The Pere Marquette 1225 - Polar Express

SQ1225DW - First Place in the “2024 Best of Steam Photo Competition (Huckleberry Railroad & Crossroads Village).”

Who doesn’t love the story The Polar Express? The book and especially the movie adaptation, featuring Tom Hanks was incredible. Every year the Polar Express runs from Owosso to Ashley, Michigan. Every year I say I would love to meet up and photograph it. Well this was the year. The weather was cold and rainy and I almost didn’t go, but something told me to get back in the truck and go anyway. You get very few chances to see the most famous train in the world and there was only a couple weekends left.

I was in Carland the day before and took some shots at the Carland Elevator, but I didn’t care for the results. The steam wasn’t right and was blowing in the wrong direction, so I returned the next day hoping for a second chance. It was cold and dreary that morning. I loaded up the truck and sat inside letting the engine warm up a bit. It started to rain. I got out of the truck and went inside the house. I wasn’t going. It wasn’t 5 minutes later and I was back in the truck backing out of the driveway. It’s a 45 minute drive, maybe, just maybe it isn’t raining there I thought. I was off…

It was still raining when I got there, not hard, but just enough to make it cold and miserable. I stood in my spot and patiently waited. You could hear the whistle blow for miles before it finally arrived. I’m so glad I went. The steam that gloomy Sunday morning was as magical as the train itself. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

I got the shot I wanted, but it wasn’t enough, the chase was on….

I chased that train all the way to Ashley stopping at every crossing I could, just to get another shot.

~ A magical day with a story that I love.

SQ5366DW - Second Place in the “2024 Best of Steam Photo Competition (Huckleberry Railroad & Crossroads Village).”

SQ5424DW

SQ5225DW

SQ5309DW

SQ5344DW

SQ5254DW

Sofa size canvas print (30” x 40”) going where else? Above the sofa….

If you see something you like, prints and canvas prints are available for purchase! Click here!
(If you would like one of the other images shown please email (dan.waltz.dw@gmail.com). I can make it happen for the same price.) Thank you!

Sax-Zim Bog:

Sax-Zim Bog (SZB) has grown to be one of my favorite places to go to photograph nature, and it’s really not a place at all. Yes, it has a Welcome Center, which is open during the winter months and a couple months in the summer, but the bog itself is more of an area on a map than it is a place. If you are familiar at all with Fish Point in Michigan’s thumb area, it has its similarities., yet, it’s entirely different.  Similar in ways that county and public roads border as well as cut through the area, so there is no main entrance to pass through, nor are there any fees to pay. (Although donations are always welcome at the center, and needed.) Anyone can drive through at any time, day or night. If you don’t know the area, you won’t even know you are actually there (a map will come in handy more times than not), but that’s where the similarities end and a different eco system begins.

Great Gray Owl, early morning -34 degrees.

SZB is 300sq. miles of Tamarack and Birch trees, and is full of snags. It closely resembles Canada’s Boreal Forest. In the winter months the bog is known for its population of Boreal birds that migrate down for milder weather and better food source. The Northern Hawk Owl and Boreal Owl, the Boreal Chickadee, Evening Grosbeaks, Magpie and Canada Jay are just a few that can be seen there. The elusive and well sought after, Great Gray Owl is always the prize winner and a delight to see if you are lucky enough to find one.  Birders and Photographers from all over the world go there for their chance to see and photograph this magnificent bird. 

Great Gray Owl on a gnarly tree.

If you are a “Birder”, you have at least heard of “Sax-Zim Bog”. If you are a serious birder, you’ve probably already been, or it’s on your Bucket List. I urge you not to hesitate to go, it’s a trip you’ll never forget. I’ve been three times now. Once in November (2020) and twice in February (2020, 2022). November is cold, February is much colder. Both times in February the temps went down to -30 and -34 degrees. Keep that in mind in your travels. Don’t stay home, just bundle up.

Great Gray Owl on the prowl.

There are no guaranties that you will see an owl on your trip, but that’s what makes it fun and rewarding when you do find them. So far, I’ve been lucky. I’ve seen two or three Great Grays each trip and my most recent trip I was blessed with a remarkable show of watching one hunt for almost two hours. It’s a Twelve hour drive for me. A long drive with no guarantee, but, so far, its been worth the drive every time.

Great Gray after a successful dive. A vole for breakfast.

Until next year….. Hope to see you there.

More photos from these trips can be seen on his website at www.danwaltz.com/photography/owls (look for #SZB)