I inform my passengers that I like to take it easy on the road to Lake Audy in Riding Mountain National Park.

“Sometime you come over a hill and there’s a moose standing on the road,” I say.

Thirty seconds later, we come over a hill and there’s a moose standing on the road. Two moose actually, a cow and a calf, and we share a round of goose bumps at seeing wildlife, up close, as the sun is coming over the spruce trees on this August morning.

It gets better. Five minutes down the road, a bull moose steps out of the bush. We stay a few strides behind him as he trots alongside us, for half a kilometre, giving us a good look at his blacker-than-black hide and displaying his goofy run.

Within a hour, we see six moose, seven elk, one fox, 50 bison (at the enclosure) and two whitetail bucks in velvet. This is all before breakfast.

Breakfast Time!

We’ve made arrangements to have Tyler and Julie (and 17-day-old baby Soleil), co-owners of Swallows Bakery, bring breakfast to us at Lake Audy. You can just as easily pack a picnic breakfast of goodies from their charming bakery and do it yourself.

They have a fire going in the woodstove inside a picnic shelter. Our coffee cups are filled and garnished with whole vanilla bean pods that serve as stir sticks.

Oatmeal gets garnished with hemp seeds, honey and gigantic Saskatoon berries, all local. Cinnamon buns and muffins made with local organic grains. A swath of crab apples on the branch decorates our table.

The Day Awaits

We could get ambitious and head for the Clear Lake Golf Course. The first nine holes of this 1930s beauty were designed by renowned architect Stanley Thompson who's renowned for his work on the courses in Banff and Jasper. Designers of the back nine followed Thompson’s lead to build a course that is, well, no walk in the park.

Or we could be less than ambitious and stroll the spruce-shaded main drag of the park’s only town, named Wasagaming, but always called Clear Lake. We could spend the day popping into boutiques to pick up a souvenir or two.

Wasagaming Community Arts houses a mix of local and Manitoba artists. It’s where you can invest in a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry or a ceramic sculptured fish. At The Park Bench, weary shoppers can rest on the benches outside while diehards ooh and aah over the upscale collection of housewares and gifts.

Have you heard of geocaching? It’s a good excuse for seeing things, and not from your car window. Pick up a geocaching kit, complete with an easy-to-use GPS unit at the  Nature Shop in town. Soon enough, you’ll find yourself surrounded by wildflowers in a meadow or tip-toeing through a spongy moss trail leading to a natural spring.

Late afternoon is the perfect time to head south, just outside the park gate, and visit Poor Michael’s Bookstore. The coffee is worth the trip. The selection of local art and global gifts will most surely lighten your wallet. And you may get lost for the rest of the day in the hand-picked collection of used books.

Italian Comfort Foods

Without question, T.R. McKoys is the busiest restaurant in town, and for good reason. This Italian-inspired eatery will warm your soul with the low lights, glowing log interior and outstanding cuisine.

Start with bruschetta or a plate of boneless ribs and follow it up with one of their signature pastas: penne with sea scallops, shrimp and mushroom. For heartier appetites, the rolled veal stuffed with sundried tomatoes, spinach, ricotta, goat cheese and pine nuts will not disappoint.

Lay Your Head Down

You have at least a dozen choices when it comes to a bed at Clear Lake. Dotted around the townsite are clutches of cottages, some brand new and fireplace-equipped, others ‘rustic’, meaning they aren’t going to win any home décor awards.

Several properties feature a heated pool, a nice alternative to the always-chilly waters of Clear Lake beach.

Note: Most of Clear Lake's businesses close after Thanksgiving and reopen in the spring. Call ahead to be sure.