Fraser Canyon

The Fraser Canyon offers low-elevation access to the British Columbia interior, and was the favored route successively for the Cariboo Wagon Road (1860s), the Canadian Pacific (1880s), the Canadian National (1900s), and eventually the Trans Canada Highway (1960s).

Automobile traffic typically prefers the more direct route offered by Highway 5, except as on this trip, when winter driving conditions on Coquihalla Pass (1244m) were hazardous.

South and North Thompson River Confluence

Kamloops BC was founded as a trading post in the valley where two branches of the Thompson river join.  The confluence is just beyond these willows, seen above Lorne St and on the "wrong side" of the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks that lie between here and the city centre.

The Canadian National Railway runs on the north side of the valley, and continues that way to Edmonton; the CPR takes a completely different route from here westward across the Rockies and on to Calgary.

Christmas Tree

The purpose of the trip up the Mountain Loop Highway was to harvest a Christmas tree from the National Forest.  This one came from not far from the Mount Pilchuck trailhead, around 3200ft.  I was instructed not to bring home a tree "bigger than myself."  Being respectful of that conveniently let me fit it inside the Jeep rather than having to lash it to the roof.

Gas Valve Solenoid Replacement

Our clothes dryer is heated by gas.  There are very few parts to the mechanism, and when the dryer stopped heating, I did a bit of research to learn how to diagnose the failure.

With all other easily-tested parts proven as working, the solenoids controlling these two gas valves became the suspected cause.  The Sears parts depot had replacements at reasonable cost, and what a joy it was to hear it fire up once all the bits were put back together!

For those who might wonder how it works: when the dryer is commanded to heat, and the ambient temperature in the drum isn't too high, and the ignitor is sufficiently hot, then a pair of coils (solenoids) is energized, magnetically forcing this pair of valves to open, letting gas flow.

Overcast Snow

The clouds arrived soon after Granite Falls.  It was still a pleasure to get into the snow this early in the season, but the magic of the sunshine had to stay behind, closer to the coast.

Sunny and Snowy

On the way to Granite Falls, I stopped in Lake Stevens to enjoy the fresh snowfall on this brisk and cold morning.  The Mountain Loop Highway would be overcast, so I wanted to capture a few shots of this glorious sunshine before heading east.

Plenty 'o Squash

Part of the cornucopia seen last month is now in the freezer!  The big squash was cubed and frozen, and now makes its way into soups from time to time.

Jack o' Lantern

This year's Jack o' Lantern is a bit more even-keeled than last year's. Trick or treating is serious business around here, and you need a proper advertisement to attract costumed youngsters up our steps.

Audi R8

"Starting at $115,900", the Audi R8 is not for everyone. There are both V8 and V10 versions, and each yields over 400 horsepower in a very light body.

This one looks lovely in red.

Huckleberry Foliage

Unlike Mount Sawyer, there were only a few huckleberries on this slope. They sure lit up beautifully with light transmitting through their vibrant red leaves.

Larix lyallii

Being deciduous pines, these larches are in full fall colors and will soon be losing their needles entirely. It's been a warm fall, so there's little snow accumulation up here so far.

This is around 6700ft on the flank of Carne Mountain.

Central Cascades

A fall hike in the Central Cascades shows the narrow band of alpine larch across the valley that becomes the dominant species from about 6000 to 7000ft of elevation. Below that, evergreens outcompete them. And above that, there's nothing much but snow!

Mini Cornucopia

It was a good year for pumpkins and squash. We threaded vines along the back alley fence, which allowed for a substantial west-facing aspect for them to spread out on.

Planted Pond

City and state landscape planners seem to have developed a fetish for planting dead tree trunks in newly created wetlands. They seem like lovely places for raptors or other birds to perch.

But in this climate, they'll rot and fall over in a few years -- is there budget for their replacement then?

What Goes Up Must Come Down

This is the end of Snider's Lane, off another lane, tucked into Melbourne's CBD. Sister Bella is a lively bar to the right, run the same folks of the now deceased St. Jerome's. This sort of a place doesn't gain business from the impulses of passers-by; you'd have to know about it to find your way here.