The drive along the Pacific Coast Highway was incredible. The scenery, the ocean, the winding roads, and lots of good music seemed to dictate the pace of our near perfect drive. Bixby Bridge, also known as Bixby Canyon Bridge or Bixby Creek Bridge, is the most popular landmark along the 101 and it's easy to see why. This short stretch of road provides stunning views of the California coastline. From the rocky cliffs to the pristine beaches, this is Big Sur at her best. As you slow down to cross Bixby Bridge your surroundings suddenly open up as you glide across the canyon. For that brief moment, it's like seeing the PCH for the first time all over again.
Earlier this week I took the opportunity to shoot some new images of Police Point Park for my Around the Hat photo series. I had planned to visit as the sun was setting, but actually found myself competing against the shadows as I quickly lost light behind the tree line. I literally made it to the riverbank just minutes before dusk stole the remaining light. If you've never been to Police Point in Medicine Hat, Alberta it's a giant natural wilderness area within the city, surrounded by a bend in the South Saskatchewan River. The park derives its name from being a North West Mounted Police outpost back in the late 1800s, although there are no remains of the post in the area anymore. The cliffs on the far side of the park define the eastern edge of the city, and as such, they're the last part of the park to get light from the setting sun. The scene was actually quite incredible when I was there. As the cliffs became bathed in deeper shades of orange and red, I was taken back for a moment at how jaded I'd become towards the local landscape. It was gorgeous.
The signs of an approaching autumn are becoming more apparent by the day, and in some of the lower lying areas of Police Point where you could feel the cold air rolling off of the river, it's already arrived. Fall in the prairies is a short season, and the leaves don't stay on the trees very long once they start changing. The freckles of gold and yellow amidst a still lush and green backdrop was absolutely picturesque. The rich contrast provided by the last hour of the sun's light only emphasized the detail of my surroundings, and I immediately recalled shooting We Two Kings here in the winter of 2009 and thinking about what a transformation this place goes through. There isn't a paved path to the riverbank, but it's not difficult to find smaller trails that lead there. The cliffs, as stunning as they were, turned out not to be main attraction though. As I reached the water's edge I stumbled onto a group of beavers. They seemed to be playing and gathering sticks, and I immediately regretted not bringing another lens to get closer shots of them swimming. I counted five in total as I walked along the riverbank, and it proved to be the perfect cap to such a scenic walk. It was only minutes later that I was in darkness though and I had to head back. I look forward to my next visit.
In addition to the Alcatraz postcards I picked up, I managed to leave the Rock with a decent collection of prison related memorabilia. I have to give credit to the folks in the gift shop because I found it very easy to spend money there.
During our visit in September 2010, the Save the Rock preservation project was already well underway. What I hadn't realized ahead of time, was that pieces of Alcatraz concrete were actually being sold as souvenirs. I thought it was a clever way for them to raise extra money for the project, and I was more than willing to get a one of kind piece of memorabilia to remember the trip (even if it was just a piece of concrete). I thought it was kind of like buying a piece of the Berlin Wall.
I also picked up a giant Alcatraz prison key with a Golden Gate National Parks stamped tag. It hangs on one of my inspiration boards now. I just thought it looked cool.
Magnets are nothing new in my collection (see here) but I really liked these ones. The branding of Alcatraz is really well done throughout all of their merchandise and marketing, and I really liked all of the replicas they made available. These magnets of the lighthouse and of one of the signs in the prison are good examples of their attention to style and detail.
Another cool replica I bought was this tin cup. They actually had all of the cafeteria utensils, including sectioned plates, available to buy. As expected all of this stuff was overpriced, but in fairness, they're also really high quality souvenirs that all have a really nice weight to them. I didn't buy more souvenirs at any single location than I did at Alcatraz on our 2010 road trip across the Western USA.
