Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Where The Wind Blows


Canon EOS 40D with EF500mm -f6.7 - 1/500 @ ISO 100




I don't believe the wind let up all night as I awoke several times with the wind causing things to go bump in the night. I was hoping to wake to clear skies brought by a change in the weather, but it was not to be with laden skies greeting me as I pulled off the driveway at 6:30 am. The system that blew through brought a change in temperatures with a Chinook arch to the west and the temperature hovering around the zero mark. For a change I stopped in for coffee at Tim Hortons on Barlow Trail where I caught up on what was right with the world and a whole lot of what is wrong. My friend Bruce VE6BR stopped in and had a coffee with me as he though that he might find me here. After passing pleasantries back and forth I headed on down the road, making my way south on the Deerfoot before picking up Highway 22 west for Kananaskis Country west of Bragg Creek.


















There was some clearing to the west under the arch that had formed along the eastern slope of the Rockies. As I passed Spruce Meadows a sign placed along the road advertizing the "Western Canadian Fly-Fishing Exposition" reminded me to take in this show over the week-end. This show is not to be missed if you are into fly-fishing, with all the latest in high-tech toys for the art of fly-fishing on display. I take this show as a sign that the season is coming up quickly. Actually the Bow is open year-round and it is a snap to limber up a favorite rod at this time of the year, as the river below Calgary has little ice on it due to the warm water being discharged into the river from Calgary's two water treatment plants.































I passed the turn north to Bragg Creek and with Highway 22 left behind as I picked up Highway 66 taking me deeper into the west country with fresh snow in abundance in all directions. As I passed the K Country boundary I noticed that my truck was being buffeted by the winds blowing out of the front range that lie before me. The skies were somewhat clearer as I had come out from under the arch that now was visible in my rearview mirror.













I made the turn into the Maclean Creek off-road area checking for signs of the moose that frequent the area. On this day I suspect they would be holding tight to the bush where they feed on several different willow species while they wait out the winter months before returning to their favorite bogs in the spring. I managed not to get my truck stuck, although I sweated it a bit as the roads are not plowed in the section that I was in other than in the campground that is open for winter camping. Back on Highway 66 I continued west down through Paddy's Flat and up to the winter-gate at the Elbow Falls take-out marking the end of the road on this day. With stops along the way I shot the photos that I have posted here and with the winds blowing as some of my photos show, it made it interesting to get decent photos with my camera being bounced around on my bean-bag. With the snow sticking to the front element of my camera lens, I decided it was time to call it a day. So with a final look at the front range of the Rockies through a veil of blowing snow, I called it done and headed in to Bragg Creek for lunch at the Boardwalk Cafe.





Canon EOS 40D with EF 500mm - f4 - 1/2000 @ ISO 400







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