Saskatoons and Blueberries

Jacqui (queen of this blog, if you’ve been following) gathered Saskatoon berries along the river valley as a kid in Canada even though most other non-native folks like her didn’t even know about them; her mom is a botanist, which has perks. She pointed them out to us near Edmonton, and now we see them […]

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Two Days in Edmonton

(Okay, that top shot looks like I’m showing off my new haircut, but it’s the only picture I took of downtown Edmonton and therefore subject-appropriate. Plus, new haircut!) I drafted a post here about the two extra camping days we booked after Jasper, near Edmonton so I could see my friends there just a wee […]

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A Reunion in Jasper Despite Angry Fates

A long-awaited reunion of two families (and life-long friends) finally happened at the campsite beside us at Jasper–one mother-daughter pair from as far as New Zealand—and against every obstacle the universe could throw at them. Let’s see, the absurd events that seemed to conspire against this reunion include: Lightning struck Ruth’s house the day after […]

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Alberta Raises the Bar

You guys know how I sometimes get ”beautiful scenery fatigue.” If you walk through several amazing deserts (or sections of the same one), eventually you start thinking about your favorite, and all the rest blend into a desert blur. Worse, the next deserts you walk through seem a little ho-hum. Same with beach-front campgrounds, boondocking […]

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Two Glaciers before Noon

I want to tell you all about our only day at the IceField Center in Jasper National Park, but due to Reasons, I have about 15 minutes to write this sucker, so I’ll have to give highlights only. What’s special about this exact location (the IceField Center along the IceFields Parkway) is that it’s a […]

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