The Valley of the Antelope I: Cats

 

Ted and I recently spent the day in Antelope Valley, CA. Wildflowers are blooming beautifully this year, so we flew out to Lancaster to check them out.
Poppies in the Antelope Valley

The flight out was a bit exciting due to turbulence encountered as we crossed the ridge lines. At one point I actually hit the ceiling with a good solid bonk–nothing too terrible, as it was a somewhat isolated pocket, but still enough to make one sit up and take notice.

We arrived safely in Lancaster and got hooked up with a rental car, so we were ready to roll. But first, the most important meal of the day at Crazy Otto’s, our favorite breakfast joint in Lancaster.
Crazy Otto's

That’s eSpresso to you, buddy
That's eSpresso to you, buddy

Our next stop was the Feline Conservation Center, which gave us an opportunity to visit the Neko brick and these amazing cats.
Willow, the grumpy bobcat
Willow, the grumpy bobcat

Bath time for Twilight (jaguar)
Twilight, the bathing jaguar

One of the Chinese leopards

Leopards

We were delighted to see Frisbee, the fishing cat, out and about and walking through the grass
Frisbee, the fishing cat

Amur leopard?

One of several peacocks who roam the grounds
Peacock tail

Ever wonder what a peacock looks like from behind? Well, wonder no more:
Peacock tail from behind

This place is amazing. Staffed by volunteers, they really do a wonderful job of caring for these beautiful felines. Every time we visit, they’ve added something new: shaded bleachers for educational demonstrations; new benches; progress on the tiger enclosures. You can see how your donations are making a difference. If you ever find yourself in the area, I highly recommend a visit. (Feline Conservation Center)

Next up: poppies and more…

 

Posted by bpod at Saturday ~ April 04, 2008 |

Category: flying, nature, travel, yum

 

 

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