Some of the roads through the Rockies have really steep grades. If a truck or bus develops brake problems, it could be disastrous. So there are runaway lanes created to help them stop safely. I would hope that the vehicle in trouble has enough time to get to one of these lanes if an emergency occurs!

Tags:   roads runaway lanes Canadian Rockies on the road mountains western Canada

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This bird is not a flashy looking bird with its grey coat and black cap. There is a bit of rust color under his tail feather. However, I was lucky to capture this much of the bird in the open. There was a blade of grass just in front of him which is evident in the image. But with a shallow DOF, I was able to make it work . He loves to explore in dense thickets and he blends in well with the shadows. Where this bird shines is when he sings. He is related to the mockingbird family, so he can imitate other bird sounds. His vocalizations can be quite intricate and his “ long” song can last about 10 minutes! Even if you never actually see one, it is a treat to just listen to him in the woods. Happy Wing Wednesday!

Tags:   birds grey catbird Wing Wednesday

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"We need the tonic of wildness...At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn all things, we require that all things be mysterious and unexplorable, that land and sea be indefinitely wild, unsurveyed and unfathomed by us because unfathomable. We can never have enough of nature."
- Henry David Thoreau, Walden: Or, Life in the Woods.

When looking at my images of the rain forest on the west coast of Vancouver Island, I can still feel that overwhelming connection to the wildness of the trees in the ancient forest. There are no words to describe it. Pictures do not do it justice. The old growth forests really do need to be preserved. I hope these younger trees survive for many years.

Tags:   British Columbia trees rainforest Vancouver Island Tree-mendous Tuesday

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This is the Trans Canada Highway that crosses over the Kicking Horse River in the Canadian Rockies. This section of road goes from Golden, BC to Yoho National Park. There was some road construction happening as we drove through it. What a job to reconstruct roads on the side of steep cliffs like this! This valley is also the route the Canadian Pacific Railway takes. It was the most difficult piece of railway to be built in the Rockies and it is the most challenging route for trains to operate in even today. Just as a side note, our favourite brand of coffee is Kicking Horse Coffee. 😏

Tags:   British Columbia roads on the road Kicking Horse River western Canada mountains

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“What’s your favorite memory from the last year?” the boy asked.
“I don’t think I have a favorite,” answered the rabbit. “My favorite thing about memories is making them.”
- @oxherdboy.

We have many memorable moments from last year and visiting Mount Robson was certainly one of them. This is the highest point in the Canadian Rockies and the second highest peak in British Columbia. Here it is as seen from the Yellowhead Highway.

Tags:   western Canada British Columbia Mount Robson Provincial Park mountains

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