Elmo explores

The United States had a banner year in 1969. NASA put a man on the moon. Hundreds of thousands of music lovers gathered at Woodstock and "Sesame Street" made its television debut Nov. 10.

During the show's season opener Tuesday, celebrating its 40th anniversary, a rapping real estate agent convinces Big Bird to find a new habitat (the show's word of the day). Big Bird tours different areas and ultimately comes to his senses and finds his way back to Sesame Street.

While Big Bird was looking for a new habitat on the show, we found Elmo touring the country, too. Elmo visited Cape Girardeau and toured the downtown area. He was sad because the gates were closed on the big flood wall and Elmo couldn't put his furry feet in the Mighty Mississippi River. He had fun, though. He walked around town. He met people. He had fun.

See if you can figure out where he went. For more fun, take the family and the Southeast Missourian on the Elmo scavenger hunt. Tour downtown and take pictures of each other where Elmo was, then submit your photos online at semissourian.com

1018: Elmo likes music, and Elmo likes history. What park did Elmo go to where he saw both?

1042 or 1045: Elmo got to ride a carousel horse, but it didn't go anywhere. Where did Elmo eat that he also found this horse?

1054: Elmo doesn't wear shoes, but he couldn't help trying on these awesome boots. Where can Elmo buy shoes?

1075: Elmo likes dessert. What did he find walking downtown?

1086 or 1091: Elmo thinks history is fun, and he likes celebrity homes. Whose house did he visit?

1125: Elmo visited Cape Girardeau and went sightseeing downtown, where he saw the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge.

1148: Elmo likes climbing trees. Where did he find this prize-winning tangle of branches?

1174-76: Elmo wanted to learn about the river and Southeast Missouri. Where did he go?

1195: Elmo wants to see a turn of the century home. Where did he go?