The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and Home and Away

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September 16 – Tuesday – I’ve been sitting out on my shaded patio drinking my tea and enjoying the cool breezes blowing over me.

It’s 78 degrees with only 18%!h(MISSING)umidity today and beautiful clear blue skies. Truly splendid weather. Its true what they say….. “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity”, so at 18%!h(MISSING)umidity it is very nice.

I went by the office and paid for another week here at the Rainbow Lodge. I am enjoying a pleasant stay here.

I am figuring on going by the Zoo later today if I can ever get started. I’ve been lounging around in my lounging pants and navy blue ‘wickaway” t shirt and if I can get motivated enough in a bit I will get dressed and head out. http://www.cmzoo.org/ http://www.cmzoo.org/aboutZoo/history/willRogersShrine.asp

It’s 12:50 now so I better get moving. The Will Rogers Shrine closes at 4 and the Zoo at 5. Last entry into the zoo is at 4.

I figured I should go to the Shrine first because it closes first and then come back down to the zoo to explore it. You have to buy your ticket for both at the zoo entrance anyway and as a matter of fact after getting your ticket if you want to go to the shrine you must get back in your vehicle and go to a gate by the zoo entrance where you must talk to a woman on a little speaker and she will open the gate for you. After getting through the gate you must drive 5mph through the zoo with your flashers on, and not run over anyone, until you get up past another gate where you can proceed to the top where the shrine is.

I went to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo at 4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Rd. On the map it showed to be a short distance but it took me forever to get there on the up and down climb in the foothills of the front range, with many stop signs to get to it. It cost me the off season rate of $14.00 which also included admission to the Will Rogers Shrine. The Will Rogers Shrine has a panoramic view of the Colorado Springs area. The road going up to the shrine is very narrow, steep, and curving. I wondered if it was really worth subjecting my truck to that climb but as usual by the time you realize how difficult something is going to be, you are committed. I guess it was. There was a splendid panoramic view of Colorado Springs.

Anyone who has a yearly pass or something to the Zoo has no need of a gym membership. I was going partially for the walk but it was a very steep walk and quite a workout in itself. The main thing I wanted to see was the Grizzly Bear and of course they were the farthest up the side of the mountain. But once it was done I was glad to have gotten such a “good stretch of the legs”. If I had not wanted to walk I could have taken the $2.00 shuttle which takes me to the point where the stairs/elevator is to go up to the section of the zoo the grizzly is in. Then after seeing the Grizzly I could have meandered my way back down thru the zoo.

But as half my purpose was to get some exercise I chose to walk up the hill of the zoo.

I came first to the giraffe enclosure. While I was visiting the giraffe enclosure and watching the giraffes one of them surprised me by coming up beside me unseen, and licking the side of my face!!? I guess he figured I was “salty”. Giraffes have a very long purple prehensile tongue which they use to pull leaves off of trees to eat.

I guess I should be thankful he didn’t think my ear was a leaf!!??

After visiting the giraffes I climbed up through the rest of the zoo checking out the animals and stopping to rest from time to time as at this altitude the climb was a bit strenuous.

Sept 17 – Wednesday - Today I caught up on a few things on my computer and then went out to the Garden of the Gods to meet a fellow travel blogger Bob Carlsen (Home and Away)who lives in Woodland Park. We had a nice long talk going over our past travels as well as future travel plans. It was such a relief to have someone who actually wanted to talk about something that actually interests me.

He told me about an Oktoberfest that they are having in Woodland Park this weekend and I will probably go there and check it out. Just the drive over Ute Pass enjoying the scenery would justify the trip.

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Photos

William and Bob at Garden of the Gods
I met Bob Carlsen aka Home and Away at the Garden of the Gods visitor center and we discussed our travels.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Meercats

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
GRIZZ !

Comments

[D MJ Binkley]

Travel bloggers unite
It is always great when travel bloggers get together and discuss the world they have seen.

[Sojourner1208]

talk with Bob
It was a productive talk. Bob cleared up a few things about places he has been to that I wanted to know.