I didn’t plan on going to the zoo today.
I didn’t plan on taking five kids.
I didn’t plan on severe thunderstorms making a beeline for Milwaukee County.
But then again, I did plan on traveling the world after college.
Since we all know how that turned out, it only makes sense that an unplanned, haphazard trip wound up being a success.
Spurred on by a half-forgotten email about reduced fares, my wife decided at 11 o’clock we were going to pay the rhinos a visit.
Which was easier said then done. My eldest was still at a friends house following a sleepover, and the rest of the clan had spent the night at my mother’s.
So we swung by my Mom’s and picked up my daughter, but left Parker behind. What was a three week old going to do at the zoo other than sleep?
In exchange we picked up both of my sister’s daughters.
Then it was on to pick up my oldest.
Where we added another kid, her five-year old friend.
Get rid of one, pick up three. Interesting math.
I’ll let you in on a little secret. While the Milwaukee County Zoo may be one of the best, most progressive zoos around, it bores me to tears.
Just like the museum, I made a trip or two to the zoo every year of my childhood. Maybe there’s someone out there who can pick up subtle differences from year to year, but as far as I can tell it’s the same elephants eating the same hay and making the same steaming piles of waste as the ones I saw 20 years ago.
In addition, maybe the zoo’s cheaper than most, but to my mind the mob’s gotta have a hand in it.
Even on a ‘reduced fare’ day the cost is prohibitive. And the cost of food/beverages/rides? Just sign over your paycheck and be done with it.
But the kids, they love it. And for them, it’s worth it.
The primate house continues to be the universal favorite (although to my eldest’s disappointment, there was no repeat of the gorilla-who-ate-his own vomit.) My middle child adored the aquarium, and I dug the elephants.
But to my wife’s disappointment, the big cat exhibit was closed. As was the petting zoo, the goat-feeding yard, and a bunch of other stuff.
There’s always a reason for reduced fare days.
But the kids loved playing on the playground next to the empty goat yard, and they adored what animals they did see.
The highlight for me? We loaded four of the girls into the double stroller, making it heavy as all get out. But in response to the girls’ cries of ‘faster faster!’ I ran - yes ran - the stroller down a roadway and up the length of a hill.
Normally you don’t see 300 pounds move that quickly outside of the bear exhibit.
We capped it off with a trip on the carousel and an in-depth examination of a stray ladybug, then headed home.
But not before a bought a one year family pass.
What can I say, it’s not that bad of a place to spend a day.
Oh, and by the way - the T-storms held off until we were at home.
Like I said, it only makes sense that an unplanned, haphazard trip wound up being a success.
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