Left Field Wander: Planet Ice at Pearlridge

Every summer since I dunno when, Pearlridge Center puts on a free exhibit. This year, it’s “Planet Ice” (or “Ice Age,” depending on what publicity you see) with displays of prehistoric animals to delight the kiddies (and the “kiddies-at-heart” like me).

Most of the extinct beasts are full-scale animatronics models that move; a number are about half-size because … well, just because.

The wife and I took a wander around the two exhibits while visiting Pearlridge recently and had to negotiate around grandparents and their grandchildren who were there in droves. Y’know, I wish my grandson were here so I could take him to see the Ice Age mammals.

On display are a group of Smilodon (saber-toothed cats), a Megatherium (giant sloth) under attack by a Smilodon, a Mammuthus (woolly mammoth, an Australopithecus (earliest human) family, a Diatryma (aka “Terror Crane”), a Deodicurus (giant armadillo), a Baluchitherium (rhinoceros), a Platybelodon (shovel-nosed elephane), a Coelodonta (wooly rhino), and a herd of Hyracotherium (tiny six-inch long early horses).

A Tundra Train wove among the animals to give them a good look at each other (and perhaps to lick their chops?). The ride was proving popular – we were there at 10:30 a.m. and already they were selling tickets for the 12 noon ride. The 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. rides were sold out.

I would have bought tickets for the ride, except I am slightly taller than the 48-inch maximum height imposition.

Pictures? Yeah …