Wednesday, September 19, 2012

J is for Jaunt


                    Jaunt: A short excursion or journey for pleasure


Jaunt" is one of my favourite words. I like the way it pops cheerily out of the mouth...and am always drawn in by the lure it calls up of a sudden and enticing getaway...a dash of fun and excitement in the day where none was expected.

 One can certainly plan jaunts, but I think they are best enjoyed when presented out of the blue. My husband and I are always open to the possibility of jaunts, finding ourselves easily able to adjust if a change of direction is offered up. 


One day last week, we set out in late morning for a bit of a drive. We had no destination in mind, but found out that the further along the road we went, the further still we wanted to go. 


Our short drive turned into a round trip of 650 kilometres. We considered stopping when we got to Abbotsford, but continued on past Hope and Chilliwack, and then onto the Coquihalla Highway, ending up in Merritt. Home to the fabulous Merritt Mountain Music Festival held every summer, the town was a quiet and rustic spot to explore on this September afternoon.



Of course, the main rule of road trips  is that one never goes back the same way one came if it can be avoided, which is why we switched to the old Trans Canada Highway and made our way over to Lytton for supper.  

Lytton well deserves its reputation as B.C.'s hot spot, and is also where the Thompson River empties into the mighty Fraser.


It is interesting to see the very clear difference in colours as the waters come together.



I am always fascinated by topography but had forgotten the wide variety that presents itself in B.C.'s Fraser Canyon.


Of course, I also kept my eyes open for ramshackle buildings long abandoned, and was not disappointed in finding a few.




From dry, scrubby hills to well-watered pastures, there was variety enough in the landscape to excite my photographer's eye, though many of these shots were, of necessity, taken from the swiftly moving car.


There was little time to stop if we wanted to make it home before the day was done.


Landslides are common in this part of the province...evidence of their power is to be found everywhere.





By the time we headed homeward, the light was long gone, but we carried back with us the knowledge that we had packed a bounty of pleasure and beauty into this particular day....


For more takes on the letter "J", do stop by ABC Wednesday at the link below....

http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.ca


18 comments:

Ann said...

That was a fabulous jaunt. Every picture a sight to behold. The train looks so small against the mountain and the pic with the town and the green grass so pretty.
Ann

Katy Cameron said...

Oh yes, jaunts have to be entirely unplanned, otherwise they become trips, and that's a whole other ball game! I'm thinking of my October holiday as part trip (in that I know where I'll be each night) and part jaunt, because I have no idea where we'll go each day :oD

Roger Owen Green said...

lovely nature shots
ROG, ABC Wednesday team

Ella said...

Oh, you so remind me of traveling to Alaska...we went through BC, just breathtaking~! What fun your jaunt was! So nice to go on adventures~
Wonderful photos, it was fun to be part of your trip! :D Thank you!

Wanda said...

After viewing all your pictures, and explanations, I'd say that was a JOURNEY....or a VERY large Juant!!!

Really enjoyed the trip.

Tito Eric said...

That spontaneous jaunt of yours yielded magnificent photos! Awesome, indeed!

Cheers! Visiting from ABC Wednesday!

Here's mine:
http://turningboholano.blogspot.com/2012/09/jose-rizal-intellectual-evolution-not.html

Lois Evensen said...

That looks more like a journey than a jaunt! Beautiful!

Sherry Blue Sky said...

Same trip Lori and I made in August but you got WAY better photos. You must have one killer of a lens.....absolutely lovely. That is a lot of fun all in one day!!!!!!

RURAL said...

Hey, you were only a few hours from us, you should have stopped in and said hello, lol.

What gorgeous scenery you shot. I am starting to get the wanderlust urge again, it must by the word Jaunt.

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

Pat said...

What stunning photos of your jaunt through the wild lands of BC. That is such a spectacular part of Canada. The last time we were in BC was our road trip of 1994. It is so gorgeous. You captured some great photos from the moving car!

Debra She Who Seeks said...

You guys are SERIOUS jaunters! Beautiful photos of a beautiful land.

carol l mckenna said...

Wow! What a 'jaunt' ~ breathtakingly beautiful! Fantastic photography ~ (A Creative Harbor)

thanks for 'coming by and commenting' ^_^

Linnea said...

Fantastic shots of your impromptu jaunt!

EG CameraGirl said...

Looks like you had a beautiful day for a jaunt. I can see why the short jaunt turned into along one. I LOVE a day that develops into something unexpectedly special. The area is beautiful.

foszae said...

yep that's exactly what i'd say about you two, that you take a random moment and go on grand adventures. your idea of what a little side trip is astounds me.

photowannabe said...

I am very partial to Jaunts myself.
Hubby and I do it often.
Thanks for the fascinating Journey into the rugged country.

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