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"Okanagan Wine Country" Unbeknownst to many, British Columbia has a thriving and world renowned wine industry. There are five wine producing regions in BC; Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, Fraser Valley, the Similkameen Valley and the Okanagan Valley, ....which is pictured here. There are a total of 370 licensed wineries in BC and 929 vineyards. 120 wineries are located here in the Okanagan Valley. More than 60 (grape) varieties are produced, including: Merlot, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewürztraminer, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc. The BC wine industry contributes 2.8 billion dollars to the British Columbia’s economy yearly and welcomes more than 1 million visitors each year. That said, the Okanagan Valley is a year round hot spot, with beautiful lakes and beaches, world class golf courses and numerous world renowned ski resorts. British Columbia has a lot to offer; wineries, stunning mountains, clear blue lakes, islands, rain-forests, beautiful stretches of old growth coastline, picturesque cities,, cute towns, and world-class skiing, too. Together these things make iBritish Columbia an extremely popular destination. Be sure to add BC to your "must see" bucket list!
This was such a spectacular day for a hike and photo shoot! I drove to the top of Mount Revelstoke (BC) and quickly got my gear together and set out while the morning light was perfect. The spectacular mountain views and valley fog below took my breath away! I love (and am thankful for) my motor-home, Jeep and collapsible bike. Together, they allow me the freedom to roam... and enjoy many meals with view like this one!
In November of 2019, we packed the RV and went on what we referred to as, “a road trip” through Arizona and New Mexico. I had never visited New Mexico before, so I was hoping it would be yet another, “visual feast”... and it was! From Sedona we traveled east to Albuquerque, then up to Santa Fe and on to Taos before heading back west again. On our return, we headed for Monument Valley when this massively tall, heap of rock appeared in the horizon! Strangely it sat all by itself on the desert floor, in the middle of nowhere. "How strange", I thought. We slowed down to take a closer look but it wasn’t until we drove past that I observed the deep, dark gouges and the vivid colours of Monument Valley in the distance. “Oh wow, how unique and picturesque” I said, and with that, we turned around so I could take a few shots. Now one must remember, that we’re in a RV (on a two-lane highway) so turning around takes some maneuvering but in this case, it was worth it. I took this photo in “Raw” because it had the potential to be a prize photo. That said, before I start shooting, I have to decide if I want (or need) a Raw or Jpeg format photograph. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. Admittedly, Jpeg is quick and it’s easy because it’s already edited by the software (although limited). There are however many reasons why I choose to shoot in Raw. Here are my primary reasons: 1) Raw gives you more editing options (in Photoshop). 2) I want the highest quality image I can get. 3) You can never destroy the original Raw photo (any edited version is duplicated and is no longer Raw version). 4) If I were to enter a competition, sometimes you need a Raw version to prove its authenticity. Church Rock, is located just off Highway 160, east of Kayenta, Arizona and sits precariously by itself. It’s a “volcanic plug”, which is a geographical formation that occurs when lava cools inside the neck (vent) of an active volcano. Now, thousands of years later, the rock and soils around the plug have eroded away, leaving "Church Rock".
