Zebras? Zebras.

A few weeks ago, I was driving down Oregon’s I-84 towards a historic schoolhouse in Washington. I reached The Dalles, crossed over to the Washington side of the gorge, and realized I was low on gas. As I made my way towards the closest gas station, I saw a sign reading something to the effect of, “Drive thru access only, do not leave vehicle.” Consider my interest piqued.

I turned right and stumbled upon Schreiner Farms. Schreiner Farms, located outside of Lyle, WA, is a large cattle ranch that also features 18 exotic animal species. There is a main road that you can drive up and then back out where you can view some of their exotic animals. If you drive up the short fence-lined access road, you can see their camels, reindeer, giraffes, and more.

On this particular day, I followed the curve of the access road, and the perfectly picturesque scene unfolded quickly: a zebra in front of a snow-covered Mt. Hood.

I

couldn’t help but smile as the shutter closed a few times. It was all a little ridiculous. A zebra in the foreground, in front of Mount Hood. It was not at all what I had anticipated for the day.

The access road at Schreiner farms takes no more than a few minutes so, I snapped a few more photos of the zebras and then turned around to leave. All of the other animals were low to the ground and behind fences, so the photos weren’t great. The zebras were definitely the hallmark of the day.

Sometimes, I receive comments on social media asking how I find spots to take photos. Most of the time, I plan where I am going. I use social media, Youtube, Google, and Alltrails to scout locations and find places to photograph. Yet, following a random sign on the side of road yielded one of my favorite moments of the year and it was totally unplanned.

I write all of this to say: make plans, but be open to changing plans. Do your research, but leave room for following the random roadside sign. Some of the best moments are the ones we cannot and do not plan for, so be willing to just get out there and see what happens.

Til next time!

-Rachel