As someone who grew up on a conventional family farm that uses pesticides and someone who works in the crop protection business, it bothers me when people assume that farmers douse their crops with all kinds of chemicals just for the heck of it. This is simply not true. First of all, the term chemicals... Continue Reading →
A Wonder of the World: The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon in Arizona is a sight to behold. It doesn't matter if it's your first time seeing it or if you've been there multiple times, it always takes your breath away. And it's definitely something to visit at least once in your life. The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the... Continue Reading →
I Survived the Crypt Lake Hike
As I stood in line to purchase our tickets for the ferry ride I spotted a t-shirt that said, "I Survived the Crypt Lake Hike." Well, now I can proudly don that t-shirt! Recently we took on another hiking challenge - the Crypt Lake hike. This 17-kilometre hike, which has a 700-metre elevation gain, is... Continue Reading →
To the Sun and Back
This past weekend we drove the amazing and well-known Going-to-the-Sun Road. This is the only road that crosses Glacier National Park in Montana, going over the Continental Divide at Logan Pass, which is the highest point on the road at 6,646 feet. The narrow winding road, which hugs the mountainsides as you climb higher and higher,... Continue Reading →
26 Kilometres Up The Mountain
Winding 26 kilometres uphill from an elevation of 470 metres at the bottom to 1,500 metres at the top - this past weekend we navigated our way along the Meadows in the Sky Parkway in Mount Revelstoke National Park in British Columbia. The narrow paved road takes you through dense areas of cedar and hemlock,... Continue Reading →
Walking Nature’s Boardwalk
This past weekend, while on a camping trip in the mountains of British Columbia, we stopped at a few roadside trails in Glacier National Park of Canada. These were short boardwalk trails called Hemlock Grove, Skunk Cabbage and Giant Cedars. We entered a rainforest at Hemlock Grove; toured through a marsh environment at Skunk Cabbage; and saw many... Continue Reading →
A Different Kind of Harvest
Last week I attended the annual Canadian Farm Writers Federation (CFWF) conference in my old stomping ground of Winnipeg. Friday was tour day. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate. There was a chill in the air with a strong wind and periods of rain. But what can you expect? It's Manitoba! We bundled up and... Continue Reading →
My First Mountain Camping Experience
Armed with bear spray, we headed west to the mountains this past weekend. It was my first experience tenting in the mountains and I'm happy to report that I survived to tell the tale. The bear spray was not needed. We were front country camping, not backcountry (I have to work up to the backcountry!)... Continue Reading →
11.5 kilometres and counting
I had my first official guest in my new condo this past long weekend. And it was a special visitor - my mom. It was a fun and busy weekend. We share a love of the outdoors and exercise so most of the weekend was spent exploring the nearby mountains and foothills. We travelled to... Continue Reading →
Rural Route Ramblings 