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Welcome to Springs and Things, the podcast where two close friends spill the tea on all things Colorado Springs! From culture and community to hidden gems and neighborhood lore, we’ve got it covered. Join us as we sip our coffee (or maybe something stronger) and dive into the stories and secrets that make this city so unique. Whether you're a local or just passing through, our fun, light-hearted, and always entertaining take on the quirks, hot topics, and insider tips will keep you coming back for more. Discover what’s really happening in the Springs—beyond the mountains and parks!
Tucked away in a corner of the West Side of Colorado Springs, there are llamas quietly changing how the springs slows down. We finally made it to Laxi Llama where owner Terry McConnell introduced us to the pack and explains why everyone from corporate teams to therapy patients leave this place feeling happier than they arrived. There's wine, there's cheese, there's a myth about spitting that gets busted once and for all, and, yes, there's even a whole conversation about why gardeners treat llama poop like gold. So take a breath, press play, and get ready for one of our most zen episodes to date. Before we dive into it, this episode is brought to you by Vanguard Aesthetics.
Carly Ries:It is so hot, you guys. Do not forget that sunscreen.
Lauren Ferrara:Hey, everyone. I'm Carly. And I'm Lauren.
Carly Ries:We're two Colorado Springs locals who love uncovering everything that makes the city special.
Lauren Ferrara:If you're the kind of person who wants to know where to go, what's happening, and stories behind it all, then you're in the right place. Welcome to Springs of Things, your insider's path to hidden gems, local flavor, and unexpected moments that make The Springs one of its kind. From secret spots and can't miss events to arts, eats, and those you've gotta hear about at Local stories.
Carly Ries:We've got you covered.
Lauren Ferrara:So grab your coffee, settle in, and get ready to fall a little more in love
Carly Ries:with Colorado Springs. Let's dive in to Springs and Things. So Lauren, I don't usually kick off a podcast by trying to drive people to our Instagram account. Because it sounds kinda counterintuitive since we're an audio podcast. But the visual of where we are right now and the real you're putting together, I'm so at peace.
Carly Ries:I'm the birds are chirping. When we were walking up here, there were mountain goats. I mean, explain what you're feeling right now and where we are.
Lauren Ferrara:Oh, I mean, this is like just a little pocket of the springs that I've never been in, and it's just gorgeous and peaceful. And Carly, correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel like so we're gonna give away. We're we're with Laxi Llamas over in the West Side Of Colorado Springs. This was on our summer bucket list, wasn't it? Like, weren't we wanting to do this this summer?
Carly Ries:I think it's been on our past two summer bucket We kind of had this dream list of people we wanted to talk to since the beginning of the show, which is a year and a half ago now, over a year and a half ago. And I just feel like Terry was always on the list. Lexi Lama was always on the list.
Lauren Ferrara:Well, and I had heard about it through Rocky Mountain Women's Film, and they're a sponsor of the film festival this year. And this is just, yeah, a quirky, happy, fun little experience, and I'm just, like, very, very excited to be
Carly Ries:here right now. So, Teri, without further ado, welcome to the show. Thank you.
Lauren Ferrara:So tell us how how Llamas started. What has this journey looked like for you?
Terry McConnell:So I think like any small business owner, I really discovered how comfortable and people were when they were around llamas, and it just seemed to be I watched people's shoulders relax. I saw them taking deep breaths, putting their phones in their pockets, and just really being present and connected when they came. I decided I would launch the business.
Lauren Ferrara:But you don't just happen upon llamas, so tell me about your first experience with llamas.
Terry McConnell:So, I'd spent a lot of time in Patagonia, and really just fell in love with camelids there. A lot of alpacas were there, and Living here in Colorado Springs, I wanted to create something with the cousin, which is the llama, and where I could let people interact with them and do things like go on hikes with them or, you know, go to a birthday party with them, go to a corporate event with them. So I decided to to, you know, buy these Llamas and develop this business as a result.
Lauren Ferrara:Okay. Expand on corporate events. I would love to work for at a place where llamas were around or you went to a meeting and there was llamas popping their heads in. Do you have a lot of there?
Terry McConnell:Well, we we love to We love invitations to go to corporate events, where, you know, a lot of the executives are trying to create a scenario where people can connect with each other, and stop worrying about their to do lists, and their agendas, and their emails, and their texts, and all of those kinds of things, and so when we go to corporate events, all of those things get put down, and people connect. And we see all kinds of smiles, and we see all kinds of connections happen that didn't otherwise happen.
Carly Ries:Okay. So I'm gonna stick with the connection thing. So your mission actually talks about people leaving feeling more grounded and connected and joyful, which I even feel in Yeah. Like, now.
Lauren Ferrara:You feel we have slowed down just in this last thirty minutes.
Terry McConnell:Yeah, how do llamas do that specifically? Llamas are so unique in that way. They really do require people to slow down because they are slower, and so when people are around them, you do see they don't, you know, llamas do not like fast movements from people, and they pick up on your energy, and so it just, I think there's just some sort of settling in people's bodies when they are around Llamas, and it just it creates an experience that, in our world today, everything is so fast paced. It's nice to really find that space for slowing down.
Lauren Ferrara:And so your hikes are in these little private lands and a pocket of nature that most, I mean, Carly and I had never seen it before. So without giving away your secret spot, what do you think makes this area special?
Terry McConnell:I think what makes this area special is that the terrain is absolutely beautiful. It is so peaceful. The rock formations are amazing. People are focused on the trail instead of maybe their to do lists or worrying about things, and they are listening to the birds. They're seeing sheep.
Terry McConnell:They are listening to the breeze, as we can hear right now, happening. And so I think that's what's happening when we experience going on a trail with a llama. And you it's it's fun because you have this quirky, funny, lovely animal next to you, and people really love that.
Carly Ries:I feel like they're
Lauren Ferrara:the goldendoodles of camelids.
Terry McConnell:Yes, they are. They are.
Lauren Ferrara:So what surprises first timers the most?
Terry McConnell:I think the thing that surprises people the most is that everyone assumes that llamas spit.
Carly Ries:I all the time.
Lauren Ferrara:I was at Machu Picchu and I had read I think what you're might be about to debunk because I was like there was a llama at the top Machu Picchu, like almost posing. It was really cute. But then I started going my husband was like, Don't do that! Don't do it! Because apparently, like, they spit from the bowels of their stomach, and I did not want that on me, so continue.
Lauren Ferrara:Yes.
Terry McConnell:That is a myth about Llamas. They do spit, but they do that at each other more of a it's more of a social cue or a hierarchical They do not go around looking for people to spit at. So how does that work? So you said Chloe was sort of
Lauren Ferrara:the pack leader here. Does she spit on her friends?
Terry McConnell:So if Chloe sees something in the environment that might be a threat, and the other llamas are not paying attention or goofing around, she may spit to get their attention, put her ears back, spit, maybe put an alarm call out, and she may spit. So, that's the only time we see this happening.
Lauren Ferrara:Tell us a little bit about how many llamas you have. They're different personalities. You said they're all very unique. Yes.
Terry McConnell:So, we have seven llamas, and each one of them has their own personality. Chloe, who is the mother of all the llamas, is the oldest llama, and she's the one who's paying attention to the environment and keeping everybody in check. We have Issy, who is another female, and she is just happy to be along. We have the silliest llama here is Zoro. He's a big, black llama, and he looks mostly like a camel, and he is just a class clown.
Terry McConnell:That's his personality. Never paying attention. He's constantly storing food in his jaw, just in case he might run out of food. He keeps a pouch in his mouth all the time. The teenager of the pack is Pedro, and he's long and lanky, and he's still learning.
Terry McConnell:He's observing the other llamas all the time to see what he needs to be doing, and learning, and following along. The other llama we have, her name is Francis, and she is expecting a baby in September, so we will have a baby llama in the next couple of months. We also have another llama named Hugo, and he is a mixture of a llama and an alpaca, and so he is a little smaller, and because of that, he does get kind of picked on because he has one blue eye. He's just adorable, so that's each one of them has their own kind of place in the pack. If we remove a llama and change the herd, the entire pack will change as well.
Carly Ries:Alright. Let's take a quick break to talk about our wonderful sponsors starting with Vanguard Aesthetics because, honestly, they are a game changer. If you've been on the fence about getting a little skin refresh, this is the team you want. They're not pushy. They actually listen to your goals, and the whole vibe is just warm and welcoming, not intimidating like some med spas can be.
Carly Ries:And also, we wanna give some love to Core Collective. They have been with us since the beginning. They are a reformer Pilates studio in Downtown Colorado Springs, and my body has not been the same since I started going. And I mean that in the absolute best way. It's challenging, and the instructors are so good.
Carly Ries:Like, they actually cue you through every movement, so you're feeling it all in the right places instead of just guessing. And the community there is just awesome too. It's one of those places where you walk in as a stranger and leave feeling like you found your people and you just wanna keep going back. And the greatest thing is if you get to check out when you are booking a class, type in the code Springs and Things, all caps, no spaces, because that'll unlock three classes for just $30. That's $10 a class, which is crazy and awesome.
Carly Ries:So be sure to visit their website. That link is in our show notes as well.
Lauren Ferrara:And so tell us you have several different experiences with these llamas. Tell us about those.
Terry McConnell:So we do we we created different experiences for people, basically, ranging from the the age of, you know, five to 75, and there's something for everybody here. We love to see people start smiling once they see the llamas at the gate, and we love to see the end result, and that's people leave happier, and that's really the goal, and really with all of our events, that's what's happening. We see mother and daughters come together and sit here in the little barn and connect in a new way, connect to a llama. We have kids that come and don't want to leave. They're very engaged here, very relaxed.
Terry McConnell:They love to do crafts at the table. We also are partners with UCCS, the Institute of Human Resilience, and a lot of their therapists will bring people to this space, and they will talk at the table and talk about the connection between how humans are feeling and how llamas also, what's that relationship look like to us and to them? And it's really interesting to see the parallels that people draw between humans and llamas, and the natural connections also people make to how the what we built here is very square. It's very man made, as opposed to when you look out, nothing is straight. Everything in nature is sort of curved.
Terry McConnell:It's natural. There's nothing that's a straight line. So unlike humans, where we like control, when people arrive here and work through some of the things that they're feeling, a lot of these patients have been through different kinds of trauma. They see that how resilient these animals are, how resilient nature is, and how resilient then they are.
Carly Ries:And so but you also I mean, I keep seeing promotions for, like, the wine and cheese event. And so what kind of, like, official events do you have that people that you like to put on?
Terry McConnell:Yeah. So we started hosting wine and cheese events with llamas this summer, and it's a two hour event, and we take up to six people, and it's very interesting because these six people may not know each other, and so the experience with that is, what we do is we arrive at the gate. They see the llamas. We take a short walk. We walk up into this beautiful overlook that, again, is priceless, and even though we're all right here in Colorado Springs, this is a very special pocket that people have not seen, and they get to experience that alongside with a llama, which makes it more amazing.
Terry McConnell:Then we bring people into the little barn, and we have a huge spread of wine and cheese, and these people who are once strangers start connecting, and talking about what they do, and where they are in life, and maybe some of the things they're thinking about, and all of those things alongside the Llamas, so that's one of our experiences. Another one is we are also partners with the Garden of Gods Club and Resort, and we take llamas up to brunch. So people will sit in the Grand View and have beautiful, beautiful brunch, and then we're out there on the lawn, and so once they have finished eating, they come out to the lawn, and they take pictures, and they're smiling, and it's just joy. Aw, I
Lauren Ferrara:love that. And I've seen pictures from your Instagram like with that beautiful Vista at Garden of the Gods Club. Gorgeous. Talk. Mean, Let's talk poop.
Lauren Ferrara:Llama bean manure. What What is that and and how do you get some? I'm not a gardener. I'm just a little grossed out by this,
Carly Ries:but I think gardeners listening are like give us all the details.
Terry McConnell:All the gardeners know about Llama manure To a gardener, it's like gold. Wow. Yes. Because it's very easy to use, very easy to work with. There's no odor, and it's packed with nutrients.
Terry McConnell:And so we too smile when we send truckloads of manure off to gardeners to grow their beautiful plants, and it's very effective.
Lauren Ferrara:That made me think of the elephant poop coffee. Do you know what I'm talking about? Apparently listeners,
Carly Ries:Teri and I just looked at each other blankly, like, what are you talking about?
Lauren Ferrara:So in Thailand, they have elephants eat coffee beans and then they go through their whole digestive process and then they poop them out and then they grind it and turn it into coffee. And apparently it is the best cup of coffee you've ever. It's like $200 a cup of coffee like for this is so I was tempted. I was tempted to try it because I mean, when I was reading up, hope
Carly Ries:it's I feel the need to say don't eat the llama poop. Do not churn the llama when you are in
Lauren Ferrara:a coffee. Haven't tried it, but apparently it's a thing in Thailand. So Terry, what's been your like most satisfying moment?
Terry McConnell:I think for me, the most satisfying moment is to is being able to provide an experience for people and seeing them leave happier than when they came.
Lauren Ferrara:Mhmm.
Terry McConnell:And I I I think every one of our experiences creates that for people, and that that's that for me, that that's the most satisfying thing about this business is seeing people leave happier than when they arrived and seeing them relax and connect with each other without their phones.
Carly Ries:I mean, can attest this right now. I did bring my youngest with me for this interview, and she spent the first thirty minutes coloring. And now I think she's gonna fall asleep on my nap on my lap because she's so in zen mode right now. Terry, we could talk to you about this all day. I could literally sit here all day.
Carly Ries:I I am also so zen right now. I I kinda don't wanna
Lauren Ferrara:leave this little oasis. This is what forest bathing feels like.
Carly Ries:Have you tried forest bathing?
Terry McConnell:I have not tried forest bathing, but this is this would be Llamas would love forest bathing.
Carly Ries:Yes. We're working on it. But speaking of forest bathing, they offer that in The Springs, and there's always so much going on in The Springs. So we ask all of our guests this question. What is your pick of the week?
Carly Ries:What are you loving in Colorado Springs right now?
Terry McConnell:One of my favorite things to do in The Springs is go to Marigolds
Carly Ries:for dinner. I
Terry McConnell:I love the energy there. I love the family that owns that that establishment, and that's our that's what we do for fun at night in terms of restaurants.
Carly Ries:Well and actually, let's go back to forest bathing. Don't you have a pick of the week that revolves around that?
Lauren Ferrara:Have a pick of the week. So forest bathing has not been happening that much in Colorado Springs lately. So I used to go to these they used to have a monthly, and now you really have to search to find one, but I found one and it's at Mueller State Park on July 19 09:30 to 12:30 Jane Scanlon of above the clouds for bathing is taking you people through this mindful wander with a simple sequence to quiet your mind and awaken your senses. So I feel like I mean I've done I haven't done the above the clouds walks, but I've done so many of them. They're so grounding.
Lauren Ferrara:They're so beautiful. They're so wonderful And it's very similar to being around these llamas right now.
Carly Ries:Well, Terry, I know we're not gonna disclose the address or anything right now, but we can disclose where people can find out more about Lexi Llama and more, like, your Instagram and everything. Where can people find you and learn more about these events and reach out?
Terry McConnell:We'd we'd love to talk with people. Our website is www.luxiellamas.com, and you also follow us on Instagram, Luxie Llamas. And those will all be in
Carly Ries:the show notes. Thank you so much for coming on the show today and for hosting us. This is just so lovely, and thank you. And listeners, thank you as always for tuning in. Don't forget to leave that five star review.
Carly Ries:It helps us spread the word to other locals in the area. Share this episode with a friend who you wanna bring to Laxi Llamas, and subscribe to our show on Apple or Spotify, and we'll see you next week on Spring and Things.