Highway of Memories

It was great to make a trip to Jasper for three days earlier this week.i passed many places enroute that stirred up memories of lost love, friendships with people who have since passed on, and favourite stops to visit to take photos. t

This photo is of a pond  that my friend Maxine and I visited many times, once before sunrise when the place awoke to a golden glow. I stopped here for old times sake.The colours are past their peak but still lovely. There are still a few Tamaracks that haven’t shed their golden needles and aspens that haven’t dropped their leaves.

Almost every landmark that I passed stirred up a memory. The friend that I stayed with on a stop halfway home, the couple whom I visited just near what some locals referred to as “the million dollar s—house” a rest stop on the highway. The turn-off that led to the place where I used to live and the roomate that passed away recently.

I kept driving except to pick up a coffee and some licorice, a long-time habit when i am traveling. The photo shows an overcast sky but it got sunny around Hinton and stayed that way for two days.

My next stop,apart from paying entry at the park gate in Jasper National Park was a a place known to photographers for consistantly good light and a pleasing composition.I have heard about this place and driven by it many times, but not consciously. After at least a two-year wait I found it and took some photos.

My destination for the next two days was HI Jasper the international hostel on Whistlers Road. It was a great place to go for someone traveling solo with a limited budget and I met people from Alaska,France,New Zealand, Japan.I made daily trips to places that I had been to before and wanted to visit again.More about that tomorrow.