With only a few days to prepare, Alan and I unpack from our photographic journey on the Oregon Coast and re-pack for a gourmet food and wine weekend at Jasper Lake Lodge in Canada. What a switch! We’re going from rugged adventure to luxury eating and drinking. Alan and I fly to Edmonton on Wednesday, where our friends, Hank and Lorraine, introduce us to their city. With its parks and walking trails along the river, it reminds me of Adelaide, Australia. And, although Edmonton is about the same size as Tucson, it seems much more cosmopolitan with a dynamic city center. On Friday, Hank drives us to Jasper Park for a weekend sponsored by the Edmonton chapter of Le Chaine des Rotisseurs, a worldwide group of professional chefs and gourmands. The route through the park includes ... read more

When Alan arranged a one-on-one photography workshop with landscape photographer, Marc Adamus, he told him, “take us off the beaten path.” Marc took the comments seriously. Marc uses a 5.4-mile hike on the Nature Conservancy’s property at Cascade Head near Lincoln City to get acquainted with us. Although it’s Alan’s workshop, Marc graciously agrees that I can tag along. While Alan and Marc discuss photography, Marc judges our fitness level. When the hike begins on a downhill slope, I make a mental note that the uphill return will be a killer. The trail is shaded by new and old growth forest. We walk on a path cushioned by evergreen needles until it is necessary to negotiate mud puddles or large tree trunks that have fallen across the path. Marc points out an elk track in the ... read more

The Alpine Loop travels through the high country of the San Juan Mountains between Ouray, Lake City and Silverton, Colorado. Accessible by 4-wheel-drive trails, the area offers endless views plus glimpses of mining history. From Ouray, the usual access point to the Alpine Loop is up the boulder-strewn beginnings of Engineers Pass. Since we’ve traveled that section before in our jeep, Alan and I decide to spare the Toyota and take an easier access route from Silverton. As pavement turns to gravel and dirt near Silverton, the road climbs passing remnants of mines clinging to hillsides. Soon we’re at the ghost town of Animas Forks. Since the drive up Engineers Pass to Lake City takes about two hours along with a two-hour return through Cinnamon Pass, we elect to bypass any exploration of the crumbing houses. ... read more

Our usual route to Ouray takes us through Durango and up the “million dollar highway” that winds around the mountains to Silverton and into the rugged countryside that defines the mining area near Ouray. This time, we’re coming from Cortez and in the back way on Highway 145. The route takes us through communities like Dolores, the western town of Rico and toney Telluride before descending into a gorge then over the Dallas Divide into the ranching community of Ridgeway and ending at Ouray. On the way, the road snakes beside the Dolores River where many ranches and fishing lodges perch beside fast running water. For sale signs are everywhere but we never find out why so many parcels of land are on the market. Want to buy a slice of mountain heaven? All you need ... read more

We’re on the road again. This time, instead of sailing the seas on a luxury cruise liner, we’re driving the back roads of Northwestern New Mexico and Southwestern Colorado. Our plan is to stop in Grants, New Mexico to explore two National Monuments - El Malpais and El Morrow. Then, it’s on to Ouray, Colorado for some high mountain 4-wheel touring. This morning our drive takes us from desert to mountains through some of my favorite countryside along the Arizona/New Mexico border. As the road climbs near the Gila National Wilderness, I make notes for future trips. Sparsely populated, the area offers plenty to see but few accommodations unless you are a camper or backpacker. We are not alone on the road. Motorcyclists are everywhere. In Reserve, a gas station owner explains that the motorcyclists are ... read more