Virginia City, Nevada

Old brick facades, wooden walkways, and a main street draped in wires creates the illusion that you've stepped back in time as you enter Virginia City, Nevada. This community sprung up practically overnight when the first major silver deposit in the United States was discovered here in 1859. Were it not for the cars and power lines, you'd swear you were back in the Nevada Territory based on the character of the amazing buildings here.

At its peak in 1870, Virginia City had roughly 25,000 residents. Today, with a focus mostly on tourism, around 855 people call this former mining boomtown home. While some may see a gimmick, I was quickly won over by places like the Bucket of Blood Saloon and the Virginia City Brewery. And if that's not enough, the winding roads to get here were a blast to drive.

Palouse Falls, Washington

A few visual highlights from Palouse Falls State Park in southeast Washington.

A Day in Hanna, Alberta

Perhaps most known these days for being the hometown of Canadian rock band Nickelback, there's a surprising amount of small town charm to be discovered in a place like Hanna, Alberta. I spent the day here last summer while shooting clips for the Spirit of the Canadian Badlands campaign and came away with a new appreciation for this community.

As part of our exploration we checked out the Pioneer Museum & Village, toured the surviving Canadian National Railway roundhouse built in 1913, and even took to the air in a tiny plane for some aerial photography over the surrounding prairies. We also spoke to a WWII veteran who had some incredible stories to share, along with some amazing artifacts he brought back from Europe after the war. There are a lot of places like Hanna all over the prairies, and this brief visit was a reminder that you don't have to look too far to uncover some fascinating history.  

Pioneer Village & Museum in Hanna, Alberta.

Historic CN Railway roundhouse in Hanna, Alberta.

An incredible view of combines harvesting from the air.

WWII veteran and Tom Jackson.

It's not everyday you see a taxidermied two-headed calf.