Day 12 - Tuesday May 30/17

(Posted May 30 at 9:50pm)

In Riding Mountain National Park - a beautiful sunny day, but cool, 11 degrees in the morning, up to about 15 in the afternoon.

Well, as suggested, there really is no blog post for yesterday. It truly was a relaxed day of not doing much but eating, reading, and napping. Oh, in the afternoon we drove over to the Park Visitor Centre and got some information about things to do and see in the park, and we did manage to wash the truck in the evening. Then we watched a couple of episodes of the Rowan Atkinson British comedy show Black Adder (DVD)!!

This morning we showered and had breakfast (granola and yoghurt with apple, banana (and raisins for Michael), and then prepared beef stew in the crock pot to cook during the day. Then we made egg salad sandwiches for a picnic lunch.

We left camp at about 11, and got gas in the village of Wasagaming - $1.04.9. Then drove to the Bison Range in the park - about a 45 minute drive, mostly on dirt roads. (photo)

Did you know that in 1989 there were fewer than 100 bison left in Canada. Today there are more than 40,000 - and they are no longer in danger of becoming extinct. However, the bigger issue is that there is very little prairie fescue grassland for them to graze on - less than 5% of the former 255,000 square km that used to be. (photo)

Saw a great signboard about the relationship between indigenous people and the bison, through the seasons (photo)

We were very pleased to find three large bulls grazing in the South Range, visible from a viewing platform. We thought we had really lucked out!(photos)

However, we were then extremely delighted when we went to the North Range to find a small herd of about 30 cows and bulls, including 4 calves (photos)

We pulled off to the side of the roadway and ate our picnic lunch in the truck, literally in the midst of the grazing bison. (photos)

After our ‘bison lunch’ (with, not of!!), we travelled north in the park to Moon Lake where moose are often seen. Walked on a trail around the lake for an hour; saw moose tracks and moose poop, but no moose!! (wrong time of day, we think)  (photos)

Pants tucked in socks for tick protection!

At Moon Lake

At Moon Lake, on a small bridge over a creek running from a marsh -
Note the beaver lodge in the background (between us)

Came back to camp about 4:30, had a nap, and then a fabulous beef stew supper - outside on the picnic table (one of the first times weather has permitted eating outdoors on this trip!). About 130km of touring in the park today.

Then we washed the trailer, and rinsed off the truck again!. 

Rocinante II is all clean again!!
Note the flowers in the window - still going strong from Mother's Day!

Now a quiet evening of blogging and emailing.

Tomorrow we head into Saskatchewan - destination Moose Mountain Provincial Park, about 300 kms.