RoaD Trip - Chicago
Sarah and I found some time to get away for her birthday in September 2017, after contemplating a number of destinations we decided on Chicago Illinois, mainly because we had not spent time there and somewhere new is always a great attraction.
To make the most of it I elected to drive there and make some photos along the way (any excuse to pack the camera gear and get on the road). I began by heading north out of Cochrane before turning east to head across to Drumheller. I didn't intend stopping at Drumheller or the Hoodoos close by but I like that particular route east as it is always empty.
The emptiness does mean working for topics to shoot along the way but I enjoy the solitude of the empty roads and surroundings so much I would drive it without ever stopping, and still be happy. The gallery below shows images made in Alberta between home and the Saskatchewan border including a lovely old 1965 Plymouth Valiant abandoned by the roadside.
To make the most of it I elected to drive there and make some photos along the way (any excuse to pack the camera gear and get on the road). I began by heading north out of Cochrane before turning east to head across to Drumheller. I didn't intend stopping at Drumheller or the Hoodoos close by but I like that particular route east as it is always empty.
The emptiness does mean working for topics to shoot along the way but I enjoy the solitude of the empty roads and surroundings so much I would drive it without ever stopping, and still be happy. The gallery below shows images made in Alberta between home and the Saskatchewan border including a lovely old 1965 Plymouth Valiant abandoned by the roadside.
One of the main reasons for my 'high and wide' approach to the route east was a hope to catch some of the migratory birds (predominantly snow geese) that frequent the lakes of Saskatchewan. Sarah and I have seen them once before from a distance and I hoped to get closer. As it turns out I was a little early for the migration but I did see a few geese starting to gather, maybe I'll make a specific trip to see them later in the year. Below are a few shots taken from distance of a small gathering flock in Saskatchewan.
The place that is first in my thoughts when I'm heading east from Cochrane is the Great Sand Hills ecological preserve in southwest Saskatoon, I've explored so little of the park and find myself wanting to return again and again. The downside is that the area has chronically bad hotels/motels and on our first visit some scruffy little scroat was intent on breaking into my truck until he realised I was close by watching him. All I will say about this place is, if you go there be cognisant of vehicle security because you are in the middle of nowhere here and having some scabby local scumbag drive off in your car would be problematic to say the least. It's a real shame that the first thought in this beautiful area is one of vehicle security due to local scroats.
After my first overnight stop I was happy to be up and about early to catch sunrise on highway 32 east, by a fluke of good timing the sun was perfectly aligned with the highway and made for a very nice simple shot with clear straight lines leading toward a beautiful sunrise. I dropped south through the town of Swift Current to the tiny town of Cadillac and had a really nice steady journey along highway 13 east from there to White Bear Lake close to the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border. I had hoped to find migratory birds on the lake but there were few to be seen, the shores of White Bear Lake were not really conducive to good sunset images either so I jumped in the truck and headed north for a short distance to Kenosee Lake. On arrival there was a good storm going and cloud and strong wind made the prospects for a sunset image unlikely. I decided to explore the lake and find sunset location so that if the cloud cleared I would be ready. I spent an hour or so exploring and making a few images before going to a local hostelry for dinner. When I came out the storm was blowing out and a glimpse of sun had me hoping for the best. I got the gear out of the truck and hiked along the eastern end of the lake to my chosen location and waited. Fortunately all that planning paid off and the sun broke through giving me a wonderful sunset opportunity.
Day 3 saw me turn south at last and make the short hop into North Dakota, this time I had a very specific target for my photography, the lovely old Fargo Theatre. I began by travelling through Gainsborough, York and Leeds which made me a little homesick. I stopped in Leeds to make a short video and send it Markie for fun. I also saw signs for Buxton too, so in a short hop in North Dakota I've covered Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and Derbyshire. I stopped at Kellys Slough National Wildlife Refuge just west of Grand Forks to stretch my legs, I'd hoped to see migrating birds but again I was a bit too early. When I arrived in Fargo I booked into the hotel before heading downtown to that lovely theatre to make an image of the striking neon and streaking vehicle lights.
After my overnight in Fargo I had a 7.5 hours interstate route ahead of me so didn't plan anything for the day in terms of photography, but after booking into my hotel in Madison Wisconsin I decided I should make an effort. I found Capital Springs State Park nearby so went down there to try and find a sunset location. As there was a large lake I headed for that first. Though it was quite nice it wasn't going to make a good sunset location owing to the forest blocking out the horizon. As I cut back through the forest I found a nice opening with fields and a single tree isolated from its neighbours, the sun was close to setting and there wouldn't be time to find another location so I decided to stay put and make that tree the topic for my sunset image. After catching a sunset I wanted more so drove into downtown Madison and shot the Capitol building, on the way there I spotted a great skyline view and was soon back in the truck searching for access. After quite a lot of milling around I parked on a side street and hiked/stumbled through woodland in the dark to a lakeside where I could see the shot I wanted to make and just a few hundred metres away was a small boat dock, so I made a shot of the dock and 'light painted' the dock and boats with a torch before walking to the end of it and making my cityscape.
After Madison I drove the short hop to Chicago O'hare airport and abandoned my truck in the long term parking, I did this so I could avoid the $60 per day charge in downtown Chicago by using the $10 a day airport instead. I met Sarah off the plane and we headed into the city where we spent a wonderful week roaming the downtown area. We spent plenty of time on the 'Magnificent Mile' shopping and on the riverwalk which is very nice. We also visited Navy Pier and a number of the beaches. I made a lovely shot of the city skyline which I had planned for weeks so I was very happy with that. We rode on the municipal bike share (DIVVY) often and visited both the Willis Tower and Chicago 360 for opposing city views. A ride along the river on a boat was an obvious choice as was the lakeshore pathway, the 'coffee bean' and millennium park. All in all it was a really lovely week and we did our best to see as much as possible in the time available. For Sarahs birthday I treated her to a full new outfit and a very nice dinner in the evening, I don't think the week could have gone any better, even the weather played along with temperatures in the high 20's and 30's for the entire time.
After a fantastic week in Chicago I went back to O'hare with Sarah and waved goodbye as she walked through the security checkpoint. Rather than hang around I decided to head north to Milwaukee Wisconsin and grab a hotel there, to begin the journey home. I managed a quick scoot around the downtown area and the riverwalk as well as a little of the Lake Michigan shoreline but the main area I wanted to shoot was closed due to an event.
From Milwaukee I had to head northwest to avoid heavy wintry showers so I selected St Cloud Minnesota using the tried and tested 'pin in the map' method. It was a quiet journey and I missed every drop of rain and snow as I meandered along avoiding the interstate. I arrived in good time so decided to take in a few local parks and try to find a sunset location to shoot. Once I'd done both I stopped in the downtown area and made a few shots for the memories before heading back to the hotel.
From St Cloud I headed north to the Canadian border and into the city of Winnipeg with enormous winter storms raging so I didn't shoot anything at all the whole day. The next morning I was up early and heading west toward home. As I crawled into the town Medicine Hat traffic was almost at a standstill due to snow and ice but I picked my way through and decided to carry on....bad decision. After 20km on the TransCanada highway which was reduced to driving in the frozen ruts of others I got a puncture from something frozen into the ice and poking up. I crawled out of the ruts to the roadside where the snow was up to the running boards on the truck and began changing the wheel, but with the icy wind howling around my head and no gloves or hat I was soon absolutely freezing. I didn't get far before I opted to call a tow truck to take me back to Medicine Hat. I got the tyre fixed and tried setting off for home again but the police closed the highway due to the high number of crashes and the road conditions, so I circled back to Medicine Hat and booked a hotel for the night. It was another day with no images and and really miserable driving conditions too so the comfortable bed was welcome.
In the morning I set out on the TransCanada again but road conditions were as bad as last night, the weather had improved but not the existing ice and snow and once again the police decided to close the highway a short distance from Medicine Hat. This time I took to a back road for 10km before getting back on the empty TransCanada highway with one other driver. We drove cautiously for about 60 km when we came upon a police car who wanted to know how we had got there as the road was supposed to be closed, 'ooops'. I explained that we joined from a farm track about 10km west of Medicine Hat and there was no indication that the road was closed. I was able to provide some useful information to him about the number of vehicles in the ditch and stuck on the highway itself and the general condition of the road between us and Medicine Hat which was duly noted before me and the other driver were sent on our way without further hassle. The road was a little better now, the snow ploughs had been through and I was able to stick with the TransCanada highway all the way home where I was happy to jump in a hot shower and crash to sleep on the couch.
Though the last couple of days of the trip were marred by bad weather this was another fantastic road trip and at this time of year these things are to be expected out here. We both really enjoyed Chicago and wouldn't mind returning to the city, but there's always another city we haven't seen and the attraction of new vistas always seems to win out.
In the morning I set out on the TransCanada again but road conditions were as bad as last night, the weather had improved but not the existing ice and snow and once again the police decided to close the highway a short distance from Medicine Hat. This time I took to a back road for 10km before getting back on the empty TransCanada highway with one other driver. We drove cautiously for about 60 km when we came upon a police car who wanted to know how we had got there as the road was supposed to be closed, 'ooops'. I explained that we joined from a farm track about 10km west of Medicine Hat and there was no indication that the road was closed. I was able to provide some useful information to him about the number of vehicles in the ditch and stuck on the highway itself and the general condition of the road between us and Medicine Hat which was duly noted before me and the other driver were sent on our way without further hassle. The road was a little better now, the snow ploughs had been through and I was able to stick with the TransCanada highway all the way home where I was happy to jump in a hot shower and crash to sleep on the couch.
Though the last couple of days of the trip were marred by bad weather this was another fantastic road trip and at this time of year these things are to be expected out here. We both really enjoyed Chicago and wouldn't mind returning to the city, but there's always another city we haven't seen and the attraction of new vistas always seems to win out.