Westminster Colorado

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Hard as Nails Mud Race

It’s Zeb the Duck again.  Mom and I went to the Westin Hotel in Westminster, Colorado for the Hard as Nails Obstacle and Mud Race.

Starting point for Hard as Nails Mud Race

Starting point for Hard as Nails Mud Race

My first mud race!

Participants, not us, ran or jogged, conquered obstacles, climbed in mud, waded in the river and slid down the slip and slide.

Sliding on wet slide

Sliding on wet slide

Watching was great, but I’m glad we did not participate in this. By the time we left, it was cool and we felt a light drizzle.

This watery slip and slide looked like a lot of fun.

I think this would be fun!

I think this would be fun!

Participants ran to the next obstacle, involving climbing.

Next obstacle

Next obstacle

These pipes slowed things down a little.

Obstacles

Obstacles

You must crawl through the first set of pipes, climb through the higher short one and then crawl through the last set.

Professional photographers at the scene.

Professional photographers at the scene.

Younger children, accompanied by an adult ran the .5 km race. Older children ran the 1 km race.

Next, let’s get a little muddy at the Mud Mixer.

Yep--mud

Yep–mud

I stayed clean and dry,

In there??

In there??

but not the kids.

Fun for kids?

Fun for kids?  And ducks??

Adult teams ran the 5 km race. Teams must use a fireman carry to arrive at a second set of pipes.

Fireman carry? I am by the second sign

Fireman carry? I am by the second sign

This bunny must be a judge;

So still

He is real and alive

he is so still.

The river, with a net over it, required getting further in the water and bending low.

Previous participant lost a race number

Previous participants lost race numbers

Up they go

Up they go

Around the bend, was a slight river obstacle requiring a little climbing. Wow, the river gets deeper.

Deeper and cold river

Deeper and cold river

Now, participants climb out of the mud pit.

Climb up mud wall

Climb up mud wall

Fun, but very messy! These geese were rather vocal about all the people around their home.

Geese talking to racers

Geese talking to racers

There was a beer garden, music and some venders.

Part of the profit went to Growing Home, a local charity that fights poverty for families. This was an entertaining day and also helped people.  We hope you go to a mud race near you.  They are fun.  Maybe you will participate.  Maybe we will next time??

Through the river

Through the river

 

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Colorado’s Butterfly Pavilion

Tropical flowers, hot humid rainforest, 1600 brightly colored butterflies and in Westminster, Colorado.    This is one room at the butterfly pavilion, the one that gives the complex its name.

Zeb the duck at the Butterfly Pavilion

Zeb the duck at the Butterfly Pavilion

Strolling down the many paths we marveled at the tropical plants, hibiscus, bleeding hearts and a couple hundred more.  The butterflies fly around the 7,200 square foot tropical rainforest, some land on trays of rotting fruit to feed, some fluttering among flowers

Butterfly on tropical flower

Butterfly on tropical flower

and some just soaring and gliding.

Butterfly resting

Butterfly resting

Near the exit are trays of butterfly chrysalids, filled with young butterflies waiting to emerge. The life span of butterflies is only a few weeks; so new butterflies are constantly being added.  Glad I am not a butterfly.

The Crawl-A-See-Em room was unreal.  In glass enclosures we saw tarantulas from many different areas of the world.  They sure can hide from predators.   Rosie is the good will ambassador for tarantulas at the pavilion.  An employee is with Rosie at all times and you, or your child, but NOT your duck, will have the opportunity to touch Rosie the tarantula and have her placed on your hand.

Rosie the tarantuala on a young human hand

Rosie the tarantuala on a young human hand

In the Water’s Edge room we touched and learned about sea stars, horseshoe crabs and other invertebrates.

Exhibit at water's edge

Exhibit at water’s edge

These invertebrates, animals without backbones, are from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Inside the complex children, adults an ducks will enjoy Tropical Odyssey, an interactive area of educational games.  This is the area where I was introduced to the hissing cockroach from Madagascar.  We also learned that in the natural rainforest, only 2% of butterflies survive.

Outside the pavilion the half-mile nature trail loop

One very large grasshopper at beginning to nature trail

One very large grasshopper at beginning to nature trail

highlights native Colorado insects, prairie dogs, rabbits and the occasional heron, hawk and eagle.

Nature Trail and Discovery Garden

Nature Trail and Discovery Garden

This is protected area where Colorado’s native plants and small animals and birds can be observed and enjoyed in their natural environment.  There are picnic areas; so bring your lunch.

The Butterfly Pavilion is located in Westminster, Colorado and is worth seeing.  Visit www.butterflies.org