Tag Archives: river

Port Alberni River Mist

The drive across Vancouver Island on our way back to the ferry was exceedingly pretty. The temperature in the passes was pretty low and what I imagine happens is that the mist freezes on to the trees. The result was these beautiful white trees looking like they had been created as some Christmas decoration. We were on a main road so no chance to stop and photograph them but, as we got down to Port Alberni, the mist was still around.

As we crossed the river, we got a view along the water between the trees with the mist hanging over the surface. It looked really beautiful. I stopped further along the road where I found a gap in the trees and could get down to the bank. Once out of the car, I figured that the cold temperatures could be handled for a short while and walked back to the bridge. We had a ferry to catch so I wasn’t going to spend too long exploring but this might prove to be a very photogenic place to explore if you had the time.

Little Bear Creek

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We have a park very close to the house with Little Bear Creek running through it. There is a circular trail through the park but I had previously only been on one half of the trail. I finally took a walk around the whole thing and was pleasantly surprised to see that you have a nice view over the creek at a couple of locations. I only had the phone with me, but I got some shots and also put together a pano of the scene. I will have to stroll here more often.

Newhalem

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Newhalem is a company town. It seems to exist purely for Seattle City Light – I assume they are the operators of the three dams on the river with the associated power generation capacity. The town doesn’t seem terribly large and the housing looked like it was for the power workers. Even so, the small downtown area was worthy of a walk around.

Aside from the local shops and parks, more of which will appear later on the blog, there was a suspension bridge across the river. It led to a trail through the woods which, had we had more time, we would definitely have explored. Instead we appreciated the views of the river, the bridge itself and some of the local buildings including one which was once a hotel but is now a museum – sadly closed on the day we visited.

Does Cold Water Help Tired Muscles?

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Two of the later obstacles in the Spartan Race involved water. The first was crossing a small river. It wasn’t too deep but the cold water on tired leg muscles was not nice. The banks were also getting very muddy and slippery given the number of contestants that had been before. Then there was a second water crossing. This was across and back the river with bank climbs on both sides. The water was also a lot deeper and the bottom of the river was uneven. Here people really struggled and the tiredness was really showing.

Sammamish River Trail

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The Sammamish River Trail runs through Woodinville and heads south towards Redmond or west through Bothell. We decided to try it out one weekend day. We were not alone as there were plenty of walkers and even more bikes. It was a pretty warm day and sections of the trail are exposed which made it hot. However, as we got closer to Bothell, tree cover meant it was a lot more comfortable. Plenty of people were also on the river in kayaks and canoes so the river does seem to attract a lot of users in one form or another.

Rusty Discoloration

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The Riverwalk along the Chicago River takes you under the bridges. Each bridge is on a cycle for refurbishment so, while they are repainted regularly, they do progressively show signs of weathering. Some of them are rather old structures with the iron and riveting being something of a period long gone. I stopped for a while to look at the different colors that the gentle corrosion created. Nothing too drastic but an interesting contrast with the original paint color.

Bridge Perspectives

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Walking under the bridges along the Riverwalk in Chicago provides a very different perspective that that which you get from above. Some of the bridges have solid deck and others have gridded metal decks which allow light through (and anything else someone might drop). The lattice structures under the deck are ornate yet grubby. They are obscured from most views and get covered in the grime that washes down from above. I am not making this sound very appealing but I find them very cool to look at. The noise of the traffic above is there but slightly isolated which adds to the atmosphere for me. They do put a curved stainless-steel cover over the walkway itself so you are not vulnerable to anything from above ending up on your head which is something I am grateful for.

Riverwalk – I Wish This Had Been Here Before

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When we were getting ready to leave Chicago, the city was in the process of extending the river walk. This had originally gone along the river up to Michigan Avenue. The first phase extended the walk to State Street and this was in place by the time we left. The plan was to take it all the way to the branching of the river. A few years have now passed and the plan is now a reality. To get from my hotel to my meetings took me along the river so I checked the walk out.

This proved to be a bit more tricky than I expected as it had snowed the night before and the surface alternated between clear, crunchy with frozen snow and slick with ice. Just what you want when walking close to a river! On the way back, things were warmer and a lot more relaxing. It is too early in the year for all of the businesses to be in place but you can see what will be there. One wine bar was open though with clear plastic igloos to give you some privacy and, more importantly, warmth.

You can now walk from the lake all the way to Lake Street. This is a great improvement and is a lot nicer than walking along Wacker and having to cross the streets at each bridge. Now I just need to find a reason to be back during the summer so I can hang out down there when it is warm!

Wolf Point Development

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Wolf Point sits at the place in the Chicago River where it splits into the north and south branches. When I lived in Chicago, it was a park. It sat in front of the a building with a Holiday Inn and the Sun Times located within. It had a great view along the river in all directions. That view was obviously too valuable. The park is gone a some towers are now going up. One was already there when I visited and work is underway on the others. I’m afraid this is a shame to have lost a nice location. Also, if you were in the building across the river that had a view along the main branch, I imagine you are not too pleased to have lost your view and instead be looking at another tower!

Tumwater Canyon

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Our trip across Stevens Pass ended just short of Leavenworth. We took a run along the river through Tumwater Canyon. Here the river sits in the bottom of the valley and the road runs alongside it. Plenty of nice views of the river as it winds its way downhill, some of which you can only see as you drive along the road because there is no space to stop. Other locations, though, do provide an area to allow you to pull off and wander around. Given how pretty it is, you are not alone in these places!

The river widens out in places and then narrows in to some rapids in others. On a sunny day with the fall foliage around, standing by the water and watching the swirling and tumbling flows is really relaxing. The noise of the water can drown out the traffic passing not far away and you can be quite mesmerized. If you don’t mind the close proximity to the traffic, you can also explore a little in each direction away from the parking and get some great new views of the river. You are either walking alongside the road or outside the barriers and close to the edge of the river so paying attention is a must!

One downside to the popularity of the place is that it is a bit tricky to avoid having lots of people in your shots. You can move away a little and have them out of sight. Alternatively, a little careful selection of your angles and shooting location and they can either be cropped out or cunningly concealed behind some other part of the scenery.