Scratch Map Series: Ride an Elephant

If Wednesdays are going to be a sort of wish list, then at the very top would have to be riding an elephant.

Ever since I was a little kid, I've told people that at my wedding, my husband and I are going to ride off on an elephant. Yes, an elephant. I dream big, people.

But since I have yet to find a man to be that husband to have that wedding to ride off on that elephant, I simply want to add "riding an elephant" to my bucket list.

Elephants are my favorite animal, if you haven't already guessed. Specifically, African elephants. Not to diminish their Asian counterparts (they already are! Ha, get it? Yeah, ok...).

And I seriously love them - as proven by my apartment decorations, stuffed animals, books, and teapot! (Yes, the tea pours out of its trunk!) So obsessed that my parents bought an original painting done by the elephant of our hometown zoo (pictured above) for my high school graduation present.

African elephants are the world's largest land mammals. They are highly intelligent with a brain complexity similar to that of humans, allowing for emotions and behaviors such as compassion, humor, and use of tools.

Only Heard by Herds
Elephants display incredible methods of communication, not only through vocal, visual, and chemical means, but also seismic; females and children in herds are able to communicate with lone males and other herds miles away using infrasound (vibrations at such low frequencies they cannot be heard by the human ear!).

I can only imagine what riding atop one of these magnificent creatures would be like...

Like riding this bike...