You Make Your Luck

Black Bear

That’s what my dad used to say to me. In other words, work hard and be prepared. Working with animals can be very unpredictable. There are things I do to better my chances of getting a shot. I preset the cameras, clear the cards everyday, charge the batteries and have the cameras out ready to grab in the van.

Stone Sheep Ram

There are other things I do. Anticipating and understanding animal behaviour are very important. If a bear is walking through the woods, chances are it will continue in the same direction. Move to a clearing and wait. Did I mention patience is important too?

Grizzly Bear

Pika

Woodland Caribou

Sometimes though, no matter how well prepared I am, I miss the shot. I saw this wolf at the side of the road. As I was positioning the van, it stopped and looked at me. It would have been a perfect shot. I missed it. This is the best I could do.

Gray Wolf

I guess that’s what keeps me going out here. I can always do better and learn more.

The Road

Dempster Highway, Yukon/NWT Border

I’m always a little nervous as I turn north on the Dempster Highway. This time was no exception. The road was rough. It was closed in several places just the day before. I worry about the van, the tires, and the gas. I mostly worry about the road. It can be a challenge when it is rough. We made our way to Tombstone Territorial Park.

Tombstone Territorial Park Sign, YT

We got a great campsite with a 360-degree view. I didn’t drive much after we got there. I wanted to save gas for the run to the Arctic Circle the next day.

The next day we woke up at 5am to frost on the dining tent. About 6am as we drove north past the Tombstone Viewpoint we caught the full moon setting - a good omen.

Full Moon, Tombstone Park, YT

The road was very rough in some areas but we made it fine. We camped at Rock River near the Yukon/NWT border. It is very beautiful. Lori and I looked for caribou but we must have been a bit early, as we didn’t see much of anything. Driving back to camp, we did spot a Grizzly at the side of the road. I did my best to get a shot but it never stopped. It just kept eating and walking. Still it was a thrill to see.

Grizzly Bear

The next day we decided to head south. It is so wet that we fear one more rainstorm will close the road again. We will resupply and head back up as far as Tombstone tomorrow.

Northwest Territories on the Dempster

Manic Depressive

Travelling like this is tough both physically and mentally. Long hours of driving followed by hours of looking and photographing whatever we can find. There are times when I get frustrated. As a nature photographer you are at the mercy of the weather. I found this location in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park in the Kananaskis area of Alberta. I knew it was a great spot. I just needed some light. I was tired. We waited for quite awhile. There was nothing but clouds and dull light. We left and looked for bears. We didn’t find anything. As we drove south, the light hit the mountain and I knew I had missed it. I felt that sinking feeling. When you work this hard and miss it, it can play on your mind. I was about to call it a night. Lori quietly said, “We can go back and wait if you want”. And that’s just what we did. It started to rain but there was just a sliver of light. And then, it hit. Glorious light, rainbows and calm water.

Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, AB

Rainbow in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, AB

As I shot at this small lake, we could hear Wolves howling close by.

I needed this - just a shot of energy at the right time. We often hit a wall three weeks into a trip. It is sometimes tempting to turn the van around and drive to the comforts of home. Hopefully this will get us over the hump.

Kananaskis is an area south of Banff. It seems a little wilder, a little more remote than the National Parks to the north. It is worth checking out if you get a chance.

Grizzly Bear

Time

Jet and Road

Do you notice how fast time goes? Blink and years have gone by. It must be an age thing. I was talking to a colleague about my past life in the computer industry--something that happened more than 20 years ago.

Someone once said to me that time continues to speed up as you age. It makes sense when you think about it. When you are 5, one year is 1/5th of your consciousness. When you are in your fifties it’s 1/50th. I guess I shouldn’t complain. I’m glad I’m still here; there is so much more to do. Sometimes though, I want to slow it down. I want to savour it more. It’s hard to really see anything when it is speeding past you.

Sambaa Deh Falls, NWT

I try to do “time management”. I make “to do” lists. It helps but when we go at full speed you tend to feel frazzled at the best of times.

Speeding Locomotive

I have started to think about what comes next. Not that I’m that close to retiring. I still have years to go. With the accelerated pace of my life, that day seems just around the corner. I could do this for a lot longer. But maybe I should start to think of other things I want to accomplish. Other things that require slowing down and savoring the moment.

Brown Bear