For over 400 miles this was our view across the great State of Kansas. To say it was boring would be a compliment. Occasionally there would be a wind farm to break up the monotony, but that was about it.
We were on our way to Colorado Springs to spend some time with our neighbors and friends, Ralph and Kandie Cole.
We had a wonderful dinner while we got caught up and made plans for the next two days. So much to see and so little time. First on the list was the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo considered one of the better zoos in the country. The first area was the Africa exhibit with all the animals from there starting with the giraffes. This habitat was different in that the people were on a raised area putting them at eye level with the animals and because we were feeding them lettuce, they were not shy about coming right up to us.
Of course, then there were the meerkats being as cute as you can get.
This zoo has 6 African elephants of varying ages that visitors are permitted to feed and watch. They also do something different which I’ve never seen in a zoo. They teach them behaviors such as raising their leg or turn around on command. This seemed more like circus tricks than zoo behavior until I realized all the behaviors allowed them to inspect the well being of the animals. The one I couldn’t connect to their well being was the painting with water colors and a brush to create pictures. We didn’t check, but I bet you can buy a elephant painting in the gift shop.
After a long time, we tore ourselves away from the elephants and moved on to the other animals.
Once you are in the zoo, you have access to the Will Rogers Memorial built in 1937 by a major property owner in the area, Spencer Penrose. Will Rogers died tragically in a plane crash in Alaska in 1935 after becoming well known as an actor, vaudeville performer, cowboy, humorist, and social commentator. Rogers and Penrose were great friends, ergo the shrine complete with Westminster chimes every 15 minutes and on the hour and music that plays at 10 a.m., noon, and 5 p.m. that can be heard throughout the neighborhood. The monument stands 114 feet high and offers a serene spot to see the area from a bird’s eye view.
After leaving there, we wandered down to the Broadmoor Hotel known to be the oldest luxury hotel in the area thanks again to Mr. Penrose.
Lake by Broadmoor
The hotel is filled with paintings from the time it was built and lots of Remington bronze sculptures. The hotel is fabulous as are their prices. Mr. Penrose has a reputation for being quite the drinker and the hallway to the bar area is decorated with empty bottles of liquor and wine supposedly consumed at party he hosted to celebrate the end of prohibition.
Tomorrow is a big outdoor adventure so we stayed in to rest up.
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