As a gift to my mum for her birthday, she wanted to do a roadtrip. We headed out west towards Hinton as there is a beautiful boardwalk that she had once visited there. Talked about before and ever since I wanted to go so I agreed to do this trip with her. We packed up my dog, our camera equipment, and by 7AM in the morning we were on the road to Hinton, Alberta. Stopping in Carvel, Alberta for a small breakfast and maybe get some photos of the sweet little General Store that is housed there. Unfortunately the store was roped off and didn’t make for the sight we had hoped for. It was not a complete loss though as we did manage to get 2 trains in passing of each other. One, when I went to photograph the tracks, was just coasting with the engine in idle. I didn’t even hear the rumble of it as it coasted to a stop, waiting for the light to turn so that he could continue on. This is a good note to know that you should always be track and train safe. As I approached the tracks, before I knew the train was there, I was going slow, looking to see what was there. When I turned, that is when I saw the train coming. I was still a very safe distance away but it is something to always keep in mind. The power of those trains, the sheer rumble as they start up, I won’t ever get tired of hearing. Thanks to the driver, he was the one who mentioned another train was coming and that we will be able to get a picture of the two of them passing each other.

We got the train but funny enough, they wouldn’t be the last we have seen. As we headed down the road to Wabamun, Nojack, Edson, and Hinton, we crossed pass with trains what felt like every five minutes. They were on the move and so were we. Even as we headed into the mountains to the Columbia Icefields, the trains seemed to never have ceased to stop coming. If that makes sense. It was one after another until we were passed The Icefields. After that we never saw one again for the rest of the day.

We eventually got to Hinton just shortly after lunchtime. The mountains are in view and we headed our way to the Beaver Boardwalk that is famous in Hinton. We walked a short bit of it as we were such in a rush with excitement to get going, we forgot to get the Bear Spray. This boardwalk is huge and I would have loved to walk it more with my mum and my dog but the fact we didn’t have the spray, we didn’t want to tempt fate. For those who know, Winnie is a reactive excited dog when it comes to other animals. The last thing my mum and I wanted while hiking was to come into contact with a Grizzly, Black, or Brown Bear or even a Cougar. If that happened, guaranteed my dog would be the one who would have got us killed. Was not going to risk it. Although it was a warm day, my dog Winnie is not much a fan of water. Yet she jumped with all fours out stretch right into the marsh water. Silly dog, being the one to break all the rules.

Topping up with gas, cause it was cheaper than in Edmonton, Alberta, we continued west. We originally planned to go to Nordegg along the forestry road but discovered it was the same amount of distance to Nordegg and to Saskatchewan River Crossing from Hinton. Thinking it be nothing but trees along the forestry trunk, we turned around and headed in the direction to Saskatchewan River Crossing. Now here is the thing. I could go one and share all the brilliant photos of this trip which are available in the galleries of Landscape, Black & White, and Wildlife but I will spare some of the details and get more to the climax of this adventure. We be here for hours and we don’t want that. Spending 16 hours or so in a truck is more than long enough for me.

As we entered the mountains, the snow still capped on the peaks, the clouds began to gather. Highway 93 is not the best highway to get stranded on and as it has been a little more abnormally cold spring, in the mountains you could expect it to snow. In fact in the mountains, weather can become unpredictable. Lucky for us we only got a few drops of rain and then it remained partly cloudy, giving us some dramatic photos.

Title: Peace And Serene
Now we were coming into Jasper National Park and we made sure we had our park pass along with us. Even though we are just driving on through, you don’t want to have to pay. We got to enjoy the park, it’s beautiful stunning scenery, and the wildlife. Coming across numerous mountain goats and sheep and two very large Elks. Both elks were lying in the grass and had a full rack still covered in the soft velvet on their horns. They didn’t take no mind to us as they continued to do their own thing. Beautiful stunning creatures elks. Majestic!
We also saw 4 bears, three black, one brown. We didn’t come across a grizzly but I was kind of hoping we may cross paths with The Boss. The Boss is a giant Grizzly that calls Banff National Park home and he had been spotted along the roadways and trails already this year. He would be a magnificent beast to photograph. Perhaps one day I will come across him on my roadtrips. What I didn’t expect as I photographed the beautiful Rocky Mountains, was getting a beautiful up close shot of a raven. This Raven as I was photographing the drop off of a cliff flew right up to my mum and I and he posed. Think this raven has a bit to much of an ego and is super full of himself. That and someone has been feeding him as most birds wouldn’t come as close as he did. I was practically lying on the groung photographing him and he kept hoping closer and closer. Soon my 300mm lens was to close to focus on him. I got the shot I wanted. In fact more than the shot. I also got his nictating membrane. A project I am doing with myself is to get the nictating membrane covering the eye of every bird species. Got it with an American Crow just little over a month ago, now a Raven!

Now I never got a Raven before and I was so excited when he landed. I was even more surprised when I opened the door to our F-150 to retrieve my long lens that he didn’t fly away. I got the beautiful purples, blues, and blacks in his feathers. He sat so still and was such a curious feller that I called him George. Every time the shutter went, he cocked his head to look at me. He was not spooked but I am sure he awaited for us to feed him. We never did because you should never feed the wildlife. In fact, it is highly and strongly suggested you don’t. Take it as not a suggestion but a demand. Don’t Feed Wildlife!

Now I could have photographed him for hours. Hoping from tree to road. To the guardrail for the cliff and to the grass. He was super photogenic and I managed to get him crystal clear with his mouth open. Friends and family tell me that it looks like he is screaming. I thought more like “I am waiting for food. Feed me!” Originally I named this “Feed Me, Please!” but now I am not sure if I should call it “Internally Screaming!” There was no sounding coming from him when he had his mouth open. In fact no sound at all. It was like a yawn. Anyways I hope you enjoy “Feed Me, Please!”

Tschüss!

Westward Bound

Captured By Curiosity

King of The Marsh