Zoos, Brews, and Bittersweet Goodbyes

WanderWest  Day 17: Moab, UT → Golden, CO- Zoos, Brews, and Bittersweet Goodbyes 

Today we officially kicked off the journey back east—and wow, we’re feeling all the feels.  We miss our pups. We miss a good home-cooked meal, and our own beds. But we’re also not quite ready to close the chapter on this adventure. It’s been everything we hoped for and more—epic highs, a few honest lows, and unforgettable moments that have brought the four of us even closer together. The laughs, the inside jokes, the ridiculous quotes that will live on forever—we wouldn’t trade it for anything.

We made the 5.5-hour drive to Golden, Colorado (just outside Denver) and hit the Denver Zoo for the afternoon. And let us tell you—this zoo is no joke!  It’s huge, thoughtfully designed, and full of “Whoa, look at that!” moments around every bend. We were especially blown away by the Elephant Passage, a sprawling multi-animal habitat where we spotted everything from howler monkeys swinging through the trees to a rhino just chilling nearby. But the real show-stealer? The tigers at The Edge—a next-level enclosure where the tigers literally walk above you on a suspended bridge. Yes, we looked up and saw a tiger staring back down at us.  Cool moment! 


The real highlight of the day, though, was reuniting with our cousin Ethan at The Golden Mill—a super cool local hangout with five food concepts, 50+ self-pour taps (beer, wine, cider, cocktails—you name it), and plenty of space to sit, sip, and soak in the Colorado vibes.  The food hall setup meant everyone got exactly what they wanted—from sushi to tacos to BBQ—and we spent a few hours catching up, laughing way too loud, and just enjoying being together. Ethan’s doing great—college life, summer internship, big city living—and it made us so happy to see him thriving.

Tomorrow, before we officially start the Kansas leg of the drive, we’re squeezing in a stop at one of my bucket list spots: Red Rocks Amphitheater. We’re planning to tour, walk the stairs, soak in the views, and dream about the day we come back for a live show. One day… but for now, just being there is enough. Another memory in the making as we make our way home.
 
 
 

📸🔗For all our pics from today, Click Here!

 

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