K-W & Area Bug Club - Bug Out 2023

This past weekend I made the short drive over to the K-W Optimist Club’s Camp Heidelberg for Bug Out, the K-W & Area Bug Club’s big annual show!

The show has been running for over 40 years and annually invites Volkswagen enthusiasts from across southwestern Ontario to show off their Type 1s, 2s, and any other people’s car they’ve got. I have a huge soft spot for Volkswagens and always like the less serious atmosphere at VW-specific shows. When there’s only a couple models to choose from people really get creative in making theirs stand out!

Also notable at this year’s Bug Out was my dad’s Beetle as an entry in the Stock Beetle (1968-present) category where he took third place! It was fantastic to see the hard work and time dad has put into his right-hand drive Beetle be recognised by some pretty hardcore VW fans.

Canadian Pacific Holiday Train

This year the CP Holiday Train ran for the first time since 2019 travelling across Southern Ontario and into the United States!

I met up with the train in Cambridge and followed it to Ayr and Woodstock before deciding to turn back. Despite missing the train at one spot and having to get a boost after leaving the radio on for too long, it was a successful night of train chasing. Very glad to see the Holiday Train back and to see the size of the crowds at every stop along the way!

1/25, f/6.3, ISO 800

1/50, f/2.8, ISO 1000

1/60, f/6.3, ISO 1600

1/100, f/2.8, ISO 3200

1/125, f/2.8, ISO 3200

1/100, f/2.8, ISO 3200

St. Jacobs and Lancaster Street

Popped up to St. Jacobs to see the Waterloo Central Railway’s tourist train, then made my way back to Kitchener.

Along the way I saw a hawk and, having had enough of them fly away over the years, parked about 200 metres away from the tree.

1/640, f/8, ISO 250, 50mm

1/640, f/8, ISO 100, 50mm

1/640, f/8, ISO 100, 500mm

1/250, f/6.3, ISO 800, 50mm

Protests and Wellesley Township

Popped over to Uptown Waterloo to check out the freedom protests that have been going on.

After 45 minutes of seeing $75k SUVs drive in circles honking and a ridiculous all-white crowd cheer them on, I headed out to Wellesley Township to get some sunny day winter shots.