Our Own Bed

We are finally home. This has been one of the best summer trips we have ever had. However, it feels great to be home after travelling almost 27,000 km. I get to a point where I’m creatively spent and no longer productive. I wish I could just stop and rest along the way but it is so hard to not shoot when you are travelling in Canada.

Tombstone Territorial Park, YT - Click for larger

I thought it would be interesting to share my 5 favorite and least favorite moments of the trip. Let’s start with the negative so we can end this on an up note.

5 Least favorite things about our trip:

• Missing my mom’s surprise 85th birthday party. Sorry mom!
• Lori and I getting sick on the road. It’s never fun to be sick but when travelling it is especially hard.
• Problems and worries about the van. I worried everyday something would give out. It finally did resulting in a $700 repair bill and 2 nights in a motel.
• No decent photos of Grizzlies or northern lights.
• The incredibly long days of driving. Mind numbing really.

5 Favorite moments:

• The moment I photographed the barren land caribou north of the Arctic Circle. A dream come true.

Porcupine Caribou - Click for larger

• Celebrating our 30th anniversary in Jasper with friends.

American Pika - Click for larger

• Camping in Grasslands National Park during a thunderstorm. The light was fantastic and I howled and the coyotes answered!

Grasslands National Park - Click for larger

• Standing above the Salmon Glacier in BC.

Viewing the Salmon Glacier, BC - Click for larger

• Witnessing Bull Elk in rut in Jasper.

Bull Elk Bugling - Click for larger

As we rest up for our next adventure, we will work our way through the many thousands of new images. I will continue to share as we go.

Running on Empty

I’ve kept working as we travel east. After more than 11 weeks on the road, it feels like I’m on autopilot. I shoot everyday but I’m not very productive at this point.

After a long day of driving, we camped at Elk Island National Park. I decided to take the night off. That’s a sign that there will be a spectacular sunset. Sure enough, as I worked my way through one of the best steaks I have ever had, I looked behind me and the sky was on fire. I don’t usually shoot sunsets and did my best to ignore this one. But finally I couldn’t stand it any longer. I left Lori to clean up the dinner mess and I ran down to the lake.

Astotin Lake in Elk Island National Park, AB - Click for larger

We saw lots of Coyotes in Elk Island. This young one was wandering along the road.

Coyote - Click for larger

After a lot of driving, we have just made it back to Northern Ontario. The leaves are spectacular.

Mijinemungshing Lake, Ontario - Click for larger

Autumn on Whitefish River - Click for larger

Autumn in Espanola, ON - Click for larger

White-tailed Deer in Autumn - Click for larger

I keep clicking the shutter but I think my tank is running on empty. It’s time for us to head home.