Fall Photo Day Trip

Every year around the end of October, the Monochrome Guild has gone on a weekend photography trip.  This tradition has been carried on for over 20 years.  Most of the time we have traveled to Jasper National Park, but on occasion we also visited Banff, Kananaskis, and Drumheller.  We looked into the possibility of a fall trip this year, but with the Covid situation, it was just impossible.  We would not have been able to carpool and would have had to drive separate vehicles.  We would not have been able to share hotel rooms.  And it was questionable as to whether or not we could eat together in restaurants in a larger group.  So, to keep the tradition alive and the streak active, we elected for a day trip this year instead.  Hopefully by the time next fall arrives the virus situation has improved and we are able to revert back to our traditional format.

Weather conditions were far from ideal.  The temperature only got up to about -5C.  It was heavily overcast, despite the fact that the forecast called for mostly sunny skies.  There was a cold breeze blowing out of the north, and the humidity was very high.  I think that perhaps partly we are not yet acclimatized to cold weather, but the high humidity made it feel bitterly cold.  Bare hands were numb with cold in a matter of minutes.

Four members of the Monochrome Guild set out, and because we had to travel in separate vehicles due to the Covid situation, we elected to meet up at Elk Island National Park.  Court, Fred, Meghan and I met there at about 10:30AM.  We decided not to pass through the park as not all of us had valid National Park passes.  Instead we traveled East and North and eventually ended up at Mundare.

It was cold and blustery and no one felt particularly compelled to be outside, but we pushed on.  Eventually we made a stop at Spaca Moskalyk.  This is a Ukrainian Orthodox church northeast of Mundare.  It once was in a sad state of disrepair and the parish was considering demolishing it.  This was due to the fact that the foundation was crumbling and deteriorating beneath the structure.  A year or two ago the church was moved off the foundation, the foundation replaced with a new one, and then the building was moved back.  It is now in the process of being restored.  The windows have been removed for restoration, the siding painted, and the cedar shingle roof replaced with tiles.  It's not nearly as photogenic is it once was when it had a more derelict appearance.  We pushed on without making any photos.

A short time later we came upon a small cemetery out in a farmers field.  We motivated ourselves to stop here and take a few photos, despite the cold.  Then, further north we came upon an old house in a pasture with a threshing machine in front of it.  This was our second stop of the day.  At this point Meghan needed to leave and return to the city.  The three of us that remained pushed on and eventually made a couple other stops.  We photographed the old stores in Hairy Hill and later made a stop at an abandoned farm yard. 

Some of the locations that we stumbled upon on this miserable day have potential for a return trip under better conditions.  And, it was nice to get together with at least some of the Guild members.  And, the fact that we were technically able to keep our fall tradition ongoing and the streak alive was important.