Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Now that was a Wild Ride!



With winter long gone, and warm weather just about everywhere, summer allows us to do many things that we just can't do in the colder months.  Joy riding is one of those things.

Those who experience four seasons are glad when summer rolls around so they can break out their fast rides that just don't drive well in the winter... Everywhere you look there are Mustang GTs; Chevy Camaro's; and you won't go long without seeing a Harley Davidson or racing bike pass you by.  Speed aside, you might also see a lot of old cars, like the Studebaker, coming out to enjoy a ride in all their splendor and glory.

Summer rides are enjoyed on bicycles, tricycles, skateboards, and even mopeds.  If you're lucky enough to be in a great tourist spot, you might even get to enjoy rides on a Segway, a roller coaster (we love you Cedar Point!!), or a zipline.

Nature lovers can take out their horses; farmers are out driving their tractors, and husbands (at least in this house) are enjoying the outdoors on their trusty (and well loved) John Deere riding lawn mowers.

But elephants?   Yep, even the elephants are offering rides in the summer, and over the weekend that's just what we went to do.  Laura the Elephant is a beauty of a gal who has been in the US since 1982.  If you haven't heard the of term 'culling' it means to kill animals in masses to aid in their population control, and according to her official website, that was Laura's initial fate.  Fortunately for her, and us too, she, along with 129 other elephants, avoided that fate. 

Laura's trainer is a gentleman who is wonderful with the public, taking time to allow eager parents that little bit of extra time to take have the best photo ops. of their loved ones next to the elephant, and talking from time to time with members in the crowd.  This year and last they were at the local Hot Air Balloon Jubilee, and though we love the balloons and other events, we also look forward to our annual elephant ride.  My daughter summed it up nicely on the ride home, while going through the photos on her camera that she'd taken for the day:  "Who can imagine riding on an elephant?  It's like a once in a lifetime thing, and we have done it three times now.  What a wild ride!  Get it? Get it?!"  Yes dear, I got it.  LOL

A big shout out to Laura and her trainer for helping us make fun memories, and for taking the concept of summer riding to a whole new level of cool.

9 comments:

  1. Rosie... this post took me down a short memory lane... Thank you. Okay... how often does one see elephant rides? Never! Unless the circus is in town that is.- at least in my neck of the woods that is. This is totally cool!! Thank you for sharing.. love the pictures too. Blessings to you and yours.

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  2. How fun! You are busy making great memories, the kids will be able to look back on these times with fondness for sure!

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  3. We have 4 seasons and I love them all! But I've never been on an elephant.

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  4. Awww. This was just wonderful to read. I've had opportunities to ride elephants but always figured it was just for the kids. You inspired me to take a ride next time I see one (probably in August/September) at the Maryland Renaissance Festival. Keep writing :)

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  5. Oh how wonderful to have four seasons... I haven't ridden a elephant since childhood, I remember it being a thrilling experience!

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  6. What a great post! I must admit, we thought joy-riding was taking someone's car without permission as a teenager, but now I know it can be so much more!

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  7. I got to ride an elephant once as a kid and I've never forgotten that. It was so cool!

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  8. Wow. What an experience! Glad you are enjoying the summer.

    I would definitely love to ride an elephant and also a segway. I've heard so much about the little machines :)

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  9. That's an awesome ride! Cedar Point, we love you too! :)

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