Tag: nature

5 weeks in – a JohnBoy travel update

Sunday, August 31 marked the end of 5 of my planned 8 weeks in western Canada. So far everything is going exceptionally well. I am behind with posting photos which means every day is filled with new adventures. I am prepared to post my photos of the first National Park I visited in the Canadian Rockies but can’t find my Park maps on which I made many notes which I need to reference. The back seat of my car looks like a bomb went off, and I need to root through it and find them. Of course, they aren’t where I thought they were…

As I write this I am in Red Deer, Alberta – finishing the first of 3 nights here. I was in for a shock yesterday morning as I drove up here from High River, AB, south of Calgary. After I bypassed Calgary to the east on Highway 2, a major north/south route, I continued north towards Red Deer (about halfway between Calgary and Edmonton) where I was greeted by a very noticeable low brown cloud of haze. It didn’t smell like smoke, and I wasn’t aware of anything going on in the immediate vicinity, but there it was. I drove a little past Red Deer and it seemed to improve somewhat so I just chalked it up to smog, even though Red Deer only has a population of about 113,000 people.

Overall visibility after I left Castlegar and drove east of the Canadian Rockies Sunday morning was not that great and I thought maybe it was just high pressure keeping whatever was in the air close to the ground. Well, this morning I learned that an air quality alert of over 10 (they call it 10+ on a scale of 1 to 10!) has been issued for little Red Deer. It seems that smoke from a massive wildfire up in the Northwest Territories (a large province due north of Alberta and Saskatchewan) has made its way south. In the last day or two I had read about a big wildfire up in Yellowknife (in the NWT) but didn’t pay much attention because it is 1,000 miles north of here and I wasn’t going much further north than Edmonton. Well, nature works in mysterious ways…

Environment Canada says it is supposed to clear out of here in the next day or two. Today I am planning to drive about 50 miles west to “The Cowboy Highway,” Route 22, the southern part of which I had driven on to get to High River on Sunday. Route 22 has been on my list of scenic roads here and I am sticking with that plan. Other than photo ops I will be in the car with the A/C on “recirculate” so hopefully whatever is in the air won’t bother me. I am tempted to just hunker down and stay inside for the day but I figure one day won’t kill me… If I start out this morning and the haze has gotten any worse I will retreat to my Airbnb and prepare more photos for posting. When I leave Red Deer Thursday morning, I will be driving much further west and should be away from the NWT and the smoke for good. Everything on my route going forward looks fine.

The other travel news is that I am moving my trip to Alaska UP by a week and will start heading north Wednesday of next week! I have decided to hightail it up there and get it in sooner rather than later and then retreat in a more leisurely fashion and finish my time in British Columbia on my way back to the US. I had already booked things through Prince George, BC and will drive north and west from there. I don’t have the itinerary set yet but am hoping to be in Alaska 4 or 5 weeks depending on the weather. I am still on the original overall plan, just rearranging the order in which I’m doing things.

So as of Sunday, 5 weeks in to my original plan, I have driven 6,225 miles in Canada, and a total of 10,825 miles since leaving Durham the morning of July 1.

I just had my oil and filters changed and had the tires rotated so I am all set for the next 10,000 miles! Bring it on!

Cranbrook to Radium Hot Springs

After spending two nights in Cranbrook, near the foothills of some of the southern Canadian Rockies, I started heading north instead of east. My destination for the next 6 nights would be the town of Golden, British Columbia. From there I would visit 6 National Parks. Curiously, both Cranbrook and Golden, while located in British Columbia, are in the Mountain Time Zone, which encompasses all of Alberta province – maybe not all that unusual, but I thought that the border between the two provinces was the dividing line. This is how we learn…

The mountains which I was able to get a clear look at the afternoon I arrived in Cranbrook were now partially hidden under a low layer of clouds. Some of the higher peaks have snow on them, not always visible from the foothills, and the moisture from that alone often results in clouds forming immediately over the mountain on an otherwise clear day. As I often do, I started my day soon after first light and many of the low clouds would “burn off” once the sunlight starts to penetrate them.

They do make for some interesting photos, though:

As I drove further north I saw a hawk perched on the edge of a nest atop a telephone pole next to the road (note the beautiful blue sky when looking away from the mountains!):

It didn’t take her long to spot me (although I was far away, using my zoom lens on the digital camera). It also became apparent that there were some newborn chicks in the nest beneath her. Between photos I would sometimes see a tiny head or beak pop up, and she sometimes tamped it down with her “foot”.

I had shifted position to be even further away and up the road a ways. She still knew where I was and wasn’t happy, and put out a call for backup.

Sure enough, here came the reinforcements.

After Dad arrived Mom (barely visible on the right in the photo above) took flight towards me and made a low pass, maybe 15 feet off the ground – just enough to get my attention, and circled back to the nest. I took the hint and went on my way.

I had a very pleasant drive north, about an hour and a half, to the little town of Radium Hot Springs. I went to the Visitor Center there, which is also the southern entrance to Kootenay National Park.

Kootenay (pronounced just the way it looks, with the emphasis on the first four letters) would be the first National Park I would visit on this trip. I was prepared to buy a Senior Annual Pass, as I did in 2019 when I visited the Maritime Provinces in eastern Canada, but was delighted to learn that in 2025 admission to Canada’s National Parks is free until after Labour Day (the day I am posting this).

“Radium,” as the locals call it, is also well known for their Bighorn Sheep.

And there is also a set of “much larger than life” ram horns in the traffic circle just up the road towards the entrance to the Park.

If you go back a few posts to “Breaking News!” (posted August 11) you will see that Radium was, in fact, my first up close encounter with four young Bighorn Sheep as they meandered up the highway, completely oblivious to traffic.

After getting my maps and learning the layout of the Park I set off to drive through my first Canadian National Park of 2025.

Campbell River to Gold River

I was originally planning a much longer drive on my first full day based in Campbell River but with the tsunami warning issued after the big earthquake in Russia the night before I decided not to go near the ocean. Authorities were still warning British Columbians to stay away from the coast, although those warnings were lifted after I was already on the road.

I chose another route which would take me about as far from the ocean as I could get. I took Route 28 out of Campbell River and headed west, up towards Gold River. It’s only about 55 miles but Google Maps said it would take about an hour and 15 minutes, though with all my stops to take photos it took a lot longer than that. I even turned around before I got to Gold River as I had other places I wanted to go as well.

These are photos of various lakes, mountains, and distant mountains with snow on them, even in early August. I apologize for not knowing the names of most of them – there were only signs in two places. I don’t know the lay of the land and, as I learned to my dismay in Victoria a few days earlier, I don’t even know which direction I am looking, or walking. This is one reason I don’t hike.

Just enjoy the views as I did. A lot of repetition I know, but everything is just gorgeous…

I suspect I am seeing the mountain above from various places on the island but I still don’t know which one it is!

I posted the photo above because, while I started using Google Maps to guide me to Gold River, it got to a point where it apparently didn’t know where I was, either!! Scary thought…

I will tell you again about an app which may also be useful in a situation like this. It is called What Three Words. Someone has plotted a 10-square-meter grid over the entire planet and assigned each grid section a unique three word designation. Like: bacon, lettuce, tomato. If you provide the EXACT three words for where you are, anyone with access to What Three Words can see your location, within 10 meters. Less confusing than GPS coordinates, but with either of them you MUST be precise or you might send your rescuers to the middle of some lake close to where you actually are, or to another continent… Plurals matter. Spelling very much matters.

As I write this I am at blatant.glided.snakeskin (which should take you to Cranbrook, BC, Canada). Use glided NOT gilded. If you made two errors and gave 911 blantantly.gilded.snakeskin it would send my rescuers to Kugluktuk, Nunavut – still in Canada but 2,044 km away from where I am, and I think we’d ALL be cranky.

I was without cell service for long periods while I was on Vancouver Island, and that will be the case once I get to the mainland, too.

If you note in the upper right hand corner of the photo above you will see a satellite icon next the 90 (showing that my phone is charged to 90% capacity). This is something new on Verizon. If you are out of cell service but get the satellite icon you may still be able to send a text message (ONLY, for emergencies most likely) but not voice calls or sending photos (like of the grizzly bear which is about to consume you). I tried it and it asked me to point the phone towards the satellite in the sky (like a divining rod…). Even on satellite it seemed that I only had a marginal signal and I didn’t send an actual text to anyone, but I did find the satellite in the sky using the image projected on my phone’s screen. Clever, IF it works….

OK – back to the photos:

That one I know (thanks to a sign pointing to it). Marble Peak, elevation about 5,800 feet.

The one just to the left of it from my scenic viewpoint is Mt. Phillips, just a few feet shorter:

Sorry about the tree. If I had tried to move just a tad to the left there was another obstruction blocking where I could stand.

The sign above was located just past Strathcona Park Lodge, a large, modern resort about halfway between Campbell River and Gold River (the towns). Just about every body of water in this post is Upper Campbell Lake, which covers a massive area.

I saw very little traffic as I ascended the mountain but there were lots more vehicles going up as I went back down later in the morning. Had I made it to Gold River its elevation is “only” about 524 feet but the mountains along the way are much higher than that.

FYI – the highest peak on Vancouver Island is Golden Hinde, which tops out at 7,201 feet. Who knows, it might be the mystery mountain with lots of snow on it…

Campbell River – Odds and Ends

Before I start posting about the two driving days I had once I arrived in Campbell River, let me show you a few miscellaneous photos.

As I was driving home from the Elk River Suspension Bridge the afternoon I arrived, I drove past this real sea plane mounted high off the ground between the north and southbound lanes of a divided highway.

The restaurant where I had lunch the second day I was in town had these words of wisdom from the Dalai Lama posted on the wall:

I’d say he’s a pretty smart dude.

And finally, after I long day of driving to three different destinations the first full day I was in town, my Airbnb hosts invited me to go with them to “Latin Night” downtown, in an outdoor area often used for music events and the like. There was a Latin band there (very good, I must say) and the place was overflowing with people – about 1/5 were there to dance and the rest were watching and/or socializing with their friends.

The three of us were among the watchers, though my Airbnb hostess was actually down here the night before taking lessons. She says she isn’t quite ready to get out there yet but I somehow think it will happen sooner rather than later. Her husband loves the music but says he can’t dance worth a lick (well, he didn’t say that exactly).

As you can see in the top photo, we were very close to the action but were behind the barricade (alcohol control line). There were LOTS of people off to the sides and behind us, too. I was shocked how many people were there!

The dancers were REALLY into it and changed partners often. Young people dancing with other young people, young people dancing with older people, it didn’t matter. They were just there to have fun, and they clearly did.

No, I didn’t dance but I enjoyed watching everyone have a good time.

I have two video clips if anyone is interested. I also have some video of the various waterfalls at the Elk River bridge. Still photos of waterfalls make it difficult to appreciate the sound and sense the force of the water. I don’t know how to post videos on the blog but I can email them to anyone who asks. Click on “Contact” at the top of the home page to send me a request.

Corn Sex

I never imagined I’d be talking about sex on my blog, although when I entered that word in the Search box on the Homepage several posts appeared which included the word in their content. My mother is probably spinning in her grave… Sorry, Mom, but this is important stuff.

As I drove across several corn producing states on my way out west I noticed something I had never really paid attention to. In one specific field there were alternating, machine-wide rows (maybe 10 to 12 stalks wide), one group with tassels on the top and the next without. That got me thinking – male/female? Not so fast, Skippy. Upon doing a little research all corn stalks are monoecious, meaning they have both male and female “parts”. Yikes!!

(Photo credit: Nature Journals)

The tassel, a flower at the top of all corn stalks, is the male part and produces pollen. The sperm, if you will.

The ear, which grows before fertilization, has lots of silk strands which grow out of the end (and which you remove, along with the husk, when preparing the ear for consumption). Each strand of silk is attached to an individual kernel (the fruit) which will develop once the silk is pollinated. Let the wind do its matchmaking and voila!

So the farmer who planted the field I saw was trying to promote cross-pollination. The hope is that by removing the tassels at the top of one section of corn the silk on that stalk must get pollinated from a neighboring plant that still has a tassel atop it. They don’t want a stalk to “self-pollinate” (bad stalk…).

Who knew???

Only every farmer that grows corn.

Relax Mom, at least I didn’t name this post Corn Porn…

And since we’re talking about corn and not porn, here is a fun fact:

The highest ranking corn producing states in the US in 2024 were:

1 – Iowa – 2,627 million bushels

2 – Illinois – 2,311

3 – Nebraska – 1,803 (take that, Cornhuskers…)

4 – Minnesota – 1,345

5 – Indiana – 1,000

Then South Dakota, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio and North Dakota rounding out the top ten.

(Source: CropProphet.com)

Snake River – Dedication Point

Monday when I went to the World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, Idaho I learned that there were several viewing points “nearby” along my old friend the Snake River to possibly see some of the big birds in action. Those of you that have followed the blog for a while know of my posts from Oxbow Bend in Wyoming, near there the “Snake” starts its journey towards the Columbia River Gorge separating Washington State and Oregon; Hells Canyon, with its world-class rapids; and Twin Falls, Idaho and other towns with beautiful waterfalls.

I was told that early morning was the best time to try and catch sight of some birds go I left my Airbnb in Boise at first light and drove to the first stop on the map I was given, Dedication Point. From Boise I went several miles west on the dreaded interstate and took the exit for the town of Kuna. From there it would be 24 miles due south to get to the river, further than I expected.

Once I got south of Kuna it quickly became very open and desert-like. Here is a shot of the road heading south towards the river.

The river separates the land on this side of it from the higher terrain you see in the distance.

Once I arrived at the parking area it was a short walk down to the top of the canyon overlooking the river. There is an amusing JohnBoy story about an encounter I had in the parking lot but I will save it for another time. For now I want you to focus on the natural beauty I was about to experience.

This was the view looking to my left (east, where the river flows from)

Looking almost straight across to the other side

Looking down to where someone was camping next to the river

Towards the right, where there was a drop in water level (I later took a video of a small boat heading upstream and the captain know exactly which side to climb to get through without bottoming out).

And finally, looking right (west) as the river flows out of sight.

And here is a panorama of the entire scene

The sign near the parking lot showed the various big birds I might see at this location. In decreasing order by size – Golden Eagles, Turkey Vultures, Red-tailed Hawks, Swanson’s Hawks, Northern Harriers, Prairie Falcons and American Kestrels. This is a National Conservation Area and claims to have the highest density of nesting raptors in North America, and possibly the world.

Because I was up so high I saw nothing. Well, I did see some movement but they could have been pigeons for all I knew. Look back at the photo of the camper (which I had zoomed in on to the maximum extent my iPhone could). Tell me you could identify what bird a person standing next to it was holding on their arm…

Nevertheless it was a beautiful morning in a beautiful place and after I took the pictures I put my cameras away and just stood and enjoyed the moment for quite a while.

So here’s the plan for 2025

No photo. (Already he starts with the “no photo” nonsense….)

I still plan to leave Durham July 1 – a week from tomorrow. Most of the first two weeks will be visiting friends and family in Pennsylvania and Ohio. I doubt if I will post anything during that time (well, I might sneak one or two in since I generally wake up well before anyone else when I visit people).

Once I hit the road in earnest I will be making a series of one or two night stops as I work my way to Seattle WA. I will stay there 4 nights before crossing into Canada. All those stops have already been booked, and I have a few activities and photo ops planned.

After I cross into Canada I plan to spend 8 weeks visiting the southern parts of British Columbia and Alberta provinces, and the southwestern part of Saskatchewan.

Now comes the tricky part. Wildfires. The worst wildfire in Canada this year (so far) seems to be in the upper part of Manitoba, well east of my target area. BUT. Many fires have erupted in all three provinces I plan to spend my time in and are getting more than a little close for comfort. I have booked about three of my projected 8 weeks in Canada already. That puts me near Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies. After that, who knows…. I am not booking anything else until I get my boots on the ground in Canada and can assess the situation at that time. I have Plans B, C, D and E mapped out, just in case.

My original plan was to spend 8 weeks in Canada, return to Seattle, put my car in storage and fly to Alaska! I have 5 weeks available to spend up there before I must start my departure from Seattle to make my rambling trip through the western and southern US on my way back to Durham by Thanksgiving.

For anyone who might be thinking of robbing my apartment, I have cleaned out all the food from my refrigerator and freezer and have taken my clothes to Asheville and Swannanoa in WNC to help the victims of Hurricane Helene, so don’t waste your time picking the carcass apart in Durham…. not much left here! I have all the good stuff with me – my wits, phone, computer, cameras, FitBit, prescription meds, Passport, new-to-me car and, of course, my Platinum card.

I will start posting some pictures once I depart to head west (instead of north) about three weeks from now, both with road trip pics, though there will be many travel days when I just drive on the dreaded interstate, and several stops I have planned around specific activities. Once I get to Canada I will stop the hysterical historical photos and stories and focus on real time photos of The Great White North (let’s hope it’s not white quite yet).