Tag Archives: travel adventures

Feeling the Spirit of the Holiday – Already!

Posted on by

Magic is in the air! (Photo: M.Kopp)

“It’s your lucky night
Brought you something bright
Something with a twinkle and a glow
To remember
The lights of long ago”

Source: A Christmas Carol, “Lights of Long Ago”

Not even Scrooge could hold a scowl for long in the glow of Calgary’s Zoo Lights. For the past 15 years, this annual holiday treasure has captivated young and old alike. I checked it out last night and ended up chatting with one of the warming fire volunteers, John, for a few moments.

“It’s a cheap date night,” John noted with a big smile, “especially for groups of teens.” And now, some of the teens from 15 years ago are coming back – with young families of their own.

That’s the sweet thing about festive traditions – they have a way of touching the soul and banishing the “bah humbug” in us all!

From penguins to elephants, giraffes to monkeys – animals light up the Zoo! (Photo: M.Kopp)

Did You Know?

  • It takes 3 months to set up the display.
  • Over 133,000 spectators enjoyed the lights in 2011 (just 3,000 shy of the record-breaking attendance in 2005).
  • Ice carving demonstrations are held every Friday and Saturday night.
  • If you bring a non-perishable food bank donation, you’ll get a 2 for 1 Zoo admission pass good for the first part of the New Year.

Kayaking Desolation Sound

Posted on by

“Just embrace it,” the staff member said as he ran through the requisite kayaking safety pointers. “If you reach that point where you know you’re going over, don’t fight it, just embrace it. It’s going to happen.”

Packed for five days! (Photo: M.Kopp)

It never happened, but it did become our favourite saying over the next five days in Desolation Sound off B.C.’s Sunshine Coast. Yachters taking dogs through our kitchen for pee breaks – just embrace it. Stove that won’t start after a dunking in ocean water – don’t worry, just… have a lot of patience. Snakes in what we nicknamed “Snake Cove” – okay, I’m working on that one.

A sea full of life. (Photo: M.Kopp)

From seals to starfish, moonlight to sunshine, ocean swims to laughter shared with good friends – I embraced it all and find myself wanting more!

“I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think,
All the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read,
And all the friends I want to see.”  – John Burroughs

Back and blogging again

Posted on by

“The pages are still blank, but there is a miraculous feeling of the words being there, written in invisible ink and clamouring to become visible.“- Vladimir Nabakov

I showed a friend some travel pics a while ago and he asked, “Why aren’t these, and stories of your adventures, on your blog?”

Cinque Terre’s Blue Path at sunset, Italy. (Photo: Megan Kopp)

Good question.

I guess it’s safe to say, I’ve been busy. It may be true, but it’s probably a bit of a cheat.

Lazy? Perhaps a little.

Unfocused? Yup.

Unsure if maintaining this blog was really necessary? Definitely.

I’ve recently come to the realization that promoting yourself is not only necessary, it’s rather critical for a freelance writer. Letting people know who you are and your specialties is important  – especially if one your niches is something like enjoying the outdoors through self-powered travel. It can be a somewhat small market for a writer.

That being said, here goes a toot or two – and no, you don’t need to stand back from the monitor!

  1. I’ve got a hiking article on Italy set for online publication in September.
  2. Several weeks ago I received feedback from my spring continuing education travel writing course at Mount Royal University – and this, copied directly by staff from comment sheets, is what the students said:

What did you like about the course?

  • Megan was very well prepared, knowledgeable, provided a great deal of relevant information and resources
  • That Megan encouraged so much class participation – we all critiques each other’s work.

What changes would you like to have made that would improve the course?

  • Nothing it is great
  • I liked it as is
  • Nothing at all – WOW!

Other Comments:

  • Megan was informative, knowledgeable, humorous, helpful, encouraging.

I may be blushing, but I’m also focused, knowing that what I say can have an impact and that what I write can be useful to others.

What about you, do you think it’s important for your writing and work to have an impact?

A Taste of Spring

Posted on by

I’ve got to say that I’m quite happy to see the backside of January and February. I’m looking forward to the optimism of spring – a rebirth, renewal and recharge.

Saw a loon on the river yesterday – one of the few stretches not ice-covered it would seem. What a wacky winter this has been, but the rhythm of a season beating to a close has begun.

As the promise of change continues, I’m finding myself creatively inspired and willing and able to take on projects that were daunting a month ago. Part of this is no doubt due to an escape south for a week of desert glory – in Big Bend National Park, Texas. Birds sang, sun shone and water flowed. We camped, hiked, explored, talked, laughed, gazed, and stole precious time to rest weary souls.

No matter that we came back to a slam of winter; we tasted spring and it was delicious.

“Wilderness is not a luxury, but a necessity of the human spirit,
and as vital to our lives as water and a good bread.”
– Edward Abbey

Fall in Alberta

Posted on by

“Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Writing is not enough, we must do.”
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

September has been a month full of trips close home. From one day hikes to weekend canoe trips to five days along the Cowboy Trail, I’ve had the good fortune to experience a few of the unique stories Alberta has to offer. This province is rich in natural and cultural history and I’m going to do my best to spread the word!

Sitting on a Brahma bull at Fantasy Adventure Bull Riding is an adenaline rush! (Credit: Megan Kopp)

Meeting a mountain man named Bear at Wild Horse Mountain Ranch and Outfitters had me reliving the past. (Credit: Megan Kopp)

Awakening to a sunrise on the Red Deer River is a magical experience. (Credit: Megan Kopp)

Hiking Big Beehive above Lake Louise is a golden opportunity this time of year. (Credit: Brad Kopp)

Backpacking Adventures

Posted on by

“The best cure for a sluggish mind is to disturb its routine.”
– William H. Danforth

Took time out from writing for a short overnight backpacking trip into Kananaskis Country’s Ribbon Lake.

Slipsliding Away
On the way up to Buller Pass (one of three routes into the subalpine lake), we came across a group of eight Danish tourists and their mountain guide.  One of the hikers slipped coming off the pass, cut her hand and almost fainted at the sight of blood.  By the time we reached them, she was snugly wrapped with a guide’s tarp , feet elevated.  Brad, having emergency rescue experience from both the Parks Service and the Fire Department, agreed to hold up to see if she was going to be able to hike out.  Luckily, once her hand was bandaged, she was able to stand and start down the trail – and we were able to continue our hike.

Thunder, Lightening and Bears
As we reached the summit of Buller Pass, huge raindrops started splashing down.  Ominous grey clouds threatened. We threw on raingear, and beelined off the rocky summit – just before the thunder and lightening show.

Hiking over Buller Pass (Credit: Brad Kopp)

Well into the alpine meadows below, we crossed several snow patches before looking closely at the tracks next to ours.  Big fat ol’ Grizz!  Going in our direction and fairly fresh.  Yo Bear!

Camping in a Moose’s Dining Room
Tent set up in between rain showers, we chilled lakeside and enjoyed the peace and quiet – until a young, greyish coloured cow moose burst out of the willows and romped through the lake splashing up a storm.  As the rains picked up, we realised the moose wasn’t trying to escape bugs, she was playing!

The zoom on the camera wasn’t good enough to get more than a dot in the distance, but that’s alright. The next morn we returned to camp from a walk to the Ribbon Falls headwall to find a bull moose chowing down on the shrubbery right around the eating area.

Moose in Camp (Credit: Brad Kopp)

Book Proposal

Posted on by

“Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work.”
– Booker T. Washington

I did it.

I sent away a book proposal a couple of days ago for “Wild Ice & Other Travel Adventures“.  And I got a very nice – and prompt – note from the publisher of Red Deer Press saying “… Wild Ice doesn’t fall within our current editorial focus” but “thanks for considering Red Deer.”  I was impressed.  This is a busy editor and he took the time to thank me for my query.

I re-visited my proposal, tweaked a few things and fired it off again.  Not expecting such a quick response this go ’round, but I’m buoyed by the prospect of editorial feedback.

This anthology is a collection of adventures garnered through years of travel – backpacking into Rainbow Bridge, last-minute travel to Hawaii with baby in arms and no set plans, encountering rattlesnakes in the Red Deer River,

Canoeing Alberta’s Red Deer River (Credit: Megan Kopp)

driving Grey Pass and discovering we’ve not one, not two, but three flat tires…

Having the adventures is easy, selling the work – not so much.  But like Booker T. says, if you don’t have to work for it, it’s not really worth much!

Have you ever sent off a non-fiction book proposal?  Was it accepted on the first go?  The second?  How many submissions did it take before it was accepted?  Let me know on the comments link below!