Kind of like my normal job......

Anniversary Extravaganza - Part 2

Our tour started out slow, but picked up quickly. We started off watching a raccoon, but quickly got into some neat critters. We got to see a huge African Porcupine. Kelly even was able to get one of his quills that had fallen out. One of my favorites was from Africa. I can't remember what he was called, but he was the largest rodent. He had fur like a rabbit, teeth like a gopher and kind of funny looking legs. We worked our way through the animals. We got to see Gators, Baboons, Monkeys, Lemurs, even a Ferret. Two of the coolest guys were the Kangaroo and the Hyena.

After a couple of hours we finally got to play, one on one with both a lynx and a little monkey. Kelly purposely did not wear any jewelry to distract the animals. She did wear kind of a black and white animal print shirt. Even though it was black and white, the Lynx took exception to her shirt and kind of gnawed at her. Even the trainer was surprised. The monkey went a little smoother. They put a diaper on the little guy and let him climb around on us. He was a little snuggle bug. He climbed up and just cuddled with me. Kind of like I would expect a grand kid to do, if I had one. Hint, Hint.

Next we had lunch with a couple of trainers then headed off to meet the elephants.

Wild Things has merged with the Elephants of Africa Rescue Society (EARS). They currently have 5 African elephants at the facility, one male named Butch, and four females named Paula, Kristi, Buffy and Manilika.

After we got to meet the elephants, the Trainer asked if we were ready to give Butch his afternoon bath. We jumped at the chance. We walked Butch over to one of the special elephant barns. An elephant barn is huge, but what is really big is the coral fencing they have to use with the elephants. Posts and rails are not wood. They are huge pieces of pipe set very deep in concrete.

Kelly and I got to scrub him up, and hose him down.

I'm going to post a couple of pictures and save the rest of the adventure for the next post. Stay Tuned!

Anniversary Extravaganza - Part 1

Hi Everyone - I know, I know. Where has Rick been? Why hasn't he updated that award winning blog? Well... I dislocated and broke a toe, and I've developed a rotator cuff issue. I've had a cortisone shot and am currently in Physical Therapy. I've had to take a little time off of my MMA training and a little time off from the gym.

Last week was my 30th Wedding Anniversary. My wife Kelly and I went on a special Anniversary Extravaganza to celebrate. We went to a place called Wild Things, Vision Quest Ranch, Safari Bed and Breakfast. I know that is a mouthful, but let me tell you a little bit about this place.

Back in the day, way back when we lived in Prunedale, we used to drive down highway 101 into Salinas. Often times, we would see a guy out walking a lion alongside the road in the strawberry fields. I kid you not. A full maned lion walking on a leash.

Well it turns out there was a place in Salinas called Oxton Kennels. They trained animals for movies, TV, Commercials, and print ads. Working the animals was just a way to finance their rescue efforts. Kelly had actually taken the kids there several times to visit the animals. One of the highlights was a giant snake. That was probably why I didn't visit back then!

A few years ago, there was an article in the Santa Cruz paper about the opening of a bed and breakfast with a Safari twist. The owner of Oxton Kennels had moved out to 51 acres on River Road. He had expanded his rescue efforts and opened a Bed and Breakfast amongst the animals. Kelly and I had talked about going, but had never quite made it. The truth is I was so out of shape, I don't think I could have physically done it. I had told one of my co-workers about the adventure, and her and her husband went and had a blast.

Now up to the present. Kelly and I were looking for a short adventure to celebrate our Anniversary. I remembered Wild Things, and now being in a little better shape, I booked the trip. On April 19th we headed down to Salinas.

Driving up the driveway, we passed a camel, some ostriches, and some zebras. When we got out of the car, we could hear lions roaring. We knew this was going to be fun. We had booked a special VIP tour. A 4 hour behind the scenes tour of the facility. It turns out that Kelly and I were the only ones on this tour, and our guide was the head trainer. It was amazing.

I'm going to tease you a bit here. I'm going to post a couple of pictures and tell you more about the trip in the next blog. I promise stories about giving the elephants a bath, and tucking them in for the night. Stay tuned!