It's wonderful getting a picture of what the prairies looked like 1000 years ago. Elk Island National Park, just east of Edmonton, has the original herd of genetically pure bison in North America. They roam free over 1000's of acres and we were lucky to see plenty of them. Some more closely than others! A big bull bison was blocking our path yesterday when we were hiking, necessitating some very wet and prickly bushwacking to go around him. (He didn't respond to entreaties to move!)
This morning, after a magnificent prairie thunderstorm last night, another big bull was mired in mud at the edge of the lake. We're speculating that the storm drove him to run for cover from the little island he'd been grazing on the previous day. We sat watching him pant and struggle, hearing his snorting and thrashing for most of the morning. (Parks Canada seemed surprisingly unwilling to intervene, but to give them credit, what could they do?) Finally, in a fit of supreme struggling, he broke out of the muck and swam to safety! We cheered and clapped, much to his disgust, and he merrily launched into the grass in the picnic site.
Hopefully no further drama tomorrow as we spend Canada Day getting our canoe lifter fixed and then back on the road, heading east towards Saskatchewan. With luck and a tailwind we'll get to Manitou Lake where there is a spa, hot pools, and Danceland!!!!
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