Elk Park Date, Take 1

Last weekend, the hubby took me to Elk Park. I made hot chocolate with marshmallows for the drive through the animal areas. The leaves were changing! Sun shining! Breeze blowing! I was DETERMINED ALL THINGS WOULD BE FESTIVE. It wasn't going to be a date! It was going to be an experience!

Sigh.

Around the time we pulled out of our little neighborhood, I got car sick. I didn't say anything. Because, you know... FESTIVE!

We took the big city road (highway? interstate? Stop judging me! I don't claim to be king of maps and geography!). Then we hit the smaller winding, hilly, roller-coaster-y mess that is the journey into and through the park.

We drove and drove and drove. Up and down and here and there. Not only did I not see any animals, I wanted to crawl into a ball and possibly pass out. But, FESTIVE! FIGHT IT! I AM IN CHARGE HERE, SAYS MY BRAIN TO MY BODY.

My body just laughed like a group of teenage girls. All annoying like.

The hubby and I finally saw several cars pulled over. The park was pretty crowded with hikers and  families walking/chasing their children around, but we hadn't seen any animals yet. This time, people were out of their cars, standing on top of picnic tables, looking down into a ravine. Translation: Something to see!

A large herd of elk! We walked down a little ways to them and watched them for a little while. There were very small calves and a GIANT male with antlers. He was very handsome, sitting in a patch of sunshine.

 

We got back into the car, and although the fresh air and little walk had helped, my husband wasn't having it. He'd figured out I wasn't feeling so hot due to my weird breathing patterns and all the fidgeting I'd been trying to pass off as just really dramatic gesturing. How sick was I feeling? So sick. Ug! Why! FESTIVE! This was supposed to be our quintessential fall date! Exponentially FESTIVE!

The husband drove us towards the exit, where we passed two elk resting very close to the road. I felt a little bad for them, obviously 2 males, no ladies, lonely...

Then I got on some roll about how, hey, maybe it's a lifestyle choice and they aren't lonely! Maybe they are in loves. You go, Elk! You be your own herd! Follow your hearts! Be proud, Elks!

My husband drove as fast as he thought he could in order to get us home as soon as possible, away from the one-woman-elk-gay-pride-parade I was throwing in the passenger seat. Despite how annoying I was being, he was still trying to drive carefully in order to not to make my motion sickness any worse, which was very sweet. Especially considering I was about 3 seconds away from losing my fight with the filter keeping my favorite Cher song in my head and not in the air all around us.

"Baby, it's all or nothing now! Don't want to run and I can't walk out. You're breaking my heart if you leave me now! Don't wanna wait foreeeveeer-"

Sorry. Sometimes I can't stop the Cher. I was able to hold it in inside the car so I guess it's been waiting to escape since then. On our drive home, I just sort of rested my head against the armrest between my hubby and me. While still in a fully upright seated position. No, it wan't comfy. But, it did help to stop the nausea. So, victory!

The park was beautiful despite our less than stellar time there. The lake, the trees, the sky, the colors. I wish I had been able to enjoy it more.

Next time, Elk Park, next time.

Fall Leaves, If It Ever Arrives!

The hubby has PROMISED to take me to Elk Park either after work this week or this weekend. When we went to see Daniel Tosh, there wasn't one damn tree on the drive that was changing color. And I was looking. I. Was. Looking.

My husband, not making a joke, said, "Hey, I think it's going to be one of those years where we don't have a fall. I saw some trees near work that were losing their leaves. Their green leaves."

So... Then I fought some kind of violent reaction since this is not my husband's fault, although he is the one that made us live here, here I guess being somewhere without my favorite season.

A couple days ago he said, "I can't believe it. I swear September used to be cold! And definitely by October, it always is!" His car had said it was 93 degrees on his drive home.

Oh, shall I clutch my gut and laugh a hearty laugh? So amused, am I? NO. NOT AMUSED.

And then, I took Mav the dog out in the middle of the night, and in my shorts and tank top, thought that it was actually chilly. I took the garbage out yesterday and there were leaves under my feet. Crunch, crunch. They were starting to pile up on the sides of the street. Yellows, browns. Oh my stars! Am I going to be able to turn off the air conditioning?

Checked out my backyard. Still green, green, green. But other backyards, the colors were changing fast. FALL!

So, soon, our next date will be surrounded by all things autumn. Makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside knowing there is a chill in the air. Cider for everyone!

I also found this. And it cemented my fall feelings. I may have shed a tear, so moved I was by this article.

Hey Mom and Dad, don't judge me for this link. Warning: Adult Vocabulary.

I have light up pumpkins. Leaf shaped tableware. A singing plush candy corn. I took out all my grandmother's china from the china cupboard and put in fall themed decor. I'm with you, article! Fall is here finally! And so another date is on the horizon! I can barely sit still. I'm ready to go now! Oh, yeah, I forgot. The hubby has this whole job thing going on and can't just drop that to take me to look at leaves. But he better do it soon, because if fall leaves before I even get to see it arrive, I will be cranky until the Christmas lights come out.

Lone Elk Park Mini-Date

As I mentioned in the previous post, the hubby and I were early for the tour of the Endangered Wolf Center over the weekend. Since the wolf sanctuary ended up being very close to one of our favorite parks, we went there for about 40 minutes while we waited.

Lone Elk Park is a large, beautiful, and picturesque park. There are some areas that encourage picnicking or hiking. There are large warning signs about the ticks and chiggers and other insect infestations. No animals (like dogs) are allowed in the park or in vehicles that drive through the park. Not sounding like a big draw? Wait for it.

The best way to enjoy the park is to drive through it. Some parts of the park are only for driving through (getting out of the car is not allowed). This is because Lone Elk Park is more like a wildlife refuge than a typical park. It is bordered by a high fence and the entrance and exits have metal tubes to drive over that deter wildlife from leaving the park. There are all kinds of animals. Obviously, there are elk. There's also deer, wild turkeys, and a large herd of bison. We have never driven through this park without getting to see some type of wildlife. It is a different experience every time, but every time, it is also exhilarating and exciting. Often, the animals are very close to the road. While driving through, there are always other hidden animals throughout. I think of it like a Where's Waldo of wild animals. The husband and I drive slowly and randomly yell out, "I see it!" while pointing emphatically. If other drivers have stopped or slowed, do the same. Something is waiting to be seen. Sometimes animals are crossing the road or taking a short rest in the road, and getting to let them pass is a major highlight of the visit (instead of an annoyance or frustration).

One time, the elk were all going down to the lake. They came slowly through a small, nearby parking lot and across the road. 4 or 5 cars (including us) were at the right place at the right time. We got to sit and see them come within inches of us. There were a few giant males with impressive antlers, a large number of females, and some calves.

This weekend, we drove in and my husband immediately went down the road we usually skip (since it's short and a turnaround, unlike the rest of the roads that lead lots of places and turn into one another). As usual, I was saying something about how we might not see any animals this time. I say that every trip, and every trip we see something.

We were on the road about 2 seconds when we came upon this. Just beyond the shot on the left hand side are a couple picnic tables.

I squealed in glee. We drove right up and parked between the herd. Oh! Babies still with their white spots on their backs! Oh!

It is always a source of pure joy when we get to see things up close. I had the window down and was taking pictures. I talked to them and told them they were pretty and sweet. This one baby kept looking right at me. There was also another fawn-spotted baby in this picture (in front of the mother on the right hand side - see it's little ears?).

We sat in the car for a while and just enjoyed watching them graze and rest. Although uninterested in people and also not afraid, it's important to remember they are wild creatures. Interaction with them is prohibited. Feeding them is also not allowed. I think these rules allow the perfect balance of letting these creatures live their lives while letting us see them (vs having them bombard the car for food or get into accidents with cars and/or people). We drove on after awhile, leaving them in the exact same state they had been, for the next car to come and enjoy them. They were in no rush on this lovely morning.

I figured we wouldn't see anything else. Of course, we almost immediately saw some wild turkeys a little bit off the road, up in some dense forest. I started singing, "Turkey, turkey, turkey" and rubbing my belly. I voiced a happy thought about Thanksgiving coming before we know it. My husband found this funny. Maybe that makes me a bad animal lover? I don't know. We also saw a deer hidden among the trees a little more down the road.

I thought we'd seen all we'd see. About halfway through the park, we turned a corner and saw 2 cars parked at the side. We pulled up and there were the bison. The bison area is where visitors must remain in their cars. They were grazing on a steep hill.

Their calves were spread throughout the grass and 3 of them were right up (or on) the road resting. I got such delight out of this one.

I again had the window open and was talking to it. It's little horns just got me. I put my hands at the side of my head and stretched up my index fingers, showing that I had little horns, too. "Oooooh, you're such a little warrior!" My husband just shook his head at me.

I couldn't stop myself if I tried. "Look at your itty bitty ferocious horns! Who's a little fighter? Who's a little tough guy? You are!" In all honesty, if he wanted, he probably could give me a good, solid injury to the lower body. But those horns were just too much. Adorable.

The adults just kept eating away. We watched for a little while, and when my husband could take no more of my cooing at the tiny horned calf, we headed out of the park to go on our actual, planned date.

I can't wait until the fall when all the leaves start to change. When the trees become more bare, showing more of the animals hidden in the forest. This is a park so inviting in all seasons. We found it by accident and have been in love with this secluded, off the beaten path park ever since. One of the best kept secrets in St. Louis.

Did I mention it's free? Yeah. In the future, we will definitely be planning a longer, more elaborate date at this location. We might even get out of the car and eat at one of the picnic tables! After the first (or second) frost.