Grasslands, Wind, and a King-Size Bed — Saskatchewan, Canada

By midday, I enter the province of Saskatchewan.

My first stop is the visitor center on the west side of Grasslands National Park. I did some homework, but by now I know the best information comes from the visitor centers. It is a good place to get my bearings and have all my questions answered.

After a few hours of driving, I do not have much time to explore the park today, so I head to the campground and try to figure out how to make dinner in this blasting wind.

The road in the park is all gravel, but it is well-maintained. Most of the time, I am the only one on the road, with only a few people visiting the park.

That’s how I like it.

On my way, a bison is eating its dinner along the road. This park is known for bison roaming the land, but at this time of year, most of them migrate to a distant section to give birth. Somehow, this one bison decided to stick around.

The campground is primitive, but luckily, it has an indoor/outdoor kitchen with a barbecue.

Fantastic. I found my solution.

I grill the salmon and chicken I bought this morning. This way, at least tomorrow’s meal is halfway done.

Tonight, it is just going to be a salmon sandwich. The wind is beyond possible. The clouds roll in, hiding the sun, and the temperature drops instantly.

Time to find shelter in my tiny home.

The gentle rain mixed with the howling wind becomes a soothing sound to fall asleep to.

Sweet dreams.

Because of the way my car is positioned, I have privacy, so I do not have to cover my rear window. I love waking up and witnessing the start of the day from the comfort of my bed.

The grass that swayed yesterday like crazy, is now standing still as if the whole world has stopped moving.

I breathe a big sigh of relief.

That does not last long. By the time I make my bed and set my “home” to driving position, the wind picks up again.

The ranger recommends the Timbergulch Trail, a 9.5-mile loop. I pack lunch, fill up my water bladder, and set out, but very quickly I decide not to commit to the whole trail. With wind gusts around 35 miles per hour, I will hike for an hour and see how it feels.

I even convince myself that if I want to enjoy the park, I had better accept the wind. That is easier said than done. I feel lucky to have my backpack weighing me down and grounding me. I had better stop complaining and enjoy the beauty around me.

There is magic in a land that stretches flat into endless horizons. There is no way my photos can capture the majesty of the land or the beauty of the grass rippling in the wind. But what fascinates me the most, is the sky.

There is so much beauty wrapped in drama and texture. I am gifted with both of my favorite colors, blue and green, taking over my landscape movie.

Eventually, the wind chases me away. I hope the east side of the park will have calmer conditions, so I drive the two and a half hours.

I am not sure what I was expecting. When you have open land with no trees or mountains to break the wind, you get wind. It is that simple.

I stop by the campground office to get my site and learn that tick numbers this year are extremely high. I am pretty much guaranteed to collect some if I hike the Valley of 1000 Devils.

Okay, that hike is out.

Luckily, my site is wide enough that I can position my car facing the wind. This way, I can open the back door and get to my kitchen without everything flying away.

A young woman across from me has just arrived and is setting up her tent. I know that with this wind, it will be quite a challenge for her. There is no doubt she can do it, but two hands are better than one, so I offer my help.

Reena is very happy to accept another set of hands.

She is moving from the east to the west to study ceramics. She quit her job as a computer programmer to pursue her passion. She just discovered camping, and she is absolutely in love with it. I enjoy seeing her excitement about nature, as if she has discovered a new way to be alive.

One of the reasons I put Grasslands on my travel map is to witness the night skies. The park is known for being a dark sky preserve.

Yesterday, the conditions were not possible, but tonight I have a good chance.

The only thing is that sunset does not happen until around 10:00 p.m. I try to stay awake, and at 11:30, I bundle up and go sit outside.

I cannot believe it is still not that dark. I can see plenty of stars, but not what I was hoping for. I am too tired to wait any longer for the lingering light to disappear.

Maybe next time.

Good morning, my gorgeous skies.

I hug Reena goodbye and set out to hike the Rock Creek Trail, as the path is wide and made of gravel. I need to move my joints, so I loop the trail in both directions.

Then I drive the Badlands Parkway and stop at all the viewpoints. My favorite stop is the last one, where I have a perfect view of the badlands. I can feel the enormity of the space stretching forever as I stand there, taking it all in.

I was hoping to stay longer in Grasslands, but the wind is chasing me away.

Not to mention the idea of camping with ticks.

My next stop is where I am hoping to pamper myself in the natural mineral pools at Temple Gardens Hotel & Spa.

I am fully aware that disappointments will always be part of my journey.

I need a break, and the idea of immersing myself in a relaxing pool feels exciting and very welcome. From the little homework I did, I know I can buy a day pass and enjoy a luxurious day. As I drive to Moose Jaw, I even imagine spending two days nurturing my joints.

Living in a tiny space, without the option to stand, does affect my body.

The disappointment is that I did not do enough homework. Otherwise, I would have known the pools are closed for renovation.

I did promise myself I would learn from my second year on the road and give myself a break from camping once in a while. So my solution for tonight is to find an affordable hotel with a hot tub. Perfect! It even has a microwave, so I can make dinner. And that is where I am now (June 12).

What turns out to be a blessing is that I have the opportunity to stand in front of a mirror and check my body. Of course, I am a bit freaked out when I find two ticks on me.

I just do not know what to do with a king-size bed. It feels like a whole continent compared to my tiny bed, 24 inches by 5 feet, that I love so much.