Seeing full-blown autumn colors can definitely classify as a fleeting moment as it’s constantly changing from near peak to peak to past peak. Yesterday was most likely the last real weekend to see autumn colors as we are expecting the temperature to drop about 10-degrees and rain this coming weekend. In my opinion, once rain comes, autumn colors are no longer pretty.
Yesterday’s trip was all my mom’s idea. She saw one of her co-workers post photos of Bridal Veil Falls in Provo Canyon and thought it was pretty. Next thing I knew, she was calling her sister and brother-in-law (BIL), asking them if they were interested. Of course, they were. They’re off every other weekends and after this weekend, they will be working all the way into November. So I wrote, probably the last weekend for autumn colors.
Her BIL was driving. It’s always him who drives and it was a good thing it was him who was driving because I ended up sorta tricking everyone to go to the place I wanted to go.
The whole trip, for me, was full of fleeting moments because I was traveling with three adults who did not want to walk. My mom has back pain and can’t walk a few steps without complaining. She’s currently waiting to do surgery to fix that problem. Meanwhile, her sister and BIL just didn’t want to walk. They aren’t out of shape, they just prefer to sit and look at their phones all day.
Thankfully, they let me roam, for a very short time at least like a dog on a leash. If I venture too far, my phone instantaneously rings, one of them telling me to get back to the car. So I needed to walk fast and take as many photos as I could so I can have it for memory.
This was the my first time going to Provo Canyon. I’ve always stuck to the Alpine Loop as it’s closer to home and I happen to think it’s more beautiful up by Mount Timpanogos with all the aspen trees. If you’ve ever been in the area, you’ll know what I mean. Even in summer, it’s beautiful with its white trunks and its leaves dancing to the breeze. I made a trip there back in August (before the accident) and couldn’t get enough of the place.
I fell in love with this picture as soon as I blew it up on my laptop. Another fleeting moment as we were parked in one of those tiny turnout on the road and as soon as I got out of the car, my mom began yelling, “How can you do such thing?” She was talking about how I led her BIL to the Alpine Loop when I knew fully that it’d be a narrow road that required drivers of one direction to yield to oncoming traffic.
I drove on this road before and didn’t encounter any problem. The only one that might have a problem might be my mom as she doesn’t do well in narrow road situations.
Anyway, I ignored her and focused on finding compositions. After all, I only get this one shot and everyone was waiting on me, so I must make it quick despite I could stare at this golden landscape for hours, maybe days.
The Alpine Loop was surprisingly crowded. I’ve never seen so much traffic that it was backed up. Perhaps maybe because many people knows to come here to see fall colors and that this would probably be the last weekend of 2022 to see such color.
After my accident, I became very anxious whenever something comes too close to the passenger side of the car, almost like a kind of claustrophobia. With the traffic, my uncle was forced to steer the car toward the trees a few times, causing me to panic as I seem to be doing quite a bit lately. These were definitely moments I didn’t want to remember from the trip and was relieve when we were no longer on the narrow road.
All in all, I am very grateful for the trip as I got a photos for memories despite my time there was very limited. I guess my goal to see autumn colors in 2022 is now fulfilled.
Your fleeting moments of the day trip were sure worth the effort, Yinglan! Those aspens are incredible! With all that yellow and the textures, I can see why lots of people flock to the areas to view them. In that last image, it looks like tamaracks have turned yellow and mixed with the aspens. We are still waiting for more fall colors with record-high temps. Should be cold later this week and that should get everything going–talk about fleeting moments. Enjoy the rest of fall!
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Thank you, Terri. I try to make an effort to see autumn colors each year as fall colors are such an ephemeral event and I think this year has been the prettiest or maybe I was just at the right place at the right time. 😀
I’m also glad I brought my long lens to capture all the colors in those mountains. Our temperatures are dropping this weekend but I suspect that temperature drop will reach you first. I hope you get more fall colors. 🙂
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You hit the jackpot for sure! Big temperature drop this weekend here. The leaves will be colorful for one day then fall, LOL!
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That’s how it always seems to happen, doesn’t it? Temperature drops and bye bye fall colors. 😀
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Last year we had a long drawn out fall because of all the wildfire smoke. Leaves turned early and stayed on the trees for weeks. But yep, I’m sure this weekend will be it!
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Beautiful photos.
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Thank you.
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You’re welcome
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Yinglan, your photos are gorgeous. The fall colors were definitely worth the effort. 😊👏
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Thank you. I agree, fall colors are worth the chase. 🙂
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Beautiful area to visit. And yes fall is fleeting but worth it..
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It is. I think this was ranked in the top 10 places to see fall colors in the state of Utah.
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Beautiful!
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Thank you.
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Brilliant color. I love that you lured them to where you wanted.
sometimes it is better to ask for forgiveness. I love the contrast of the yellow and the green trees. Yes…autumn is full of fleeting moments. Very nice.
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Thank you. I wasn’t at all sorry for tricking them because my aunt and uncle enjoyed the scenery too. The only one grumpy was my mom. I absolutely loved the contrast too. 🙂
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hahaha I always love your outlook on life and how it SHOULD be.
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