Well, as I left Flin Flon and started South I soon realized that my prior night’s assessment of the available photo opportunities was very correct. I can see the appeal to some people of the Northern part of the prairies but after 3 hours of the same trees and a few lakes that all start to look the same with nothing in between I started to miss home. This Northern detour didn’t produce much in photos, partially due to the gray gloom of the sky. Some subject matter actually works with this sort of weather, (watch some of my upcoming photos) but I wasn’t feeling it when looking at the lake shores and birch trees of the Manitoba North.
As I watched the gas needle drop through a tank of gas I started to doubt myself and this trip. Partially due to the fact that the creative energy of the day had not been expended. I continued on as planned and pulled into Winnipeg just after dark. I stopped at the first Starbucks which for some reason doesn’t have WiFi access, (to which I found out after grabbing a coffee). I figured I could use the time to work on some of the photos I’ve taken. I eventually asked if there were any all night coffee joints in which I could work as I was back in my game after seeing some of the shots from previous days again. Apparently there isn’t much for all-nighters in the “Peg” but they told me that the Starbucks on the other side of the mall parking lot had wireless, which is where I am now. Outside as they’re now closed.
As I thought about my days so far on this trip I started to weave my own version of a common saying, “Everyday is a gift”. I believe this to the bottom of my heart, but with this amendment. Everyday is a gift, some days you get the shiny new bike, some days you get socks, but regardless, with every gift comes a photo of us opening it, cherish the shot and move on.
My two bits.
So I left North Battleford Saskatchewan and figured I can’t call it a cross CANADA road trip with out seeing some North. I started out heading North and getting some more good light for a few photo ops. The good weather followed me for awhile and then it got cloudy again.
I pulled off into an area called Sandy Beach and had a very strange thing happen. I was getting out of the truck and in the cold weather I may leave it running or sometimes leave the keys in the ignition allowing me to keep power to my inverter that charges my camera batteries etc. Anyway, I usually keep my second key in my camera bag but lately I’m hopping in and out and sometimes both sets of keys are in the truck. This time I thought “I should really put the extra key in my pocket” and I put it in my jacket chest pocket. I got out, took my shot, got back and drove down the road and around the corner. Not even half a mile. I got out to take another shot of a cabin I’d seen when I drove into the beach. I took my shot, turned around to open the door of the running truck and BAM, I was locked out, except for the fact that I had just decided to start carrying my extra key on me. Call it being in tune with the universe or sheer shit-house luck, whichever you chose I was damn happy that I paid attention to the old gray matter in my skull when it told me to be more careful.
As it appears the gray matter took a vacation soon after that because for some reason I figured it was a good idea to make my way to Flin Flon Manitoba. Yes, you read right, Flin Flon. I drove through the night because there was a few moments where the moon was peaking through and had I known where there was some good moonlight subject matter I could have got some good shots. As it appears, the only thing up here are lakes and trees, (Candle Lake looks like it could be really nice in the summer). When the wind is blowing and the sky cloudy and gray the photo ops were few and far between. I got tired and pulled over about 20 mins outside of the “Flin” and went to sleep. I woke up to another gloomy day, some light snow and slippery sections on the roads. I decided then that I’d head back down South.
So I got a late start to the day today but was happy I did. I felt refreshed and back on top of my game after feeling a little down and questioning what the hell I was doing out here yesterday. As I grabbed a Tim Hortons and looked through my map book I decided to head North. I’ve been dodging any sort of “weather” chasing the light so to speak as there has always been good light on the horizons, just not where I’ve been. I discarded this notion and decided to head North regardless. Today, the good weather was chasing me. As I headed out of Swift Current I soon got to a little place named Kyle. On the Northern side of Kyle I found a yard full of random junked cars from the 20s, 30s, 40s etc thrown in amongst some tractors and machinery for good measure. It was cloudy when I got there but all of a sudden after shooting for about 45 minutes the sky broke open and gave me some great light. I shot here for another 45 mins or so.
As I left there I soon got ahead of the sun and back under cloud cover, but as I stopped at each of the 3 or 4 stops I made I was soon met by the awesome late afternoon sunlight again. I got some of the best shots of my trip today. I will try and go through some and post some very soon.
I stopped in Biggar, SK for a burger at Hannigans, the second meal I’ve gone “out” for with the exceptions of the odd coffee here and there. I stocked up on some fruit and veggies this morning in Swift Current too.
So here I am in North Battleford. I found an internet cafe named Crandleberry’s and have about an hour. I’ll be working on some photos until the friend gent kicks me out at closing, then off to find a quiet parking spot for a nap.
Category: Highlights
Tags: burger, coffee, Crandleberry's, Hannigans, Kyle SK, north, North Battleford, saskatchewan, sunlight, Tim Hortons, weath Leave a Comment
So I woke up in Sceptre which is close to the Great Sand Hills in Southern Saskatchewan. The morning sky was again cloudy and gloomy but I did get a few short breaks throughout the day. On my way into the Sand Hills I was being raced by a coyote until he jutted off into the weeds. I got a couple shots of him before he disappeared. The hills were as I remembered them (was here for a music video once), from where I parked I had to hike in a little to the larger set of dunes but it was worth it. It was weird to to see and feel frost on sand dunes.
After leaving the hills I actually got lost amongst the rural farm roads. Not that I was too worried. I had lots of gas and just wandered, many old farmhouses and barns to be found. One totally abandoned farm even had an old Chevy parked in the garage. On my way out I came across the St. Johns School. It was a heritage site, one room schoolhouse that was in operation from the 20′s to the 60s. The thing I found pleasantly odd was that it was open, with all the desks and books and even a globe of the earth in the corner. You were welcomed to come in and look around and sign the guestbook but there was no one there. It was just “open”. It made me happy to know that “somewhere” there are places like this that don’t get trashed, enjoyed by public passersby and left intact. I signed the guestbook, left a couple of my cards in the pages and carried on my way.
A few more farm houses on the way, some road construction on the 32 and here I am in Swift Current Saskatchewan. Not sure where I’m heading tomorrow but all is well.
After a rainy night in Drumheller (Walmarts have good parking lots). I woke up early and headed out to the Dinosaur Trail. It was gray and gloomy out, no real morning light but I took a few shots anyway. The ferry that connects to the other half of the trail was closed for the season so I went back into Drumheller, grabbed a coffee from Iamara Internet Cafe, (Thanks ladies!), said “Hello” to the big Dinosaur and headed out of town. As I drove I started seeing shots of old farm houses and proceeded to start my collection.
I veered off whatever course I was on to check out the St. Peters Lutheran church. Not much of a religious person but I can appreciate the old structures. It was quite the deal considering the congregation moved it to a new location back in the 20s.
I made my way through Hanna Alberta and then into Saskatchewan. I ended up in Sceptre for the night with a quick stop on the way in Perlate when the clouds broke for a few minutes giving me some moonlight to shoot some night shots by.
For some reason after my last post from Canmore I wasn’t tired. I pulled over in Dead Man’s Flats and listened to the remainder of the Canucks game in the truck, oddly enough I did still get 1040 AM out here. After that I decided to drive into Calgary. Upon arriving I found myself driving around, looking at old apartments, old haunts and taking in how much things have changed since I lived here over nine years ago. At 1 am I found myself sitting in the dingy Blackfoot Diner, the last place I saw my dad alive. I had coffee and pie and stared out the window at the trucks. I then got myself back together and looked for a few tire shops in which would be my first stop in the morning.
After a little sleep I hit Fountain Tire, the Kal Tire, then another Kal Tire. They all had waits, some as long as until tomorrow as it’s snow tire season in Calgary. Not that it matters as I was soon reminded that nobody knows how to drive anyway. They’ll drive 80 kph through a 60 limit construction zone but then drive 70 in the 80 zone. Finally I found a TireCraft shop that also sold the same brand of tires on my truck in case I did in fact need a new one. They had me repaired and out the door in just over and hour. I stopped at Guitar works on the way out of town to see if Reed was working, Ted one of the old Zuckerbaby bass players was there and informed me that Reed was up at the 16th Avenue store and the ZB singer Andy was working at Market Mall. I took a ill advised detour around the city and both boys were off work this Monday.
So being fed up with traffic and slightly pissed that I hadn’t taken a single shot yet I left Calgary and got on my way. Got a few prairie shots before I lost the grayish blue light of the cloudy skies. I checked out a small town called “Wayne” (population 27) on my way into Drumheller and will be taking some shots of both when I wake up tomorrow.
I left “Noisy Creek” this morning and made my way down the mountain on the Forestry Service road heading towards Revelstoke. About an hour into my back-road trek I got a flat tire. No biggie, I have a full size spare. This minor setback only put a bit of a damper on anymore back country driving as I can’t get stranded with another flat and no spare. The weather was overcast and grey, I made my way to Revelstoke to see if there was any open tire shops, none. I’ll be in Calgary tomorrow to get it fixed then figure out where to next.
On my way I pulled over to check out a small “Rock Garden Trail” on the side of the Number 1 Highway. A short but pleasant little break and got some shots of the moss covered rocks despite the weather.
I made another stop at Emerald Lake just before Field BC. What an awesome lake. I have to come back here when the weather is nicer and the sky blue. I took a few shots anyway but do plan to return.
Emerald Lake
So just as I started heading out of Kamloops I saw out of the corner of my eye a yard with some old 50′s cars in it. I swung around and found Central Equipment, a heavy equipment repair shop that owned the yard. I talked to an awesome gentleman named Brian who graciously let me wander around his yard, even after he closed. I spent a couple hours there and got some great shots of the old cars.
I continued on towards Mabel lake. I’m not sure why I wanted to go there, mainly just because I remember it being nice when we went on a family vacation as a kid. On the way I encountered even more cool old cars. Some were in a private yard just past Falkland BC, and the others were at the Route 97 Diner and Bakery. There are a couple of guys who rebuild old hot rods in a shop in behind the diner. Some old jalopies for sale out front. I got a quick peak of a nice 55 Chevy that they were rebuilding, very nice.
On to Mabel lake, I got there and got a few shots off just as the best light was disappearing. So after that I made my way up a Forestry Service road that was definitely a “back-road”. I veered off that to a campground called “Noisy Creek”. It was the furthest thing from noisy. If it wasn’t for the trickling of the creek there would have been no sound at all. It’s nice to know that there are still places within a day’s drive of the city that one can find silence. I had the whole campground to myself. I got the best spot right in front of the beach, made a fire and some soup, took a few long exposure shots then watched the moon cross the sky in the darkness and climbed into the truck and had an awesome quiet sleep. I woke up to a foggy overcast day so didn’t get any daylight shots of the lake from there.
Category: Highlights
Tags: 50s, cars, classics, hot rods, iron, junkyard, mabel lake, night, quiet, rusty, silence One Comment
