British Columbia
Titles including HW1 indicate the location along Highway 1; those including YH indicate the location along the Yellowhead Highway branch of the Trans-Canada, Highway 16.
The interplay between the dark evergreens and the flaming yellow of the deciduous trees from the western slopes of the continental divide all the way through to Salmon Arm was unlike anything I'd seen before. I was used to the reds and oranges of the maple and oak forests in Ontario and Quebec, of course, but this yellow, especially against the dark firs, is spectacular. I had another composition in mind from this spot, looking north across the valley, but then I turned around to go back to the car and the clouds lifted from the peak of Willowbank for a second or two before closing back in. Wow! That settled it; the northward view will have to wait for another time. Carol
During the trip westward, I became fascinated by the colours of sunlight on snow at different times of the day. This was our last stop on day one of our trip. We were definitely surrounded by mountains at this point. We had left Mt. Robson in our rearview mirror only to REALLY discover its magnificence on the return trip. And, I now understand why photographers get up early or go out late so they can capture light. I discovered that in the morning, the snow is blue, in the evening there are hints of pinks and yellows. ~ Alison
On our way west from Revelstoke, the first stop of the morning was by a narrow pond with a conveniently located area to pull off and park. I was mesmerized by the mist rising and drifting slowly through the trees, sometimes totally obscuring them, sometimes allowing just a peek at the foliage, sometimes clearing a patch that was quickly replaced by more mist. I spent over an hour here, entranced by the constantly shifting view. I thought of the fires of the summer and wondered if the smoke billowing across the forest looked similar to this. I wanted to stay longer, but my freezing fingers and the weather report promising rain later in the day convinced me that it would be better to get to Kamloops sooner rather than later. As it turned out, the rain hit just after arriving in Kamloops and kept up through the rest of the day - good thing I didn't stay in the mist after all. Carol
The morning of day two on our trip across British Columbia was eye opening when we descended our first steep mountain decline. YIKES! There, the speed signs are neon in colour, working hard to catch the driver's eye. Boy, did they catch my attention! I was fortunate to find this sign after just having had that experience for the first time. The contrast of the bright neon sign against the morning sky and shadows on the snow, as well as the man vs. nature theme appealed to me. ~ Alison
When I first saw this tree, I was walking up the entrance ramp to the Trans-Canada from Hook Rd. Aside from the starkness of the lone dead tree against the dry hill rising out of the river valley behind it, I couldn't help noticing a pair of bald eagles roosting in the treetop. As I got closer, I saw that there were actually seven eagles in this single tree - five adults and two juveniles who were adult size but hadn't yet shed their dark head feathers. A couple flew off as I approached, but I was wondering what could cause so many birds to congregate here until I saw the group of smaller birds sitting on the wires that paralleled the railroad tracks. My first thought was, "Buffet brunch!" and I knew I had to include this in the Trans-Canada project. For compositional reasons I left only a single adult eagle in the tree and reduced the number of birds on the wire, but I still picture them in my mind. Although I didn't stay to see if the buffet actually started, I wonder how many of the smaller birds were left at the end of the day. Carol
Big, dry, stark, beautiful. Words fail me. This valley impressed me like no other I've been through. It sounds like a cliché by now, but I feel could paint the Thompson Valley for years without getting tired of it. The railroad snakes along both sides of the river, eastward on the left bank and westward on the right, as each bank is too narrow for a double track. Huge trains look like toys against the hills. The sky and water were an intense blue, and the few trees that can find purchase in the dry soil punctuate the clefts in the hills where a little water collects. Phenomenal. Carol
The day we travelled west of Prince George was a cold one, somewhere close to -35˚ with windchill. I was wearing my daughters big fake fur hat, a scarf, my winter jacket and snow pants. Finding this sign offering honey for sale spoke of hot summer days, shorts and sunscreen. ~ Alison
As we progressed south through the Fraser River valley, we exited the dry rain shadow of the Okanagen and entered the rain forest. It rained all day as we wove around the mountainsides, passing through Spencer's Bridge and Spuzzum to this stop at a picnic area north of Haig. It was still raining a bit here as I explored the area, wedged between a cliff and a small lake. This composition is actually a composite of two views, north and south, that I compressed into a larger rectangle instead of the skinny panoramic I would have had to have used to stay true to proportion. I feel it allows me to enter the scene more comfortably this way, staying true to the feeling of the place rather than slavishly copying the physical geography. Carol
I loved the crisscrossing lines in this spot; the railing and roadway going one way, the train tracks another way, all enclosed by the stand of trees. The afternoon light created shadows on and through the trees that created beautiful shadows in opposite colours to the sunlight. I found the manmade objects to be rigid in line and dark in colour while natures flowing lines softened the scene.~ Alison
It was early dusk when we finally got to the Vancouver area. The designated stopping point here is along the busy commuter corridor and parking is prohibited. Before the light failed completely, we found a place to park in a church lot just off of the Cariboo Rd. overpass and ran to the bridge to see what the site offered. As we found all across the country, the most incredible views can be found even in the most unlikely spots. While rush hour traffic streamed along the roadway, the last light of the day played on the red fall foliage and the towers of Coquitlam across the Brunette River valley. We stayed until dark truly came, satisfied that what we'd seen could effectively translate into this stop's contribution to the series. Carol
The light, quickly going down behind the mountains, cast an interesting light on the rails to this underpass. The snow was fresh and fluffy and there was a glimpse of moon in the afternoon sky. I couldn't get very far from the car without climbing over a deep snowbank and perhaps toppling down into a ditch. I enjoyed the shadows cast on the uneven snow, the new snow that clung to the trees, and the sunspots on the fence. ~ Alison
Although it was mid-October when I was at this stop above Malahat Bay and the fall colours were on full display, it was warm enough to be in shirtsleeves. This is a scene from the parking lot of the Malahat Chalet, one of a small cluster of restaurants overlooking the bay along the TransCanada. We had a long lunch in the Chalet's back dining room, which has floor to ceiling windows and is built out over the steep drop down to the water. Spectacular! I wanted to stay all afternoon, watching the light play on the water and the hills behind. Although this obviously isn't the most beautiful totem pole on the Vancouver Island, it happened to be in a gorgeous spot and right at our stopping point. Carol
Half way down a twisting and slippery mountain road you will find this view. It appears around a bend and it is hard not to left focus from the road to the spectacular view. We were lucky enough to approach it as the sun was coming up. I am pretty sure I started singing as if I belonged in a choir, which I never should, but the light on the mountain and the unexpected vision was breathtaking.
The Trans-Canada highway ends at the mile 0 marker located in Beacon Hill Park, Victoria on Vancouver Island. By this marker is a bronze statue paying tribute to Terry Fox. I still get a lump in my throat when I think about what he did all those years ago and how a nation cried at his passing. The title for this painting is taken from our Canadian national anthem, in honour of one of our greatest national heroes and his quest to free us from such a debilitating disease.
Terry never made it to his goal of reaching the Pacific, but his inspiring effort to raise awareness and funds for cancer research has gone beyond his wildest dreams. Every country I've lived and worked in organizes Terry Fox runs annually - Singapore, New Zealand, Kuwait, Philippines, USA - they all know and honour the man and the cause. It's truly inspiring. I have strong memories of his run and the crowds who supported him as he made his way from St Johns westward until he couldn't go any further. While I was in the park, a constant stream of tourists from Asia and other parts of the world came to take selfies and group photos with Terry. Keep running, keep striving. - Carol
Terry never made it to his goal of reaching the Pacific, but his inspiring effort to raise awareness and funds for cancer research has gone beyond his wildest dreams. Every country I've lived and worked in organizes Terry Fox runs annually - Singapore, New Zealand, Kuwait, Philippines, USA - they all know and honour the man and the cause. It's truly inspiring. I have strong memories of his run and the crowds who supported him as he made his way from St Johns westward until he couldn't go any further. While I was in the park, a constant stream of tourists from Asia and other parts of the world came to take selfies and group photos with Terry. Keep running, keep striving. - Carol
One mile east of our stop was the most incredible experience! A cliff with its wall seemingly skinning the side of the car as well as its low overhang, maybe just high enough for a transport truck to go under, at least that is what it felt like, was the first taste of excitement. The road was two lanes wide and CN tracks ran immediately beside the road. We were headed west, so the granite wall of the mountain was on the passenger side close enough to touch. As we passed it, a CN train was coming towards us on the drivers side, the classic red engine and white logo growing bigger in the windshield - talk about a rush! I so hoped that thrilling experience was in our photography range, but it wasn't to be. Instead, I stood on the tracks the train had just moments before travelled on. This particular image is looking westward, the way the train had come. ~ Alison
Two tugboats going out, perhaps to pilot a ship in from the Hectare Straight. They were the bright spot on a cloudy albeit warm day. We began our day in Smithers, B.C. at -30˚ and in three hours travelled to a balmy 1˚ making us reluctant to begin our return journey. ~ Alison