http://thegeoks.wordpress.com Hiking, biking and other adventures in the Canadian Rockies Sat, 11 May 2013 01:37:12 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ http://1.gravatar.com/blavatar/1ce9cfdb2e0e09451150ff9e864bcfcf?s=96&d=http%3A%2F%2Fs2.wp.com%2Fi%2Fbuttonw-com.png http://thegeoks.wordpress.com http://thegeoks.wordpress.com/2013/05/10/geobiking-along-the-bow-river-pathway-in-calgary/ http://thegeoks.wordpress.com/2013/05/10/geobiking-along-the-bow-river-pathway-in-calgary/#comments Sat, 11 May 2013 01:37:08 +0000 GeoKs http://thegeoks.wordpress.com/?p=4768 Continue reading →]]> http://thegeoks.wordpress.com/2013/05/10/geobiking-along-the-bow-river-pathway-in-calgary/feed/ 0 Calgary city centre viewed from St. George's Island mrsgeok Downtown Calgary as viewed from the south shore of St. George's Island (home of the Calgary Zoo). This is a less familiar perspective for me. It allows for clear viewing of both the Calgary Tower and the new Bow Building and the inclusion of a long stretch of the Bow River. The new Harvie Passage opened in 2012 - the result of almost 3 years of Bow River renovation near the weir that diverts water into the Western Irrigation District canal. This channel (along the southwest shoreline), is considered a Class II (Intermediate) rapid (i.e. easy rapids with waves up to one metre high). "Easy" is relative to skill / experience, however. As a result, the Calgary Fire Department has applied to Transport Canada to install the new safety boom upstream from Harvie Passage, in hopes it will prevent those without strong paddling skills from entering the waterway. The Alberta Whitewater Association contends that better signage is a better safety measure. No matter the outcome of the Fire Department's request, it's clear that safety considerations are "top of mind" for all stakeholders. This Canada Goose family was swimming in the storm water / constructed wetland pond near Fort Calgary. We also spotted a couple of families with up to 6 goslings near the bike path just north of St. George's Island. After reading so many glowing reviews of Village Ice Cream on Twitter, we opted to make a short detour to try their homemade deliciousness for ourselves. We opted for the new seasonal flavour - Root Beer, in fresh waffle cones. The detour was definitely worth it! http://thegeoks.wordpress.com/2013/05/03/chukar-partridges/ http://thegeoks.wordpress.com/2013/05/03/chukar-partridges/#comments Sat, 04 May 2013 02:06:12 +0000 GeoKs http://thegeoks.wordpress.com/?p=4738 Continue reading →]]> http://thegeoks.wordpress.com/2013/05/03/chukar-partridges/feed/ 0 mrsgeok I first spotted these then-unidentified birds walking back from the neighbourhood postal box. After ignoring me for at least 10 minutes, they started to move when a black squirrel climbed a tree in the yard and started loudly scolding them. I went back to the house to grab a fresh battery for my camera and to invite K to come out and birdwatch with me. I was inside just long enough to make an idenfication using my well-thumbed "Stokes Field Guide to Birds - Western Region" by Donald and Lillian Stokes. The markings and colourings are pretty much the same. I could only tell this was (very probably) the male because it was the larger bird of the pair. A little grooming was in order. This is the smaller bird of the pair, so I assume it's the female. This was as close as I managed to creep before the ambled off towards the back yard. http://thegeoks.wordpress.com/2013/05/03/devonian-gardens-calgary/ http://thegeoks.wordpress.com/2013/05/03/devonian-gardens-calgary/#comments Sat, 04 May 2013 01:03:44 +0000 GeoKs http://thegeoks.wordpress.com/?p=4029 Continue reading →]]> http://thegeoks.wordpress.com/2013/05/03/devonian-gardens-calgary/feed/ 0 OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA mrsgeok Succulent Glass Roof Water Feature Koi Multi-Coloured Leaves Tropical Blossom Living Wall http://thegeoks.wordpress.com/2013/04/30/photo-blogging-challenge-april-2013-transportation/ http://thegeoks.wordpress.com/2013/04/30/photo-blogging-challenge-april-2013-transportation/#comments Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:27:39 +0000 GeoKs http://thegeoks.wordpress.com/?p=4627 Continue reading →]]> http://thegeoks.wordpress.com/2013/04/30/photo-blogging-challenge-april-2013-transportation/feed/ 12 mrsgeok Last year's model on my left foot and this year's model on my right foot. Time to switch over to new boots! Sign marking a bike lock-up along the Riverside Trail in Canmore. A couple of empty bike locks hanging from the loop beneath the sign convey a sad history. Westbound West LRT leaving downtown Calgary. This photograph was taken from a balcony in the Devonian Gardens - a large, indoor park in the heart of the city. View through the windshield heading back to Calgary on the TransCanada highway (I was not driving when I took this photograph). Pretty light traffic, since we left Canmore around 1 pm. The traffic volume really picks up later in the day and it can be like an extended morning commute all the way back to the city. One fresh and one fading contrail over the Ship's Prow in Canmore. http://thegeoks.wordpress.com/2013/04/29/something-from-nothing-bag-of-marbles/ http://thegeoks.wordpress.com/2013/04/29/something-from-nothing-bag-of-marbles/#comments Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:35:53 +0000 GeoKs http://thegeoks.wordpress.com/?p=4659 Continue reading →]]> http://thegeoks.wordpress.com/2013/04/29/something-from-nothing-bag-of-marbles/feed/ 0 mrsgeok Water Earth Fire Spots of Colour Wormhole? The Dark Side