Driving around horse country

Went for a drive late in the day yesterday to try and catch some late in the day sunshine.  There are tons of wonderful back roads outside of Calgary.  This was taken a little north and west of Cochrane.  If you can catch some of the roads when they are not covered in snow, it makes the driving a little safer.  I saw about 20 people up on a hill having a great time tobogganing down a large hill.  Looked like they were having a great time. This picture taken at the same spot, different angle.  Part of their view from their perch on the hill while sliding down.

Okotoks Masters Swim meet

I've been swimming for years a few times a week - tomorrow is the first time I will get to race in something like 24 years!  Wish me luck:)

Thrill Calgary - Michael Jackson's Thriller at Eau Claire

Here are a couple of photos of Thrill Calgary - the practice, the performance and some of the costumes.  More at Photo-photo.com

 This event was put on by Thrill Calgary along with hundreds of cities around the world with the goal of getting food donations for the Interfaith Food Bank.  Trying to break the record of the number of registered participants.  Not sure if they made it but it was a blast watching them.  Check out my other site for more photos.

Golden Ears Farm, Chase BC

I was coming back from Vancouver a couple of weeks ago and decided to stop in to see the son of a good friend.  He lives and works on an organic farm in Chase, BC.  I only had an hour or so but was able to get a short tour of the place.  He has been there for about a year and was impressed at how much I learned from him in that short time.  He does a lot of research and is able to communicate the information and make it easily understandable to someone uneducated in the subject(me).  I got to eat sweet corn right off the stalk and the most wonderful fresh organic fruit.  The bread they make is to die for. 

The website for the farm is: http://goldenearsfarm.org/

If you are anywhere near Chase, then I urge you to check out the store.  It is at the west end of town on the highway - north side.  http://goldenearsfarm.org/fruitstand/  They are only open in season.  If you are going west you will pass a PetroCan station on your right - the store is a little past that on your left.

Millarsville Rodeo Near Calgary - August 2011

A couple of weekends ago I went to take some pictures of the horses and people at the Millarsville Rodeo (a little south of Calgary).  This rodeo is not on the professional circuit; it is an amateur rodeo and really was a lot of fun.  It is a smaller venue than some so you feel much closer to the action.  The riders and participants were are very professional and competent especially when when one of the wild horses got into the main arena in the middle of the introductory demonstrations.  A little scary but well handled.  I wandered around taking photos and all were very friendly.  I took lots of pictures.  If you were there and saw me take yours and you would like a copy and you don't see it here (or do) please email me: martin at photo-photo.com  and I'll see if I can get you a copy. 

Wild Horse Race

Warm Up

Friends I expect

The one that got away

Hking Upper Kananaskis Lake, Alberta

Last fall we hiked up and back the east side of the lower lake - it was early November and a bit of a rainy day.  We thought it best not to challenge the gods and try the upper lake. A good thing, as we met someone later that day that had tried the upper in the morning and was driven out by a snow squall.  As it was, we started our hike in beautiful sunshine and completed it in overcast rain. 

I checked the times for this hike on a couple of sites before leaving and one said it would take 3-4 hours.  It took us about 5 hours. We took one 30 minute break for some food and we mucked about the rocky area at the far end of the lake for a little bit taking pictures and the like.  One would have to be moving quite briskly to make it in 3 hours.  We are not the fastest hikers but nor are we doddlers.

That said it is a really beautiful hike.  We went counter clockwise starting at the north parking lot.  Walking along the north side of the lake we had the sun on our left and coming back we were much more in the shade.  The first part of the walk has views of the lake through the trees for the most part.  We kinda lost the trail where it swings south around the end of the lake and ended up on the rocks.  There, you have a beautiful view of the lake and the mountains. 

Here is a link to a short video I took of from there: http://youtu.be/8SqPSn66HPk

We managed to follow the shore line around and eventually reunited with the trail.  Still at the back end of the lake going in a somewhat southerly direction you cross the river over a wooden bridge.  When we crossed last week the river was extremely high.  A little ways past that another slow moving water way
must be crossed by traversing various well placed trees/logs. 

 Coming back the south side of the lake is mostly in the forest but the trail is incredibly lush with areas of moss and some glimpses of the lake.  That is the area were we ran into the moose.  Well we didn't actually run into it.  We were coming around a bend and there he/she was.  I took several pictures and as it started walking toward us we thought it best to try and shoo it into the woods.  We did.  And the moose did. 

The walk is fairly level with some mild ups and downs - no major climbs. 

When you come out the bottom - you are in the south end parking area.  It is another 4 kilometers back to the north one.  If you happen to be meeting another couple there you could each park at different spots and drive each other if you want to dispense with that last stretch.

On the way back we stopped to take a picture of the sign pointing out the obvious: Smoke!  We were about to leave and saw a black bear.  I managed to take a few shots of him without getting eaten. 

All in all we walked about 10 miles or 15+ kilometers. It took us about 90 minutes to drive there from Calgary.

Massage in Calgary - Oracle

I've been to see Trevor at Oracle Massage Therapy a couple of times.  I had thrown my back/hip out two or three months ago and he did an amazing job of helping to relieve the pain.  Trevor is not rote or mechanical but seems to be able to address what the problem is and help.  I went a couple of days ago - birthday treat - and am absolutely thrilled with the increased mobility in my back and hip.

Check out the website: Oracle Massage  Give him a call, make an appointment!