Lavender and Lions!

Lavender and Lions

Sally drives while I ride shotgun and tell her where to turn. A few times, we need to backtrack as I’m not quick enough with the directions, or Sally misses my cues. We’ve loaded our bikes up and are on our way to ride the Great Sauk State Trail. It’s an 11.4-mile one-way asphalt trail that winds through Prairie du Sac as well as the Sauk Prairie State Recreation Area.

We’re excited to revisit this trail. We biked it last year and liked it so much that we both went back with our husbands and rode it again. Sally reminds me it’s where I lost my credit card. I remind her I’ve lost my credit card many times, and not just there. We laugh and enjoy the magnificent clouds. In Hillsboro, we make a quick stop at Let’s Shine Coffee before following Highway 33 past Reedsburg.

As we chat, my instructions to turn become more frequent as we get closer to our surprise destination. Unbeknownst to Sally, we’re actually headed to the Wisconsin Big Cat Rescue and Education Center in Rock Springs. As we pull into the parking lot, Sally is delighted. “Oh, look, a lion! A lion in Wisconsin…” Her excitement is contagious.

As we pay our entry fee, the gal warns us that most of the cats will be hiding in shelters because of the afternoon heat. Sadly, she says a few of the older cats have died since my last visit, well before COVID.

Nonetheless, we practically skip up the asphalt path leading to the first cage, where Sally is the first to spot the lion. It’s hiding inside a ginormous concrete tube, and despite our best coaxing, it doesn’t come out. We head to the next cage, where Sally spots a tiger before I do, and it gets up to see us! Thrilled, we stay there, transfixed at seeing such a magnificent creature so close up.

The Center was established in 2004 by Jeff and Jenny Kozlowski. All the cats here are rescued. Most came from private owners who could no longer care for them, zoos that felt the animal was too old for display, places where cubs had been used for photos and were no longer manageable, or animals that needed homes because of injuries.

By the time we get to Harley, a gorgeous male tiger, we realize there’s a school group touring with a staff person. Harley is intently watching the folks, about twenty kids, going cage to cage. Quickly we cut across the grassy section to join them and soak up every word the guide says. Sally and I fit right in, ask questions, and engage with both the kids and the parents. We seem to be more curious than they are. Once they see a cat, they’re ready to look for the next one, but we want more education—and we aren’t disappointed.

We end up staying almost two hours. If we come again, we’ll book a morning feeding tour that lets you tag along with staff as they feed the cats.

Back in the car, I resume navigation while Sally and I talk about our visit, the cats, and how we both wish there wasn’t a need for such a place, although we’re glad it’s there.

I say turn right, but Sally turns left because she knows the way to Devil’s Lake, which is where we planned to hike after biking. But I still have another plan up my sleeve! Eventually, we turn into the New Life Lavender and Cherry Farm outside Baraboo. Our mouths drop open at the beautiful lavender in full bloom. We see a lavender labyrinth we can’t wait to walk through. The store smells great, and I feel myself relax. Lavender is one of my favorite smells, and I often use lavender oil on my pillow; I swear it helps me sleep better. Sally spots plants with white flowers and asks about them, and we learn they are also lavender.

Now we’re too hungry to ride our bikes or to hike at Devil’s Lake, so we head for the nearby Little Village Cafe. Sally gets tortellini with grilled shrimp. I get a Greek salad with blackened salmon, and we split a decadent slice of flourless chocolate cake.

We’ve been on the road since 9:30 a.m., and we still haven’t hiked or biked! We agree it’s okay to change our plans, so we make a quick stop at Baraboo’s free Ochsner Park Zoo before getting home at 7 p.m. Our next adventure will be riding the Great Sauk Trail and hiking at Devil’s Lake!