All creatures great and small

When I left my hotel in Crescent City, CA this morning, I decided I couldn't leave town without doing something about my filthy ride. I found a self-serve car wash and spent $2 to wash off all the mud on my beloved groupie mobile. Feeling better afterward, I traveled north to Bandon, OR and the West Coast Game Park. If you've read my previous blogs, you will know this is my favorite zoo. This facility is devoted to breeding endangered animals to perpetuate species should they become extinct in the wild.

When I got to the zoo, the parking lot was pretty full...something I had not encountered in the past. I think part of the reason is because Oregon schools have their spring break this week. Thus, the presence of many families at the zoo today. It made it a little harder to enjoy the close encounters with the animals with so many people there. Still, I was able to pet Cadence, the caracal or African wild cat, and hold their old opossum and a ferret. There was a 10-month-old tiger cub named Sheriff, but because he was too big, we were only able to take photos of him...no petting! With West Coast Game Park, the animals available for petting or holding are all a matter of timing. I had some great experiences in my past visits...not a whole lot this time. But, that will not discourage me from future visits because it's such a cool place. And, I got a lot of nice photos of the other zoo animals, including the young ring-tailed lemur that you see above.

After a quick Thai lunch in Bandon, my only other destination of the day was Siuslaw Pioneer Museum in Florence. This small museum presents the history of the area in the form of photos and personal items donated by local families. Many objects reminded me of things I had seen in antique stores, but these told stories of the generations of people who settled in Florence and made their lives there. So, tomorrow I make the day long drive home. My road trip has been tiring, but fun. I'll be posting a wrap-up blog or two when I get settled back in my old routine and take a breather. I can't wait to see my cat!