Saskatoon to San Jose: A Drive to Central America

The mountains. I’m always in awe of the Rocky Mountains, ever since my first time snowboarding down their slopes as a rebellious 16 year old. There is something strangely humbling, yet empowering about standing in the shadow of the famous peaks of Mount Logan or Rundle. Empowering because of the sense of wonder seen in Freja’s eyes as she gazes up at them. Empowering because they make the cheesy souvenir shops filled with tourists look like little models waiting to be crushed by an overzealous 2 year old. Empowering because of the sense of accomplishment you feel while standing at the top of their peeks looking at the world below. Humbling because they could take your life in an instant with an avalanche or a mis-step.. Humbling because they are some of the most beautiful, breathtaking and inspiring things in the world, yet the human race had nothing to do with their creation. Humbling as you watch mountain goats traverse the sheer thousand foot drops with ease and no climbing ropes, while you clumsily try and find solid footing for your walking stick. A distant train whistles in the background of a dimly lit hotel room as it winds it’s way through the paths cut by many under-paid and under appreciated immigrant workers. I wonder if they knew I’d be listening to the echo of their blood, sweat and tears sitting in a hotel room with two beautiful daughters asleep in the loft, camera’s clicking through the days photographs and a cheap Bow Valley Lager beside me. I wonder if they knew that years later their ancestors would be riding those rails, gazing out the windows and snapping pictures of the same terrain that they cursed at everyday on their way to work where they never knew if they would make it back to camp that night. I’d like to thank all of the Chinese immigrant workers for letting me get lost in the beauty of a train whistle blowing through the cool mountain air tonight…

The mountains. And all the creativity and beauty that they inspire in me….

We named the van too, she's called Dora...