I had always wanted to ride an elephant (loved Rudyard Kipling's Jungle stories) and I got my wish in the summer of 1982 at the Cincinnati Zoo. I was attending the American Home Economics Association annual meeting and one evening we were treated to a picnic at the zoo.Zookeepers were on hand to answer questions and to give tours. I saw the elephant and asked if I could have a ride. For some reason, there wasn't a line formed for this ride. I wonder why? You climed up the steps and the elephant handler moves the elephant near the steps. Then you sorta jump up to get on the elephant seat. It's a little tricky with the rail around the seat. It is much easier to get on than to get off! My legs are so short that once seated, they stuck out on the elephant's sides. I felt very awkward. The trainer took the rope and led me all over the Cincinnati zoo - what a view from up high. We were going along and the elephant stopped and was looking around. I was so scared. I didn't know what he might do. He saw a pool of water and decided to walk over and get a drink. I just knew I would roll over the top of his head and fall in the pool when he leaned over to get a drink of water. Fortunately the seat was fastened to his back and I held on as tight as I could to keep from falling off.
I decided to pat the elephant's head and found the little hairs on top of his head were like thin steel spikes sticking up.
I got a lot of stares from the people in the park. Except for being a little nervous, I had fun and it was a new experience for me.
I drove from Winston-Salem, NC to Cincinnati, traveling along the Ohio River for a long way. The scenic drive was beautiful. I came home via interstate highways and that was a little boring.
I was an officer in the NC Home Economics Association and a delegate from NC to the AHEA annual meeting. Another highlight of the meeting was a dinner cruise on a big steamship on the Ohio river going northwest from Cincinnati. I remember the beautiful sunset over the high cliffs along the river. And the good German food we had that night, and German band.
