Day Trip to Topeka, Kansas

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The Topeka Zoo finds its home in Gage Park on the Northwestern side of Topeka. It is very easy to get to from Hwy. 40. It is a very clean park and the zoo is well kept and the landscaping is impressive once everything blooms out. The gorilla environment was well thought out and designed. The gorilla was sitting on the ground leaning against a small tree. As a few families gathered at the window and were pointing and whispering their observations, the gorilla casually glanced over at the window, the look in his eyes was unmistakable. I have seen that same look in my son’s eyes right before he does something he knows he’s not supposed to. No one even noticed his hand slowly coming towards his face until his finger was buried knuckle deep in his nose. Some of the parents chuckled and some of the children let out a very audible “ewwww”.

The zoo is also home to a pride of lions. Two were out laying in the warming sunshine, looking like they had not a care in the world. Contentment is what comes to mind when their eyes meet yours. Photographers will like the fact that the design of the exhibit allows them to get closer than some other zoos.

The rain forest was home to several species of birds and a couple of otters that were playing in a hollowed out piece of wood. A sloth was napping just above eye level and two flamingos were roaming free through the walkways. A small taste of tropical wildlife is what the Rain Forest delivers.

A “small” surprise waits in the Animals and Man building. The hippopotamus was swimming in the indoor pool. After watching for a few moments, a baby hippopotamus’s head surfaced from beneath the dark water. Everyone watched as the baby walked part way up the ramp and with a small misstep plunged into the water and swam over to its mother.

No trip to Topeka would be complete without a visit to the Museum of the Kansas National Guard. On display are vehicles like the M113A2 troop carrier, to helicopters, such as the UH-1 Huey and the AH-1 Cobra, to a couple of aircraft, F-4D Phantom and the Canberra bomber. All of these aircraft and vehicles stand as a testament to the men and women that, throughout the last century have served, fought and died. The work horse, the CH-54 Skycrane looks like a giant metal wasp standing guard over its cargo. The M1 tanks stands proud in its service. I can only imagine the memories that these machines hold of lives past.

Inside the museum are exhibits ranging from the Civil War to the Gulf War. There is now an exact reproduction of the M.A.S.H. 4077 tent inside the museum. Anyone who remembers the television show will truly appreciate the realism and the effort and time that went into creating this exhibit.

The museum also displays an actual Medal of Honor, which is nearly impossible to obtain, making it a treasured part of the museum. The F-4 gun pod shows the magnitude of the firepower of the F-4 sitting in front of the Museum. Paintings and photographs show almost the entire history of National Guard units from Kansas. There is a Civil War encampment and even a covered wagon of the 35th Division. The weapons of war, the awards and sacrifices for fighting in them and the memories of so many Guard members are displayed here that is it difficult not to be affected by the atmosphere.

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