1030 September 2-3, 2023 Elk Island Camping
Another walk in and around the industrial area to begin the day.
We had until 1pm in the hotel room. We checked out a little early and went across the street to collect a few things from the RV for our overnight adventure. We needed our pillows and blankets.
We drove the 30 miles to the park. We took our time, wandering through all of the loops and overlooks.
We saw this bison bull in a picnic area. We were out of the car, a safe distance away, taking pictures when a ranger showed up and asked everyone to return to their cars.
Soon after, another bull was walking on the yellow line in the center of the road. He crossed in front of the Jeep and walked off into the trees.
We took the road to the west entrance and saw some white pelicans in the lake. They should soon be flying south.
We drove the outer edges of the park and reentered at the north gate. We stopped to look at this snake on the pavement.
We stopped to walk at Beaver Pond.
The Cree First Nation People called this pace Amisk Wuche or Beaver Hills. When white settlers came, they trapped and harvested the beavers for their pelts.
We went to the campground office to register. There was a BBQ food truck set up in the parking lot. We had decided not to bring a big dinner with us. We were going to have yogurt and fruit and nuts. All of a sudden, BBQ sounded very appetizing. It was delicious! We sat under a shade tree and enjoyed our sandwiches.
We watched a long line of people at the soft serve ice cream truck. It was too hard to resist. We sat under the tree savoring this rare treat!
We got set up and organized on our campsite. Tim napped and I read. Later, we took our bikes for a nice ride. We walked the boardwalk.
The lake area was extremely crowded on this beautiful albeit smoky and windy day. The lake had a blue green algae alert and swimming was discouraged. There were a few brave souls out there anyway.
We were sitting outside in the evening. We were talking about how we are usually tenting in a remote location and not in the middle of a busy campground. The couple next to us was camping in a 4WD van. We began talking with them. Edwina and Chris are from Edmonton. They told us that there might be an opportunity to see the Northern Lights which is something we have never seen. They both take beautiful photographs and she shared her pictures of the Northern Lights at Elk Island. They have also traveled extensively in the southwestern states. We have been in many of the same places and it was fun to share stories. The evening passed quickly and as often happens after such a conversation, we were reenergized and excited about exploring; thinking about where future trips might lead us. As we went to bed, Edwina and Chris promised to wake us if the Northern Lights were going to show their colors. During the night, the smoke and clouds moved in. Maybe next time!!!
The last couple of weeks have been stressful for us. We are accustomed to having things go our way. We are usually lucky and probably spoiled. We were on our way home and having to be delayed has been a disappointment. Having said that, last night, talking with likeminded folks, it made us remember how much we love what we do and how grateful we are for the opportunity. The evening helped us to adjust our perspective and that was much needed!
This morning, Chris came out with his map to show us how to get to Lake Abraham. Unfortunately, the weather tomorrow calls for clouds and highs in the 50’s with a low of 43 degrees…we may not get there this time. We chatted until it was time to go about all manner of things. We were happy to get a chance to meet this bright and adventurous couple.
We drove to the hotel, taking a long and wandering route back. Today was a recovery day. We were fairly lazy. I went to get a few groceries and some food for dinner. Tim watched the NASCAR race.
