Turns out our annual pass was due to expire at the end of March and although we'd already made good on the investment it seemed a great way to spend the afternoon. Plus, they were closing the Nocturnal House at the end of February and we wanted to get one more chance to see it. (Apparently, it costs too much to heat it. Go figure.)

After peeling the kids off the zoo's fence and showing our pass at the gate we planned a whirlwind tour starting with the new "more colorful" penguins. I dunno. They looked as black and white as ever to me. Maybe when the sun comes out the cool fluorescent designs we see in ads shows up.

We were right at the Nocturnal House so we tried to get in there, but everyone else was also paying homage one last time. It was PACKED to the point that when we finally called it quits and tried to head out it was a challenge. So long, freaks of nature. I hope you learn to like the daylight.

Our goals after were rather nebulous. We needed lunch, but otherwise were hoping to see some mountain goats (a holdover from a couple of goat-deficient hikes this summer), some zebras, elephants, and monkeys, of course. We saw the monkeys, but the others eluded us. Strange given their all enclosed. Maybe they should train them or stake them out in the open. I feel cheated.

When we'd seen as much as we could take (or at least it was time to give it up and head home) we found our way past the flamingos, through the play area, and finally to the car. The parking lot we had waited in line to stop in was emptying quickly. We scored some Slurpees at an old college haunt and had sleeping kids before we got home.

Not a hike, but a pretty good way to spend the day.