The PopCulteer
June 10, 2011

Day Trip To See Dead Animals

A couple of weeks ago your PopCulteer made his way North, to a magical land called “Wheeling.” There we found a civic center-sized outdoor sporting equipment store called Cabela’s. What makes Cabela’s so interesting is not only the wide assortment camping, fishing and hunting tools and accessories, for which I have no use, but they also feature, spread throughout the store, ridiculous quantities of taxidermied animals.

Here’s a quick photo essay that may entice you to visit. Before entering you are greetied by the epic scupture seen above.  You may recognize it from a previous Monday Morning Art.  The squeamish among you may find the idea of marching around hundreds of dead, stufed animals to be distasteful, but actually it’s pretty cool.  With the name plates at the base of each animal, it was like walking through a giant set of 1960s Aurora wildlife model kits. And there is a huge outdoorsy superstore in there, too.  If, like me, you have no use for “the outdoors,” be advised that they also have action figures and fudge.

Entering the store can be a bit overwhelming

For living animals, check out the giant walk-through aquarium

Next thing you know, you turn the corner and BOOM, you're in the African wing

From the African wing we proceed to the North American mountain, a two-story construction with a different climate/season represented on each of its four faces

Cute, cuddly little Rattlesnake

"Mountain goats and bears," long believed to be a line from The Clash song, "White Riot"

"I'm the Pope!"

Yes, that is a full-size seaplane suspended behind the mountain. The propeller spins

A herd of Arlen Propane Grills peacefully coexists with a gaggle of Coleman coolers

A pack of rare Faucet-headed Labrador

Moose in a Koi Pod. Not to be confused with the song by Sting

Just to be fair, they did have one stuffed and mounted human

I'd post more photos from the "Hall Of Whitetail Deer," but the whole room made me feel really nervous about driving

Ah, to have your head cut off, preserved, and placed on display right above guns like the ones that shot you

At the gun check-out room, these tusks were firmly bolted to the floor and wall. Of course, in Alabama, the Tuscaloosa.

Not only is the above joke stolen from Groucho Marx, but I also posted this picture with the same gag on Facebook more than a week ago.  Sorry.

On the way out, we noticed a flock of dead geese. Y'know, it was fun to visit, but I'd hate to be in Cabela's during a zombie outbreak

We bid a fond farewell to Cabela's. We plan to go back for more fudge and action figures

Pride Week Continues

Pride Week wraps up Sunday with a full day of activities at Haddad Riverfront Park. Check out this schedule:

Sunday, June 12th, 2011
Haddad Riverfront Park & Kanawha Blvd
Charleston, WV

8:00 am – 10:30 am — Vendor / Exhibitor Setup

9:00 am — Morning Blessing

11:00 am — Big Gay Dog Show!

12:30 — Parade Line-up (corner of Pennsylvania Ave & Kanawha Blvd, under the I-64 bridge)

1:30 — 15th annual WV Pride Parade

2:30 — Welcome

2:35 — Miss Pride 2011 Olivia Knowles

2:40 — @tmosphere

2:55 — David Wood

3:25 — Ms. L-Pride 2011 Nikki Plantation

3:30 — Broadway

3:45 — Mister L-Pride 2011 Heath Michaels

3:50 — Ace Reign

4:20 — Mr. Pride 2011 Michael B.

4:25 — Long Fork

4:40 — Pride President Rodney Harvey, Presentation of Awards

4:50 — The Nanker Phelge

5:20 — 2011 Pride Parade Grand Marshal Pepe N. Johnson

5:30 — Phoenix

5:45 — Deborah Greathouse

6:15 — Stonewall

6:30 — Thanks for coming!

Next Week In PopCult

Look for RFC 132, Sunday Evening Videos, Monday Morning Art, an edition of Cool Comics with a local slant and a special MEGOMeet photo essay in the PopCulteer.