If you are not into the extreme or adventurous sports, Revelstoke also offers a quiet place to just kick back and enjoy everything that is good and relaxing in life. Surrounded by stunning landscapes and dotted along the edge of rivers, you cannot help but feel at one with nature and just let the stress flow out of you. Downtown is small and walkable with quaint shops and some great restaurants. There are great trails along the river for a stroll and to just soak up the view and ambience. Fresh mountain air soothes your soul and breath, leaving you relaxed and calm.

Museums, an inside Aquatic Park, theatre, a tour of the Dam, and more offer visitors a variety of touristy attractions and history of the area. Coffee shops, craft bier, and all the Poutine you can eat, tempt your palette.

A great destination to just be reminded of the beautiful things in life.  I highly recommend you stop in their Visitor Centre, they were very helpful and full of great information. Pick up maps of the area and just take off and explore. Revelstoke has so much to offer so plan for a lengthy visit.

Comprised of mountain ranges, there is no straight route in British Columbia when going from one destination to another. Which is a good thing, gives you a reason to explore more of this beautiful country. Our road trip from Anacortes to Revelstoke, B.C. took us on a changing landscape trail of canyons, high mountains soaring toward the sky, valleys sunken in between towering peaks, wine country, desert mountains, each landscape unique and impressive.  On this particular trip we did three of the Top 5 Scenic Drives in B.C, but I would add that all the drives in B.C are scenic.

 We crossed the border at Lynden/Aldergrove, entering the charming area of Langley. A quick jaunt up Hwy 13 and we caught the Trans-Canada Hwy 1 east. We opted for the scenic route listed on the Top 5 Scenic Drives, the Trans-Canada Highway 1: Hope to Cache Creek, through Fraser Canyon. It added to our drive time, but it was worth the view. We stopped for lunch in Boston Bar, the Old Towne Inne Bar and Grill, a step back in time and the food was good and hearty.

When you leave the canyon the drive takes you into a contrasting landscape of arid and desert-like countryside. A beautiful and unique scenic drive. We stopped in Kamloops for gas and a quick bite and a quick call to our hotel letting them know we were still on our way.

The trouble with traveling when you are a photographer is it means a lot of stops. Google map said this was a 7.5 hr drive – add meals, bathroom breaks, and more importantly photo opportunities, and the drive easily expands into an additional 3 hours plus. But, what the heck, we were on travel time and when surrounded by so much beauty who can resist. We finally hit our destination, Revelstoke, around 9:30 pm, just as the sun was setting.  We had been on the road for around 11 hours at this point and a hotel room sounded divine.

Our first day after arriving, we enjoyed breakfast and walked around town a bit before hitting the road again for the next scenic drive - Revelstoke to Golden via Trans-Canada Hwy 1 (east.) We only made it as far as Canyon Hot Springs. It was a beautiful climb along Mt Revelstoke National Park into the lovely canyon, but after a long day in the car the day before and ears popping from crossing too many mountains, the climb into Glacier National Park seemed daunting, so we turned around and headed back to town, saving this drive for another day.

After a few days in Revelstoke it was time to head for the border and home. We took another scenic drive, Route 97, Revelstoke to Kelowna. The scenery was spectacular. Farmlands, mountain hills, lakes, and small towns captured our attention. I could have spent days exploring this area, we'll save that for another trip.

Getting back to Washington State took many twists and turns and various highways to get home. There was no straight route, so why not explore some of the areas. The ever-changing landscape as we changed highways added to the journey, each unique and with different characters. What was supposed to be the shortest hwy route in the journey, Highway 97 C from Kelowna to Merritt, proved to be the most challenging.  Our poor little car sputtered up the long hill. The drastic change in elevation as we climbed in the pouring rain was an adventure into itself. Over 2,000 ft in elevation change with the highest peak at 5,669 ft, it was hard on the ears, the water bottle, and the little engine that could. High in the mountains, covered in clouds, it struck me that the Canadian Highway system seemed to build most of the highways high up on the mountain ranges.

From 97C we took Hwy 5A north to catch Hwy 5 South, where we would then again catch Trans-Canada Hwy 1 (west) towards home. Hwy 5 is another highway up towards the top of the mountain range. We saw signs often that said, "High Mountain Road. Expect Sudden Weather Changes." This drive was not listed on the Top 5 Scenic Drives, but it should be. Stunning views of valleys and mountains stretched for miles. By far, this was one of the most beautiful road trips. It almost needs to done in small sections, each with time dedicated to the area. There was too much to see and explore and not enough time to really experience the true beauty of this part of British Columbia.

Until next time.

 Hope to Hell's Gate, a road that takes you on a winding journey of exploration, magnificent scenery, and a chance to experience Hope and Hell all in one road trip.

Just like our thoughts the canyon's winding road, with the flowing river, followed a path through the deep gorge, encased by steep walls. Train tracks, sometimes flanking both sides of the river, snaked along the rivers edge carrying on history and bringing commerce across country.

It is about perspective and letting what's ahead take you on a journey of wonder. For it's not just the highway from Hope to Hell's Gate, it is a road through a slice of heaven.

All I want for Christmas is…

• The sound of crashing waves
• Peace and quiet
• Fresh marine air
• Sand between my toes
• Nature's Glorious Beauty to remind there is still greatness which surrounds us
  
• Solitude so I can dream
  
• And a joyful memory to take with me into the New Year

For the first time in years we found ourselves alone for the holidays.  And after a long, busy year my body, mind, and soul craved solitude and quiet. I have been in love with Cannon Beach, Oregon since 1994 when my sister got married on the beach. There is just something special about this coastal town, which calls to your soul. Most visit for the beautiful beach, the town full of quaint shops, intriguing art galleries, and delectable restaurants, and for photographers it is a visual paradise.

Our decision to leave town was very last minute. At first it was hard to find a place to stay with the dates we had in mind or wasn't priced too high. I contacted a place via Facebook. I manage Facebook pages for businesses so I was impressed how quick and responsive they were via messaging.  The front desk sent an email with a quote within a short time. I called and they were friendly, accommodating and helpful over the phone. They gave us off-season rates even though it was Christmas. We booked the room, packed our bags and hit the road the next day.

Upon our arrival, I was pleasantly surprised. We stayed at the Lighthouse Inn, but check in is at their sister property, Inn at Cannon Beach. We were greeted by the same person who helped over the phone, check in was quick and easy, they had warm delicious cookies for guests, and over 400 movies to choose from. The Lighthouse inn is conveniently located in town, everything was within walking distance; the beach, restaurants, shops, grocery store. We had a 1 bedroom suite with a small kitchenette, a large tub (this was a treat for me), a fireplace. Comfy, cozy, clean, and convenient.

The front desk gave us a list of restaurants, including two that were open on Christmas Day. We decided to splurge on Christmas dinner and made reservations at Wayfarer. The menu was limited to traditional holidays dishes, turkey and prime rib with all the fixings. The place was packed, the view was wonderful, the weather was gorgeous, and the service was define.

Most of the time the weather was just right, but the day after Christmas was stormy with scattered rain, so it made for a nice day to drive down the coast a bit, our final destination was to take the tour at Tillamook Dairy Co-Op (I was really going there for the ice cream.)  We stopped at various state parks along the way and drove through the town of Manzanita and stopped for coffee. For lunch we found a place on yelp, Hidden Acres Greenhouse and Cafe. It was a bit south of Tillamook and when you drive up it is a working nursery, the food and the atmosphere was well worth it.

A few facts I learned at the Tillamook Diary:

1. Tillamook means "Land of many waters."
   
2. The produced 15 gallons of milk a day.
   
3. In the 1800's, butter was the first diary product introduced.
   
4. There are 6,220 gallons of milk in one vat.
   
5. 165 lbs of salt is used for every 53,500 lbs of cheese.
   
6. They cut about a million pounds of cheese in a week.
   

On Thursday, the weather cleared up and visitors flooded the town and the beach. The quiet solitude was now filled with holiday cheer, dogs running around, children playing, parents and grandparents. It was our last day there and with cameras in hand we spent hours on the beach, people watching and photographing crashing waves. It was a beautiful end to 2018.