Today was my refocusing day. I took the day off from Olympic coverage and went with Seth, Vickie and Dale to Merritt. Merritt is a small town with a population around 7000. It reminded me of a much smaller version of Clovis with it’s high evaluation, dry climate, gusty winds and tumbleweeds. The town also has a yearly Country Music Festival. Another interesting thing about the town is the hand full of Country Singer Murals around town.

Hope is a little smaller than Merritt, but is very different. It is and on the west side of the mountain and is much more lush. It’s also the site of the movie First Blood.

Today was very relaxing. Getting away from the Olympic buzz, I was able to let the stress I’ve been feeling over the past 2 weeks drain away. When I first got to Vancouver, I had no agenda except to make good photos outside the Olympics. As the days have added up, the pressure has built and I’ve felt it. The beginning of this week I felt at a loss to make good photos. I’ve found that the best way to get out of a rut is to keep shooting. Today was the change of pace I needed to help prepare me for my final few days in Vancouver.