Tag ArchiveEverywhere Once |

Photo of the Day: Devils Tower

by Brian on October 19, 2011 in Photo of the Day, Travel, United States, Wyoming

Devils Tower Wyoming

Wild

by Brian on October 14, 2011 in North Dakota, Travel, United States

There’s something magical about nature in the wild.

Horses, majestic as they are, are not particularly exotic animals. We routinely see them on farms and in stables. But catching sight of a pair of mustangs, unbridled and unbroken – standing free on a wind-swept mountain – is an entirely different experience.

Theodore Roosevelt Delivers

by Brian on October 7, 2011 in North Dakota, Travel, United States

After awhile we began to lose hope. Mile after mile, hour after hour, we drove past boringly similar landscapes: more hay bales here, another farm there – hey look, a cow! We started to believe the stunning western vistas we’ve seen photographed so frequently were nothing more than a hoax. We traveled clear across North Dakota, nearly to Montana, and . . . “Holy Shit!”

It happened just that fast. One moment we were considering the virtues of yet another grassy hill, the next we’re catching a flash of the rough and rugged landscape of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Our first glimpse of Painted Canyon elicited that exact exclamation from both of us.

One of the things that surprised us most is how green the park was. We had expected brown, arid plains but instead found brilliant shades of moss and sage that reminded us, if only slightly, of the Emerald Isle. Once again, we count ourselves fortunate. Rainfall at the park was four times above average. This lush foliage isn’t typical. It seems as if Teddy Roosevelt dressed up special for our arrival. We’re deeply honored.

Pictured Rocks in Pictures

by Brian on September 14, 2011 in Michigan, Travel, United States

There is no way to adequately describe the 200-foot sandstone cliffs–carved by time and the elements into natural caves and bridges, painted by seeping minerals, and framed by emerald green waters–that comprise Pictured Rocks Natural Lake Shore in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Photos don’t do it justice. The only way to fully appreciate these natural wonders is to explore them in a kayak, like we did with a tour provided by Paddling Michigan.
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Maid of the Monsoon

by Brian on August 29, 2011 in Ontario

What a difference a day makes. With the early morning sun shining, and the crowds from the prior evening mostly dispersed, Niagara Falls returned to its natural magnificence. Its power evident from the plumes of mist rising far above the 170 foot falls and dropping on us like rain whenever the wind shifts in our direction. To really feel their might, though, we needed to get even closer.

Fortunately, we can do just that with a Maid of the Mist boat tour. Departing every 15 minutes, the 80 foot long vessels sail directly into the basin below Horseshoe Falls. Getting closer requires a barrel and suicidal tendencies. Having neither, we board the next available ship and don thin plastic rain ponchos as we stake a spot along the port-side railing.

Within minutes we’re pulling away from the dock and charting a course past the America Falls. It’s immediately clear this tour is a good choice. Everything is more impressive from the river. The falls appear higher, broader, louder and more spectacular in every way. We watch as glassy emerald water, brightly illuminated by the rising sun, rushes past the precipice and transforms into a frothy curtain of cloud.

As we sail past, daylight wanes. The wind picks up and the gentle mist turns to a steady rain. A storm, of sorts, is moving in and getting worse. Our thin rain ponchos flap wildly around us, offering scant protection from the gale. Soon, the entire world is reduced to varying shades of grey. This is no ordinary squall. Elsewhere the sun still beats strongly on the town of Niagara Falls. But here, in the basin of Horseshoe Falls, a hurricane rages.

Barely audible beneath the roar of falling water, 700 horses of engine power labor against the currents. I shield my eyes from the driving rain and steal a glimpse of the cascade that now surrounds us on three sides. A stationary tidal-wave occupies my entire field of vision. The end of the world can’t be more dramatic.

The entire voyage lasts a mere thirty minutes, but it’s long enough to see, and experience, the falls up close. It’s also long enough to get completely drenched. This is one trip we wouldn’t want to take in the chilly off-season. It’s also one we wouldn’t want to miss.