DENVER — Ralphie the Buffalo is getting set to return from the Alamo Bowl to Colorado, but what goes into preparing this famous living mascot for a trip? Denver7 spoke with Ralphie’s team about their trip to San Antonio and how they kept Ralphie safe throughout the voyage.
“We loaded her up on Sunday morning the 22nd and drove down,” explained Taylor Stratton, Ralphie the Buffalo’s program director.
Ralphie may be a Colorado native, but nothing can stop her from visiting Texas. According to Stratton, the CU Buffs’ live mascot traveled almost 16 hours and 938 miles to San Antonio in an open-air trailer.
Ralphie the Buffalo attends the Alamo Bowl.
“We arrived the night of the 23rd and stopped halfway so that everyone could take a break and she could unpack and relax a little. But it’s been a really terrific drive and an enjoyable experience so far,” Stratton remarked.
While the director claims Ralphie loved the experience, how can you keep an animal of this size safe when crossing state lines?
“So we’ve been quite fortunate along the way. I contacted a few of the members, such as our agricultural community, and we’ve had a lot of individuals volunteer to give us places to stay overnight. So we’re quite appreciative for that,” she stated.
Ralphie will have access to medical treatment during the trip if the need arises. Ralphie also had the opportunity to stretch her legs before her Texas debut, and her managers say everything is going well.
“She’s obviously enjoying the views on the road trip. “It’s her first time crossing state lines and going on an adventure,” she explained.
When Ralphie exits the field, the process of transporting her back to Colorado will resume. However, the journey is not complete without Stratton witnessing this historic occasion.
“It’s been amazing to watch Coach Prime through this program, and we’re just really grateful and thankful that we’re able to be part of that experience and come here to San Antonio,” she told me.