful, especially with my wife who has celiac disease. The couple upstairs seemed to be really enjoying the experience too. She kept saying “yes” over and over again. Her companion seemed to be having a nice evening too, as we could hear him grunting his approval at her exclamations. On second thought, the walls could have been a bit thicker.
Tuesday
We hiked a pretty section of trail from Aquaforte to Ferryland. There is a nice little waterfall at the beginning of "Mudder Wet Path." The forested areas were quite pretty in areas too. I was glad I packed my tripod "just in case."
The sun came out for the first time as we descended the "Sounding Hills Path" from the headlands down into Ferryland. We capped off the hike with a great picnic lunch at the lighthouse. You place your order at the lighthouse, and they give you a blanket and flag, and tell you to go find a nice place on the grass. When your food is ready, they bring your food out to your flag. Neat concept, and very popular. Great homemade lemonade, sandwiches, and ganache. Here's the view:
Then, we returned to Cape Broyle for an afternoon kayak tour with Stan Cook Sea Kayaking Adventures. Highly recommended. Even though it pissed rain and we didn't see any whales, it was still a blast. The whales follow the capelin, which hadn't moved into the bay yet. It's easy to spot whales, though, because all you need to do is look for the sea birds circling and diving. Poor fish get it from both sides.
Wednesday
We went for a morning boat tour to Gull Island from Bay Bulls with O'Brian's Tours. We had great luck to follow a humpback whale all the way out to the island. It showed us a couple terminal dives but no breaching.
And then we saw the puffins. Just the coolest little birds ever. There were common murre, gulls, and assorted other seabirds nesting on the island.
In the afternoon, we hiked the "Beaches Path" from Mobile to Witless Bay. I really enjoyed this section. We saw a bald eagle, which we Albertans don't see that often, and some whales in the bay too.
They also had some well maintained boardwalks through here.
Thursday
We worked our way by car back to St. John's. We stopped at Petty Harbour with nice morning light. The sun disappeared permanently for the rest of the day. We toured through Cape Spear, then Middle Cove and Quidi Vidi before making our way to the hotel. We went to Shamrock City Pub that evening after a great dinner at Yellowbelly's.
Friday
The weather wasn't good enough to justify hiking in the morning, so we went to the Geo Centre, which was excellent too. We did a lot of walking around the city during the day, stopped at the Pepper Mill for a good dinner, then up to the Battery and Signal Hill again for the fireworks. The sunset at the Battery was very nice. We went back to Shamrock City for some entertainment after the Canada Day celebrations. I learned that when in Newfoundland, a whole different language starts being spoken when the drinks are flowing. I have no idea what the guys were talking about half the time. They were friendly as shit though. One bearded fellow was wearing a t-shirt that read “I pull out.” He seemed less classy than his buddies.
Saturday
We started the day with a terrific breakfast at the Bagel Company. I had granola french toast with strawberries and bananas, whipped cream, syrup. The hashbrowns were the best I've ever had, and the sausages were good too. I didn't eat again until supper. Shaun Majumder was in the booth next to us, but I resisted the temptation to beat him down with some schtick. We also saw one of the characters from the Republic of Doyle. I pet her dog.
We took the boat tour from the harbour. It wasn't as good as the one in Bay Bulls. We saw some whales, but not as close. Some white-sided dolphins approached the boat, but I couldn't get a good picture of them because you could never predict where they would surface. It was nice to see Cape Spear out of the fog, though. Gannets were diving for capelin off the cape but we didn't get close enough.
We ended the day with a very good dinner at Get Stuffed, and I took a few night-time shots on the way back to the hotel.
After this trip, I have the following conclusions:
1) Everyone says that the people in Newfoundland are the greatest, which is true; however, it seems to extend beyond the locals, to all the people from around the world that visit The Rock. I've never had so many conversations with other tourists. Everyone seemed eager and open to share their traveling experiences with a stranger, as if the hospitality of our hosts had rubbed off on us a bit.
2) I think the Canadian media has painted Newfoundland with the shit brush over the years. They're doing fine out there, despite all the imagery of the impoverished fisherman. There's more affluence than I expected. The offshore oil industry is blowing my mind.
3) Danny Williams may very well surpass Great Big Sea on the popularity meter out there.
4) Everyone should visit Newfoundland. It's an awesome place, just like everyone says. I can't wait to go back and see the west side of the island.
Distance: 11 km return
Elevation gain: 1200 m
Maximum elevation: 2600 m
This is a highly scenic hike which I much prefer to the approach from the Pinto Lake trailhead. The trail to Landslide lake from the south begins just beyond Whirlpool Ridge towards the Banff Park boundary. The trailhead is well signed and the route is obvious. After passing through the burn on the valley floor, the trail begins to climb away from Wild Horse creek along an exposed spine, with Whirlpool Ridge on your right side. Once you leave the creek, water is not abundantly available. The trail is relentlessly uphill but the footing is never loose.
At treeline, you recross the creek onto the southeast side where there are a couple informal campsites. This is the most overgrown part of the trail, but you fight through some trees for only a short while before it opens up completely. Work your way up the obvious ridge to your right towards a knob, with the col visible beyond. The high peak to the left has plenty of cornices even at this time of year, whose failure has led to many avalanches into the upper valley from the northwest. We watched a couple cornices drop onto bare rock below. Hence, the southeast side of the upper valley is the proper route.
On this trip, we hit the snow line at 2200m, with much of it being recent. It was ankle/shin deep to the first col. From here, we continued to the right, to a small peak with a saddle on each side with views down to Landslide Lake; post-holing through isothermal snow from knee to thigh deep was lots of fun.
The total distance to the south end of the lake is 7.5 km. The lake is often open by the last week in June, depending on the year. Keep in mind, the descent towards the lake will have snow well into the first part of July because of the north aspect. As an aside, Lake of the Falls, being smaller and higher elevation, is often not free of ice until the first week of July. Summer is obviously very late arriving in the high country this year.
Our group split up at the upper valley. The girls headed back down, and the boys continued to the top. It took us about 4 hours to the top of the peak, and just over 1.5 hours to get down. The women told us about how they caught up to some hikers wearing t-shirts, jeans, and running shoes on the way back to the trailhead who had apparently turned around from their attempt to reach Landslide Lake. They didn't know what they were getting into, that's for sure.
A few photos from a ski up to Healy Pass with Chris and Dustin.
A couple images from a ski tour to Observation Mountain in Banff National Park with Chris, Dustin, and Jessica. We got to the col before the weather closed in on us.
On this warm, breezy Saturday I met Clayton at 7:30 am and we did the Birdwood Traverse starting at Commonwealth Creek, with side-trips to include Burstall and South Burstall Passes.
Distance: ~25 km
Total elevation gain: ~1500 m
The trailhead begins at a parking area that branches left from the main road leading to the Mt. Shark cross-country trails. You can short-cut this flat section of trail by cutting across the meadows further east down the main road. The valley opens up shortly after a small set of falls.
Darren had been planning and researching this trip for several months, and the time had finally arrived. The B.C. forest fire situation had been extinguished thanks to cold temperatures and rain. The forecast was rather pessimistic too, but there were enough little sunny icons on the weather page for us to be hopeful of a couple good days in the Kakwa.
For access, park information, and trail descriptions, see John Vogt's superb Kakwa website. Richard Giroday's internet essay is a good resource, as is mvjanzen's recent trip report. If you're like me, you've seen nothing but sunny pictures from the park... until now.
Saturday, September 4:
The Walker Forestry Service Road was in excellent condition despite heavy rains on the drive in, and we arrived to find a busy trailhead. It was clearly occupied by ATV users, not hikers. We porcupine-proofed our vehicles and generally hunkered down for the evening, trying to stay dry. Our original plan was to overnight at the Kakwa cabin before proceeding to the Jarvis Lake cabin, but I'd been warned that the porcupines had done a number on the cabin over the winter and we'd be wise to bring tents just in case. Given the worsening weather Saturday night, we made the decision to only go to the Kakwa cabin and do day hikes from there. This would allow us to pack lighter and hopefully maximize our time in the park.
Sunday, September 5:
To say it was cold, wet, and windy is an understatement. We couldn't see any of the surrounding mountains, let alone the peaks. But off we went. The washouts start early but were easy to negotiate. The lower trail (the recommended mountain bike trail, which veers to the left once across Bastille Creek) was pretty solid overall, although we had to dismount several times to walk through some horrendously muddy sections. Only one washout came to my hips but it wasn't difficult.
We made it to Buchanan Creek in 1.5 hours. The crossing was just above knee height for myself. And then the trail went up. There wasn't much point pedaling a lot of it, since we could walk nearly as fast with much less effort. Blueberries were ripe and we encountered bear scat frequently (later, the park host would tell us that they ran into a big silver tip grizzly at McGregor Pass). Once we finished the long haul up to McGregor Pass, the rain stopped. It was a relatively flat ride past Wishaw and Mariel Lakes until the turnoff to the cabins, where we had the opportunity to end our day with a fast ride downhill. Darren was having problems with his rear brakes, so I don't think he enjoyed it as much as I did. In total, with lunch and breaks, the trip in was 8 hours.
At the lake, we were greeted by park host Sam and his mother. They kindly offered us tea and cookies and helped us get settled in. The cabin was clean and cozy and we slept well.
I didn't take any pictures from the biking portion (SLR stashed in my pack, underneath a very necessary raincover).
Monday, September 6:
We awoke to poor visibility and snow on the surrounding peaks. I got a few morning photos as we discussed our options for the day. Anything with elevation was out. We still had time on our side. So we decided to hunker down and make the best of the day in the comfortable lakeside cabin. Sam and his mom left first thing in the morning so we had the whole place to ourselves. The sun peaked out a couple times during the mid-afternoon but the clouds never lifted off the mountains. Even the lowly Mt. Ruth was obscured for the whole day.
The morning looked clear. The barometer on my watch still indicated the pressure was through the basement and the wind was blowing, but we got an early start to La Glace Lake. It would be approximately a 16 km round trip to the ridge east of the lake. The clouds hung low over Wishaw Mountain, probably due to the glacier further cooling the air around it, and we kept our fingers crossed.
The trail towards the La Glace turn-off was well marked. There were no human footprints but recent deer, elk, moose, wolf, grizzly sow and cub(s) were evident. At the edge of one particular meadow, there is a memorial to Carl Brooks, a big game outfitter and pilot who died in a plane crash in 1945. There were pieces of the airplane which people have found over the years and piled against the memorial. It was very interesting.
Once we reached La Glace creek, we stayed on the east side and bushwacked up to the basin. Route-finding was relatively easy. We walked past a beautiful waterfall here:
Once at La Glace Lake, I decided to scramble a gully up the ridge to the east for a better perspective. It got very sketchy at the top, with loose scree on unstable terrain. I couldn't make my way up through the vegetation because with the steep grade and rain it was incredibly slick. I was glad to get up and down in one piece. Great views from the top were worthwhile, even though the low clouds obscured the Wishaw Glacier. This ridge has a great vantage point of the entire area.
On the return, we crossed La Glace Creek at it's outflow from the lake, and followed a game trail across the forested ridge parallel to the lake before descending to the large open meadow which you can see in the picture above. We spotted an orange marker at the north side of the meadow which led us to a good trail on the west side of the creek, which we followed all the way out.
Amazingly, the sun came out for our walk across the meadows to Kakwa Lake. Looking back to Wishaw Peak, however, we could see the low clouds continued to hang persistently. Views across to Ian Monroe and St. Andrew were beautiful.
Wednesday, September 8:
We had identified Corniche Pass and Babette Lake vicinity as our objective for Wednesday. However, the weather seemed to have it in for us. It was the coldest morning so far with a lot of wind, and the clouds were heavy and low. We waited until 10 am to see if we could hallucinate some sort of clearing pattern, but nothing was changing. Instead of spending another day cooped up in the cabin, we elected to head home. On the south side of McGregor Pass, we encountered a few sunny breaks, but it was obvious as we looked back over our shoulders that the Kakwa valley was still mired in a brew of low clouds.
The ride down was awesome. It took 3.5 hours to get from the cabin to our vehicles as the kilometers ticked by with no effort. The tote road is lined with blueberries and tall thick willows at times, so we made sure to make a lot of noise as we whipped around blind corners. Our only disappointment was encountering ATV tracks up towards the pass. Motorized vehicles (except snowmobiles) are NOT allowed past Buchanan Creek. This is clearly indicated by a sign south of Buchanan Creek.
Photo by Darren Bell
Photo by Darren Bell
Sometimes you're lucky with the weather and other times you draw the short straw. Regardless, it was a worthwhile trip to a beautiful destination. A great sense of wilderness and solitude awaits those who make the effort to travel to the Kakwa.
Thanks again to Darren for organizing this trip (edit: RIP buddy)
This trip started out as our back-up plan after I was unable to secure backcountry permits to my first choice. I had previously talked with Clayton about the idea of returning to Michele Lakes; I've always thought it was one of the prettiest places on Earth and wanted to take Erin there. We got Darren and Steve to join us and we all met up the night before at Thompson Creek campground. The idea was to try to do the loop from Owen Creek to Sunset Pass, part of the Caribou section of the Great Divide Trail.
Day 1: Owen Creek Trailhead to Michele Lakes
Distance: 13.2 km
Elevation gain (to unnamed pass): 1060 m
Elevation loss (to Michele Lakes): 125 m
After some car shuttling between trailheads, we started up the beautiful Owen Creek canyon. It had changed since I was there 3 years ago though; a controlled burn had led to more deadfall and the trail was quite overgrown in places. We made slow progress up the gully and having my dog on a leash around my waist made for a few headaches... I actually had to carry him at a couple points.
Once we finally made treeline, the smoke from the B.C. forest fires was obscuring an otherwise beautiful view. We made the slow slog up the unnamed pass to 2460 m as the group spread out.
The descent was soggy through the flood plain above the lakes and the mosquitoes started to get miserable. Clayton, Erin, and I cooked dinner above the upper lake while Darren and Steve proceeded to find a camp spot between the two lakes. It wasn't an easy 13.2 km and we pretty much went right to bed.
Day 2: Michele Lakes to Sunset Pass
Distance: 18.5 km
Elevation gain: 1010 m
Elevation loss: 1150 m
As day broke, I poked around the area taking photos. I climbed the moraine to the south for a better vantage. It was much clearer but the small amount of smoke in the air made for some nice colors with sunrise. It was day two and the dog was still on a leash and hadn't caused any havoc.
Lower Michele Lake hanging above a precipitous drop:
Wildflowers were in full bloom.
Alpenglow on the impressive rockwall above the upper lake.
Our camp situated in the meadows between the two lakes.
Cascades at the outflow of the upper lake.
The sun started to come out and it got quite warm by mid-morning. After some deliberation, Darren and Steve chose to head back down Owen Creek while Clayton, Erin and I decided to continue on the loop. Immediately after reaching the floodplain above the lakes, we began the ascent of the next unnamed pass with the hot sun at our backs. At the top of the highest pass on the GDT, 2590 m, the views were magnificent.
Descending into Waterfalls Valley, looking across to the next pass to climb.
With every step down, we knew we were going to have to take another step up in an hour or so. We ended up descending too soon once over the pass; it would have been easier to traverse high across the first drainage and then drop down to the valley.
Waterfalls Valley was serene. We descended a gully where we could spot a trail clearly on the other side, angling up a bench to the next pass.
Here we are on the north side, looking back to the previous pass from Michele Lakes. The second photo is looking down the Waterfalls Valley towards the Cline river.
Cresting the second pass at 2460 m, we could look ahead to Cataract Valley, Huntington Valley, and Sunset Pass. This was a broad, rolling pass with flowers in full bloom. Despite the mid-day temperatures and a nice breeze, the mosquitoes tormented us through the alpine.
We spotted our next campsite on the alpine ledges just below the top of Sunset Pass.
Here we begin the long descent to Pinto Lake, looking back to the pass we just gained. It felt unusual to have an actual trail to follow.
It was a tedious walk through the trees from the previous pass. The trail circles Pinto Lake counter-clockwise, passing by the Trees of Renown, until you reach the Pinto Lake campground. We forded the river at the outlet, cooked supper by the lake, then continued up to Sunset Pass under light showers.
From the campground, the trail follows the river downstream for a few hundred meters; where the river braids on your right and a small clearing emerges on the left, the trail to Sunset Pass turns left into the trees. There are some primitive bridges across the Cline at this point.
The trail is in excellent condition through the trees as it switchbacks up the slope. Finally we had some views down the valley as we crossed a few avalanche slopes. The last section up to our intended campsite took us through a small break in the cliff band.
This was another beautiful campsite. On a protected alpine bench with protective cliffs above, it overlooked the Cline River Valley and Pinto Lake. Unfortunately, a spring that was there a couple years ago had dried up so there was no water source. This wasn't a concern since we had packed up water in the event this spring had dried up.
Day 3: Sunset Pass to Trailhead
Distance: 8.2 km
Elevation loss: 700 m
It poured overnight which made for a cozy sleep. The sun broke through the mist in the morning for long enough to dry out our tents and allow us to break camp.
We got wet through the willowy meadows even though it wasn't raining, and it did start drizzling once we were in the trees. It was a very quick exit on the last day, which left us with lots of time to stop for pizza in Rocky Mountain House before parting ways.
The scenery was amazing on this trip, and seemed amplified by remoteness of the area. We saw only a couple fishermen at Michele Lakes who were dropped off by helicopter, and ran into two hikers at Pinto Lake who had come down Cataract Creek. They seemed glad to have a bit of help finding the trail up to Sunset Pass and they ended up camping with us that night. Not bad for August long weekend in the Rockies. Thanks guys!
On a Sunny July weekend, Erin and I went hiking with Matt and Tammy to the Iceline Trail in Yoho National Park. This is a classic dayhike best experienced on a sunny day. We hiked the loop from the hostel to Little Yoho Valley and back to Takakkaw Falls.
Myself and the better half spent four days in Skoki after the long weekend, and were treated by fantastic weather and remarkable solitude for such a popular area. There hasn't been a TR from Skoki in a while, so I thought I'd share some pictures.
Day 1: Trailhead to Merlin Meadows; 15.7 km
It was a warm day after way too much cold and rain over the long weekend. The hike up to Boulder Pass was uneventful. We saw some sheep, fat marmots, and a pair of bald eagles on the hoodoos north of the pass.
Swarmed by bugs at Ptarmigan Lake, we continued up the gentle ascent of Deception Pass. Great views down Skoki Valley from the col.
Zigadenus Lake was still frozen but Myosotis was clear. There were only a few patches of snow on the north side of the pass.
Merlin Meadows was deserted when we got there, and we settled in for a nice long nap. Only one other group arrived later that evening.
Day 2: Dayhike to Merlin Lake; 6 km
I got up early to take some shots in the meadows.
The route up to Merlin was occasionally soggy in the valley but in overall good condition up to the lake. I tried to go for a swim in the lake but in the end it wasn't quite hot enough to convince me to dunk the top half.
We spent the rest of the afternoon at camp napping, eating, and napping some more. We had the whole place to ourselves this night. The only thing that wasn't perfect was the mosquitoes.
Day 3: Baker Lake via Jones Pass & Cut-off to Cotton Grass Pass; 8 km
This was a nice easy day. Here is Jones Pass:
We elected to take the cut-off trail to Cotton Grass Pass rather than detouring to Red Deer Lakes which we thought would be pretty buggy. The avy run-outs on the north side of Fossil still had a lot of snow which made the going a bit tricky for a short time. Then, the descent to Cotton Grass Pass:
We reached Baker Lake by early afternoon and while there were a couple tents set up, we didn't see anyone. It was getting really hot, so out came the tent footprint, on went the sunscreen, and we proceeded to have another lengthy nap down by the lake, taking intermittent dips to cool off. By evening, we finally had a few other groups show up. The first we'd seen of anyone in a couple days.
We saw a golden eagle soaring past Fossil Mountain and the sounds of the loons made for nice evening music. An osprey swooped in and snagged a fish while we were at the lake. Very cool.
Day 4: Baker Lake to Trailhead; 13.1 km
The last morning was perfectly calm and warm. I got up to watch day break. The way out was quick, thanks to the Lake Louise staff for a lift!
While in San Francisco, we rented a car and drove down the coast through Santa Cruz, Carmel, Monterey, and Big Sur. There were plenty of opportunities for hiking, both up the hills and down to the many beaches, especially south of Carmel.
Marshall Beach, San Francisco: A 10 minute hike down the hill from Lincoln Blvd in the Presidio, this is a great perspective of the Golden Gate Bridge. And when my wife turned in surprise to find a naked guy playing with himself, we soon realized it was also a popular nude beach.
Natural Bridges State Park, Santa Cruz: This is a very cool little city, with a vibrant downtown, markets, and fun shops. Just outside town is this small but unique state park. We had a picnic supper on the beach here.
Monterey: The 17 mile drive across the mansion-spotted coastline featuring (among many) Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill golf courses was well worth the $10. We saw sea otters, seals, cormorants, and deer, as well as countless songbirds. Carmel was a very nice city too.
Big Sur: This coastal drive was amazing, with plenty of spots to stop and stretch the legs. One of the nicest spots was at the north end of Julia Pfeffer Burns State Park, where another 10 minute hike takes you to McWay Falls. We met an excited young couple who had got engaged here the night before, and had returned to take pictures. They asked me to do some engagement shots for them, which was a lot of fun.
Garrapata State Park: The big bang on our trip was Garrapata State Park. We found a pull-out where there might be a trail leading down to the beach just as the sun was setting. The trail worked its way down to a creek lined with calla lilies, which fed out of a steep drainage right into the ocean. The solitude and beauty of this spot was remarkable. A couple seals started coming close and poking their heads up at us; one had a fish in his mouth. In the low light, it wasn't worth trying to get a picture. We stayed until the light left us and the cold Pacific winds sent us back towards our car.
Distance: 12 km
Elevation gain: 1150 m
Time: 4.5 hours
The weather was a breezy, partly cloudy 4 degrees at Kootenay Plains, which is where our hike began. The trailhead is supposed to start at the Two O'Clock Creek campsite, but it is all locked up for the winter. The Kootenay Plains group camp is also locked up so we parked outside the gates and began our hike from there.
We walked through the Cavalcade and picked up a trail beyond a cattle guard in the direction of Two O'Clock Creek. The trail takes you through deciduous forest and past this old relic:
After crossing the creek, we passed through a burn from the late 90s, and headed up a small ridge line with views towards the Siffleur and Whiterabbit valleys.
Soon the hike turned into a fairly relentless uphill trudge, which involved a bit of scree at treeline. Switchbacks? None. Snowline was at 2100 m, and not at all deep. A couple pockets were up to my shins, but most of it was scoured. You can see our route along the ridge to the summit here:
You can't tell from the pictures but we were getting pummeled pretty hard by some gusts as we neared the top. The views from the summit were great, and the larger peak overlooking Landslide Lake seems like a worthy summer destination.
We made two small errors on the way back. First, we got too close to the gully on the descent and found ourselves on some sketchy footing for a while before we were able to cut back towards the proper route. This wouldn't have been as difficult if I didn't have my dog leashed to my waist and if the ground wasn't frozen.
Further on, we were happily following the a trail and soon found ourselves confronted with the option of descending into the gully or backtracking and trying to get on top of the ridge. We chose to bushwhack down to the creek and follow it out. This actually worked out well and we were able to pick up the trail again in the flats.
I don't know what was different about this trip but a day later I'm feeling every one of those 1150 meters.
In the height of larch season, we ventured into larch valley and Sentinel Pass. My photos were terrible, but here's a shot into the upper reaches of Paradise Valley from the pass.
In my opinion, there is only one way to hike the Skyline Trail: fast, light, and in good weather. By packing light and planning only one night, you can have a bit more flexibility when planning the trip and wait for a clear couple days. While I've always enjoyed my time in the mountains, I have rarely had such a euphoric hiking experience than this warm September weekend.
This is a short, easy scramble close to Canmore. It took us around three hours return.
"Good morning, have you seen my tent?"
These were the first words I heard on day 5 of our Nahanni raft trip. The wind was howling all night and I had awoken at 6:00 to the sounds of scuffing and scraping outside my tent. I emerged with spray and bangers at the ready, half expecting to see a bear rolling my barrel around. After looking for a while, I finally spotted a tent on its side in the brush far beyond my site on the gravel bar. I then turned my focus to one of my companions stumbling towards me with a hilariously confused expression written all over his face.
"I went to the bathroom and now I've returned and my tent has disappeared," he goes on to explain.
Trying to conceal my amusement at the prospect of a tent simply disappearing, I offered, "Perhaps it is that one in the bushes over there?" He was visibly relieved and I helped retrieve the tent and pack it away. Even more amusing was that he did not seem to recognize any of the ways in which he was responsible for allowing his tent to blow away. It was on a gravel bar at the mouth of a canyon, set up broadside to the wind, poorly pegged out, and nothing was being used to weigh it down. Damn tent. Must be something wrong with it.
It is a credit to Nahanni River Adventures / Canadian River Expeditions that someone like this, who has never so much as camped before, can spend a week on a remote river in relative comfort. The meals were, in a word, excessive. Lamb on a river? Greek night? French toast with sausages served while soaking in Krauses hot springs? It was like spending a week at your grandmas house, being force fed at every turn. I was fortunate to be able to go on this trip and was impressed by the foresight, organization, and systems my guiding friends use to make the experience a memorable one for their guests. Not to mention their patience, work ethic, and physical strength. Towards the end of the trip, one of the guests commented that he looked forward to going home and reclaiming his masculinity after watching how hard the girls had been working all week.
There were several memorable moments. The first was an exciting landing above Virginia Falls in a Twin Otter. Then paddling a ridiculously overloaded canoe to and from the portage dock in the dark of night, with the roar of the falls getting closer with each stroke. Later that night, I took off with a load down the portage trail and my first view of the falls was a solitary one, with heavy mist settling in the dark canyon.
The moment at The Gate when the skies finally started clearing after days of rain was amazing, and soaking in Krause's hot springs over breakfast was a great way to start a day. The Chasm of Chills was a thrill and fun way to cool off. I enjoyed watching black bears swim across the wide river, and spotting some Dall's sheep on the cliffs. The Northern Lights were no less than spectacular at times.
And then there were those moments where I found myself questioning the obvious discord between civilization and nature. Do we tarnish the experience by mixing the comforts of home with the wildness of nature? Are the canyons diminished and the mountains less impressive by our attempts to make the trip accessible for all?
From a selfish perspective, I'm inclined to say yes. However, the benefit to those who otherwise would never experience the wilderness like this cannot be ignored or minimized. These people who may not know how to set up a tent or build a campfire will return home with a new appreciation for the natural world. Hopefully their experiences will inform a new personal conservation ethic next time they go to flush the toilet or turn on the air conditioning.
This recently expanded National Park is a beautiful gateway to an understanding of the north, an ambassador for conservation, and an enjoyable experience for all.
It's not very often you can hike from Banff National Park to Jasper National Park to the White Goat Wilderness and back again in 7 hours, allowing plenty of time for lunch and monkeying with pictures.
I met Dieter at the trailhead at 6:45 and we were back at the vehicles by 1:45 which was great because, after all, he had to put in a 12 hour shift after hiking 26 km. And I had a 5 hour drive ahead of me.
Let's just say we kept a swift pace. I didn't take many pictures on the way in because we were walking towards the sun. Most of the canyon shots are taken on the way out. On the way up the canyon, we kept to the rock, marveling at the different colours of debris left by a massive landslide long ago. On the return trip, we took a less conventional route. This included some unnecessary scrambling, wading through creeks, and exploring waterfalls.
There's not much to write about this trip that the pictures can't convey, other than to say it was punctuated by great company and spectacular views.
Nigel Pass, looking west:
Nearing the base of Cataract Pass, looking back down the valley:
The meltwater lake at the head of the valley before beginning the ascent.
The view north from Cataract Pass:
Upper Brazeau canyon:
One of the nicest short hikes in the Rockies is Wilcox Pass. The trail starts on the north side of the Wilcox Creek campground road near the highway. A short hike brings you into the alpine with great views over the AA glacier. For enhanced views, follow the ridge-line towards the peak, where you can get a great perspective over the Columbia Icefield.
Prince Edward Island:
Nova Scotia:
The Skyline Trail is between Pleasant Bay and Cheticamp on the west shore of Cape Breton Island. It is a popular hike through scrubby forest and across open meadows. It terminates at an impressive boardwalk with a commanding view of the ocean. Watch for moose, rabbits, and (sadly) coyotes.
Looking for an early season destination, we decided on Jacques Lake. We woke Saturday morning to unpredictable skies, and drove to the trailhead which heads north from the far end of Medicine Lake. Initially an easy 4x4 track, the trail passes Beaver Lake. After 4 km you reach the first of the summit lakes and the trail narrows, crossing some nasty deadfall between a couple of the lakes. It kept threatening to rain. After the last of the summit ponds, the trail follows the creek down to Jacques Lake, keeping in the trees the whole time. The lakeside campground was a beautiful setting. The place was empty; we enjoyed a 3 hour nap, waking at supper time. Suddenly, a group of 11 hikers showed up and our solitude was suspended. They were, however, an enjoyable group.
I woke up early to take some pictures while everyone was still asleep. Ducks and loons were active, but the resident moose didn't show up unfortunately. The hike out was uneventful.
Darren, Steve, and I planned a backpacking trip over May long weekend from Crescent Falls to Wapiabi Gap, with the eventual goal of doing some amateur spelunking. The typical access to the caves is from the opposite direction, nearer to the Blackstone staging area, but since we wanted a couple nights in the backcountry we took the "scenic route." This, however, placed the location of the cave in question since we weren't using the official trailhead. In addition, there were conflicting and suspect coordinates from both a guidebook and the web. More on that to come.
I was to meet Darren and Steve at the Crescent Falls campground Friday night. They had arrived early to beat the weekend party crowd. I was making great time until I hit a massive checkstop on Highway 11 which kept traffic at a standstill for 40 minutes! On a main highway! Oh well, if it saves a life or two, I suppose my inconvenience is worth it. Wildlife was abundant on the road; I saw countless deer, elk, and a group of wild horses. Among them were a couple foals.
After meeting the guys, Steve made some delicious campfire pies and we had a few beers before turning in. The night was uneventful with the exception of one hapless camper who locked himself in the outhouse and proceeded to pass out.
We got an early start and found the trail was boring and mostly treed; our entertainment consisted of spotting a grouse, rabbits, goldeneyes, and songbirds.
We set up a comfortable camp by an unnamed lake at the head of Sunkay meadows (meadows = tangled brush and muskeg). Our only neighbours were the resident muskrat family. Pictured below is Mr. Muskrat staring us down with his beady little eyes.
The next morning we began our dayhike into Wapiabi Gap. The views opened up at the creek crossing. At this point, the recurrence of a previous hip injury made it apparent to Steve that he couldn't undertake any ascents, so he turned back for camp.
The creek cut into the steep bank, forcing Darren and I to undertake an interesting bushwhack for a distance. I take full responsibility for leading him straight up 100 ft and then down 100 ft through the brush. In retrospect, Darren, it probably wasn't necessary.
The trail was so infrequently traveled that it was tough to figure out in places. We had decided that if we hadn't found a trailhead to the cave by a certain point, we wouldn't go any farther. It was becoming clear that the coordinates we had for the caves were incorrect, so we sat at a beaver pond for lunch to contemplate our predicament. These enterprising beavers had hijacked both the stream and the trail for their beaverly purposes, massacring the landscape in the most impressive of ways. They didn't emerge from the lodge to join us, unlike the amicable muskrats back at camp.
On the way back to camp, Darren's keen eye spotted some ribbon on a tree in what looked like a promising direction for a trail. As we started for the trees, I saw a flicker of movement, freezing cartoonishly in mid-stride. I saw a large, chestnut colored body with a slightly lighter snout only twenty paces ahead. "There's a moose," I said quietly to Darren.
"Really?" he replied, as I reached for my camera and leaned to the right to see the animal's head between two tree trunks.
A split second realization hit me as the animal stared back at me. It was the size of a moose, the color of a moose, but it was definitely not a moose. "Nope. It's a bear. We should go," came my quick correction.
We turned on our heels and headed for the main trail. We were both surprised at how close we came to walking headlong into the biggest f'in grizzly I've ever seen. My adrenaline spiked pretty hard, and Darren got a kick out of me as I carried my bear spray out of its holster, looking over my shoulder frequently.
"To be fair," I said later, "it didn't look you right in the eyes." And my limited experience to date has seen 3 peaceful reactions and 1 aggressive reaction in near grizzly encounters. For me, that ratio is not yet good enough.
The return trip was uneventful, but we did see a footprint that vouched for the large size of the bear.
Steve had a big stack of firewood when we returned and we had another enjoyable evening hanging out by the lake. At one point, the wind changed distinctly to the east, followed by rain shortly thereafter. During the night, the pitter-patter of rain softened to the unmistakable sound of snow, and we all wondered what the morning would bring.
It turned out to be 3 inches of snow by 5 am the next morning, and it continued to fall throughout the day. Our hike out was quick (for Steve quite painful) but we all made it out intact.
I had a lot of fun, learned some new things from Steve & Darren, and hope to do another trip soon when we can get out of the valley bottom.
We spent a week at the El Dorado Seaside Suites. The resort is small and the staff are excellent. If you're looking for glitz and glamour, you won't find it here. The biggest strength of this property was the food. And while it was a pleasant week, we decided that the all-inclusive Mexican holiday is not quite our preference. Been there, done that!
Time for a day hike out of the pages of Ross & Kyba. It was our puppy's first hike! We got going around 9:30 but didn't have any visibility due to fog until about 10:30. It was an excellent hike with open views most of the way, and the south-facing slope was nice and warm. One important intersection is found on a long open slope and marked by two large cairns. Here, the Kinglet Lake trail diverges left towards the creek and the Tuff Puff trail continues up the hill. There are some steep sections as you gain nearly 1000 m, especially near the end, but not as difficult as the guidebook suggests. Round trip is just under 15 km.
The first view towards Tuff Puff, on the right:
Looking back towards the Siffleur:
Looking towards Kinglet Lake:
Looking towards Two O'Clock Ridge/Creek
At the top of the ridge:
Proud puppy:
What a weekend to hit the Icefields Parkway! We met my parents at a campground on Highway 11 before leaving Saturday morning for the Helen Lake trailhead. My parents, though active, are not used to hiking, and my dad is waiting for surgery on his meniscus. From what I'd read, the trail to Helen Lake was not overly taxing.
It turned out to be a pleasant, short hike up to the lake. It started in open forest on well-worn trail. Early on, a few streams were crossed. Steady, moderate elevation gains took us through an old burn and then onto the shoulder of the mountain. Through the trees, we could peek back towards Bow Lake.
Once around the shoulder of the mountain, views up the valley towards Cirque Peak opened up. Wildflower season was in full bloom, and the color spectrum was amazing. At one point a stream cuts through the meadow, making a wonderful place to stop.
Helen Lake itself sits below a ridge with Cirque Peak as a backdrop. We stopped for a quick snack and I headed towards Cirque, hoping to reach the summit and be back down in about an hour and a half, before the other three got too bored by the lake.
The climb starts past a tarn above the ridge. A short climb up the soft slope leads over a snowy ridge onto the south face of the mountain. From here, it is straight up, easy going. Even the final pull to the summit is simple, with a bit of loose scree before scrambling the final few meters. But what a view greets you after less than an hour from Helen Lake!
I started back, getting halfway down the mountain when I met my mom coming up with another group. It seemed she had changed her mind about climbing the mountain. She was determined to reach the top, so I turned around and went up again. She was quite proud of her accomplishment, and rightfully so!
In all, both an accessible and spectacular dayhike. The meadows themselves are worth seeing in the height of flower season, so don't let the crowds deter you.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Morning came early as we had stayed up late organizing gear for the trip. We picked up the rental car at the Whitehorse aiport, met up with Troy and Annie, and loaded all the gear into car. After a couple short stops in town for last minute supplies, we were on our way.
Under gray skies, we traveled west along the Alaska Highway to Haines Junction. I had been told that there was construction at the Sheep Mountain centre, so I wanted to try to register at the Parks office in Haines Junction. Alana had been given reliable advice to avoid the Slims River due to habituated bear activity. However, our other group members were still hopeful to do the trail and when the Parks employees downplayed the bear issues, we went ahead and signed up.
Now that we were registered, we were not in a panic to reach the Sheep Mountain centre. The bakery across the street came highly recommended, so we stopped for a final meal. I suggest the Hawaiian Pizza with the greatness of onions, zucchini, and peppers in addition to the regular dressings.
A beautiful drive from the town of Haines Junction leads gradually up a wide valley with larger peaks ahead. At Kluane Lake, we waited in line for a pilot car to take us through the blasting zone. We made a left turn past the Parks office down the access road to the warden's cabin and trailhead in 2 km. We loaded packs, locked the car, and were on our way. The time was 4:30.
The trail began as a ATV track through open forest. The first crossing of Sheep Creek happened very early on, but we were able to hop across. Views up onto the Boullion Plateau were inviting. At the rocky Boullion Creek crossing we had to change footwear for the knee-deep ford. After crossing, we followed the gravel wash to pick up the trail again. The toe of the Kaskawulsh Glacier came into view before we re-entered the trees. The trail descended to the valley floor and the going was quick.
We started looking for a suitable place to camp once beyond the windy Boullion dunes. A good spot seemed to be off the trail approximately 100 m uphill on an open plateau, yet trees to either side provided some degree of protection from the heavy winds. We pitched tents and cooked our meals.
After eating, there was some discussion about where to do the dishes. Alana and I felt the main river would be the best to carry food particles and odors downstream. However, reaching the main channel would require walking through a soggy marsh, so Annie and Troy headed down to a smaller stream at the bottom of the bluff. Meanwhile, I looked at Alana and it was clear that she wasn't coming, for whatever reason (she still doesn't know why), so I left her reclining against a large tree and went down to join the others.
I walked slowly, pensively, aware of a sense of desolation. Perhaps it was the unrelenting wind, the strangely light sky at a late hour, and the lack of any other sound that made me feel that way. Also, the sense of distance was setting in, as I had traveled from Edmonton to Kluane National Park in such an unnaturally short time. Air travel is so funny that way. So I clanked my spork on the pot lid as I descended the hummocky slope.
The three of us finished up the dishes and I gathered my pots, starting up the sandy bluff. From behind, I heard Troy say "bear." I turned around, expecting to call "bullshit." However, his expression was unmistakable. I followed his gaze. 10 meters in front of me, at the top of the bluff, was a medium-sized grizzly, red in color with a blond saddle area. He was approaching us from upwind. We grouped together, hands up, and backed away slowly while talking gently to it. The approach continued. Troy fumbled with the safety on the bear spray and I took it from him. As I slid the guard off, a small plume of spray came out, hitting me in the face. It wasn't a bad shot, thankfully, but I could certainly feel the burn on my lips and right eye. Still the approach continued. We began to make more noise, telling it to back off, get away, etc. I fired a banger into the air with one hand while my other hand instinctively reached for my camera.
The banger caught the bear's attention and he retreated to the top of the bluff. This bought us some time to figure out that we were blocking his passage along the trail which had funnelled both parties together. We stepped back into the marsh as he did something I didn't quite expect. He raised up on his hind legs, then pounded both front feet into the ground. He shook his head, started grunting, then looked directly at us and began to charge. Frozen, unable to move if I'd wanted to, we held our ground and he arrested his charge at 10 meters away. He then took notice of my clean pots which I'd dropped to thread my banger, and we slowly rotated around him at a 10 meter radius while he began to lick them.
Once at the top of the bluff, we were joined by a wide-eyed Alana and we filled her in. We hurried up towards camp to pack and leave before the bear tired of my pots. I've never packed so fast. We waited impatiently for everyone to finish packing, and walked until 11:30, finding another place to camp near an alluvial fan approximately 100 m off the trail at the 15 km mark. It was still windy and cold, and felt generally unfriendly.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
I didn't sleep well, waking often from the wind and the noises which accompanied it. It's fair to say I was a bit spooked. My hip was also aching because I didn't stretch after hiking. I was in a hurry to break camp. I would definitely not recommend camping between Boullion Creek and Canada Creek, where the alluvial fans funnel both bears and humans into inevitably close contact.
We hit the uphill section just as the effects of a bad Indian buffet were beating Troy into submission. So it was slow going as his intestines were curry-whipped the whole way. Once arriving at our destination, we found a perfect campsite on a rise overlooking the whole valley. The wind was still cold and strong, but we had faith in a forecast that called for better weather tomorrow.
Monday, July 21, 2008
We woke to windy conditions. It was sunny, but a low cloud shrouded Observation mountain and was not lifting or changing while we ate breakfast. We hit the trail around 10:00 am. We stuck close to the north bank, figuring a direct route was worth a deeper ford. As it turned out, there was no problem crossing the braids higher up Canada Creek. It was a long, rocky walk up the creek to its confluence with Columbia Creek. Views continued to improve up the valley until we reached a white rock with a small cairn on it.
Here we started up the steep slope. It was a long, relentless climb for me, especially since I was carrying a large pack with food and extra clothes. If weather conditions had been poor, we would have been thankful for it, but as it turned out it was just extra weight. There was very little exposure, and the narrow sections were relatively sheltered from the prevailing northwest winds. One rise after another, we climbed from initially rocky terrain into softer footing which made for nice climbing.
I started to fade pretty hard near the top of the plateau, at which point I looked ahead to see Alana crest a rise, stop, and put her hands in the air. Troy soon followed suit. Another bear, there was no mistaking, and I could barely stand up. They headed back down to my position, wide-eyed as they described the size of this one who, fortunately, was not bothered by our presence. We skirted around the bear further down the slope, coming around the plateau at a lower elevation.
I followed them around the other side so we were looking across the gully to the plateau on the other side. I stumbled and crashed; I simply didn't have enough sugar to stand up. We rested for a couple minutes while I ate a meal replacement bar. It was the oddest sensation; I've never been so hypoglycemic, and I could quickly feel myself returning to life.
From here, it became a glorious walk across the high plateau, soft ground cover sinking below our feet. The distant peaks of the St. Elias range became increasingly present, like jagged suns lifting from the horizon to reveal their snowy rays. Finally, the south arm of the glacier, then the north, then the confluence. We arrived under magically clear skies and the view was breathtaking. We left the large pack at the base of the climb up Observation Peak, and spotted some mountain goats up towards the summit. It was a steady but easy climb because of the soft footing. Upon reaching the false summit, we could see down the Kaskawulsh valley, and follow the glacier from its toe, up the confluence and both arms towards Mt. Logan, lost in the clouds.
We looked down to the meadow, spotting the distant figures of the four people from Juneau we had camped with the previous evening. Lingering in the icy wind for just long enough to drink in the views and take some pictures, we began our descent. It was a fun, easy descent to the plateau and we were careful as we approached each rise, half expecting to encounter the large brown grizzly that we'd seen earlier. We didn't encounter the other group, which made me wonder if they'd been turned back by the bear.
The way down was easier than I expected. The worst part was tediously crossing the rocky river flats back to camp. We caught up to the Alaskan group and it turned out they were unable to get around the same bear we encountered and unfortunately didn't get to see the glacier view.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
The route out was incredibly fast. We were able to keep to the flats, as the mud had dried sufficiently, which cut hours off our day. We had a sighting of the bad grizzly up on an alluvial fan 100 m to the west of us. He watched us but continued in the opposite direction. Otherwise, the hike was swift and uneventful. We stopped for a snack at the location of our troublesome encounter, and I recovered my slightly damaged pot and pan. Back to Haines Junction in time to load up with food at the grocery store.
After all was said and done, this was a remarkably memorable trip. Thanks to all who made it possible.
Lake of the Falls
We arrived at the Pinto Lake Trailhead at 9:30 on Friday night. With plenty of light, we decided to start onto the trail rather than camp at the trailhead. We biked the first section to Sentinel Creek which had the usual rocky/rooty/muddy obstacles, but overall it was quite manageable despite our backpacks with 4 days worth of supplies.
The next morning started off with an adrenaline shot as I carried the bikes across the creek and up Turkey Ridge. Even early in the morning the sun was starting to bring a lot of heat, not to mention three trips up and down the ridge. We again made pretty good time as we worked our way through open forest downhill to the Cline River. This is where it became clear that our memory of the trail wasn't as accurate as we thought. The flat section along the Cline had so many roots that with our backpacks on we were forced to walk more than ride. The north bank of the Cline has some interesting formations.
As the trail branched left at the large outfitter's camp, we again found ourselves pushing our bikes through eroded trail and nasty willow overgrowth in an old burn. Where the trail reaches a viewpoint overlooking the confluence of the Cline River Valley and Entry Creek, our frustration led us to stash the bikes and continue on foot (a decision approximately 2 km too late 
).
From here, the trail started to become more enjoyable as we flanked Entry Creek. Views continually improved and we reached the Landslide/Lake of the Falls junction quickly.
A bridged crossing over the first creek was followed by a knee-deep ford of Entry Creek shortly thereafter. We made it to the campsite at the base of the mountain for lunch before starting up the switchbacks. It was nice to finally gain some significant elevation. As the trail drops down to the creek above the second falls, there is a cairn on the opposite side where the trail is picked up again. We crossed here, but found out later you can keep your feet dry by picking your way upstream for 50 m to a rudimentary log bridge (depending on water levels I suppose).
The trail flanks the opposite side of Entry Creek for just a short distance before climbing steeply and without the aid of any switchbacks up the treed slope. Before long, you find yourself heading back downhill into a beautiful valley. Because of the melt, the path was quite wet in sections all the way to the lake.
We passed a couple of sunbathers wearing not much more than a smile (dropped off and picked up by helicopter) but found only two other real campers at the lake. On a sunny long weekend!
The next morning we explored the meadows above the lake, opting not to pursue the lookout on this trip. We saw some marmots and mountain goats here, but the goats were too far away to get a good picture.
Landslide Lake
We left Lake of the Falls before noon. It was another hot morning. Upon descending to the lower Entry Creek crossing, we discovered that the water level had risen more than a foot. It was now a thigh-deep ford whereas it was just below my knee level 24 hours earlier. We had witnessed much of the ice on the lake disappear during the time we were camped there.
After the ford and bridged crossing to follow, we turned up the Landslide Lake trail. It was a more direct trail with a steady but moderate ascent. Just after a point where there is a log "guard rail" defining the edge of the trail on your right, look for a small trail leading left up into the trees. There is a "H" carved into a tree which denotes the path to Hidden Lake. It's only a five-minute walk off the main trail and worth the short side-trip.
Some annoying deadfall slowed our progress on the main trail and we were confined to the trees for 3 km with the sound of the creek below on the right. After passing by a pretty little stream that tumbled through the moss, the trail started weaving through the rocky terrain which is the lake's namesake.
After approximately 3 hours, we reached the lake. It seemed we were the first ones of the day to claim a campsite, so we got a prime location on the point. We had a great evening around the campfire with our neighbours.
Once the sun went down, what was initially a lakeside paradise descended into mosquito hell. Morning brought no relief from the little buggers, and their attack on my wife was unrelenting. We also awoke to the sound of thunder, so we hurried to pack up just in case.
The bikes really didn't pay off on the way out like we thought they would until the other side of Sentinel Creek, when we finished on a high note, ripping downhill towards the trailhead. In the end, I think we saved quite a bit of time using the bikes, but they certainly did not spare us any effort. Decision: not recommended. The best way to do this trip would be to start up Wild Horse Creek to Landslide Lake, then Lake of the Falls, and out via Entry Creek/Cline River. However, this option requires two vehicles or hitch-hiking.
From Rome, we did a long daytrip to Florence and back on the train. This is a place I could really return to someday. We enjoyed walking the city and visiting a couple museums; climbing up the dome, and watching the sunset from the Piazza di Michelangelo. Incredible.
We had an 8 day honeymoon in Rome, with one day trip to Florence. We stayed at the Trilussa Palace which I would highly recommend. We saw as much of the city as possible and enjoyed the lack of crowds in January. The weather was 8-10 degrees and sunny. It couldn't have been more perfect!
This is a popular front-range backpacking loop beginning and ending at the Cline waste transfer station. We had solitude, except for curious bighorn sheep, on this September long weekend.
