We stopped in Consul, Saskatchewan to get gas on our way to Grasslands National Park.
"Are you lost?" was the first thing the gas station attendant asked us as we stepped out of the car.
We explained that we'd been directed to Consul by the Cypress Hills park staff whose own gas pumps were out of order due to electricity problems. Though we'd
fairly recently tanked up, we didn't have quite enough fuel to make it to Grasslands National Park (our destination) and then onto the next nearest town with a gas station, Mankota. Welcome to rural Saskatchewan.
In some ways, Saskatchewan seems to be the most truly Canadian province we've travelled through so far. Draped with vast empty spaces, tidy and massive farm fields stretching out to the horizon and beyond, super friendly people with kind smiles. Not as showy and in-your-face as beautiful British Columbia. Humble and unassuming compared to prosperous Alberta. Saskatchewan has a quiet beauty all it's own.
Tonight, if we're lucky, we'll maybe see a herd of wild buffalo in Grasslands National Park. Does it get anymore Canadian than that? Outside of a hockey arena, that is.
Update: We did see bison in Grasslands National Park! Though park staff explained that most of the herd are currently located in a remote area of the park, we came across numerous small groups of bison near the roadway throughout the park. We also saw lots of prairie dogs, coyotes, two red fox, rabbits, hawks, raptors, a burrowing owl, antelope and mule deer. The best wildlife viewing we've ever experienced in a natural setting. Magic!
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