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