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the frankfort station | September 6, 2018 | 13
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From the Editor
Finding something in the trees
1. Freddy’s to open in Frankfort in the fall
2. Frankfort Park District referendum
proposes reduction of board size
3. Frankfort business hosts state masonry
competition
4. Community Night pays tribute to Rose
Parade appearance
5. Strong offense helps LW East rout
Naperville Central
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Bill Jones
Managing Editor
Changing.”
This June, I
“Life.
was in Portland,
Oregon, with my wife,
finally at the front of the
lengthy Salt & Straw line,
ready to order some ice
cream. Despite the wait, the
girl behind the counter made
small talk with us. Where
were we from? Where were
we going?
With a look over my
shoulder to the line behind
us, I replied as concisely as
one could.
“From around Chicago.
Doing a road trip from Seattle
to San Francisco. Hoping
the highlight is a stop in the
redwoods coming up.”
“Oh, my God. The redwoods
are life-changing.
Life. Changing.”
She was in her early 20s,
seemingly just out of college,
and exuded the spirit
of a hippie. Her experience
among the trees clearly
stuck with her, and she
genuinely seemed excited
for us and what we were
about to see.
We were excited, too. After
all, we’d based a return
to the coast on the prospect
of seeing the redwoods.
And I’m all about getting
wrapped up in the buzz of
whatever it is I’m doing.
Still, there was something
about a 20-year-old hippie
telling us that her journey
into nature changed her life
that brought out the scoffer
in me. And I’d be lying if I
said over the next couple of
days I didn’t utter the words
“Life. Changing.” several
times, regarding any variety
of things, in a fashion best
described as mocking.
Then, we found ourselves
in the redwoods. In the early
morning, we stopped off the
Newton B. Drury Scenic
Parkway, on the northern
end of the Redwoods National
and State Parks, for
a loop called the Ten Taypo
Trail. After only intending
a short jaunt into the
woods, we ended up doing
the whole loop, roughly 4
miles.
We were taken by the
beauty of it. And it didn’t
hurt that we never encountered
other hikers until the
last quarter-mile back to the
car. Once we got far enough
away from the parkway, it
was intensely quiet, save for
the rustling of leaves and
the occasional chatter of
wildlife. It was spectacular.
Then, we visited a portion
of the parks near the Prairie
Creek Visitors Center, hoping
to see elk. We found
them. First, a pair off the
side of the road. Shortly
thereafter, traffic was
stopped by a massive gang
grazing across the street.
And then another field full
of them.
The last major thing we
did during our visit was get
a permit from the visitors
center near Orick to enter
the Tall Trees Trail that
leads to the Tall Trees Grove
— known to have some of
the oldest and tallest growth
in the parks. The round-trip
itself takes some time. First,
a winding road to a combination
lock gate, and then a
lengthy gravel access road
to the trailhead.
That’s where a constant
descent by foot begins and
you lose track of how big
the trees get as you head
toward the grove, which,
in addition to redwoods
features some beautiful,
old maple trees. (Then, it’s
a painstakingly constant
incline back to the car.)
It would be an exaggeration
to say that the experience
altered the very course
of my existence. But it was
something special — the
type of thing that gives you
new perspective, both figurative
and literal.
Many of the trees are
hundreds of years old,
and that, in and of itself,
is something to consider.
These are living things that
have outlasted generations
of human beings. Most of
them have been around a lot
longer than any of us, and
most of them will — with
any luck — still be standing
long after we’re gone.
That forces you to think
about your place in the
world. About how nature
endures. But the fire damage
we spotted also speaks to
the fragility of it. Hundreds
of years can be wiped out
by the whims of the winds,
or one bad human decision.
But I also love the literal
perspective the trees offer.
You can get it only by
standing on those grounds.
We took some decent photos,
but none of them truly
captures what it feels like
to be standing at the feet of
such massive trees. None
of them captures the feeling
of finding a tiny pine cone
along the hike or climbing
into a hollow, downed giant.
In an age where everything
is about a good post to
the ’Gram, it’s nice to know
there still are some things
you can experience only by
going there. By its nature,
there is some physicality required.
It’s not for everyone.
And that is equally a shame
and part of what makes it
special.
With that it mind, we’re
encouraging readers to Get
out of Town! with a new
travel column on Page 20
this week. It’ll be a monthly
thing. And the impetus for it
is that, while we love these
towns and our focus will remain
the suburbs we cover,
sometimes it takes a trip
outside of our comfort zone
— seeing new places, meeting
new people, doing new
things — to see the world
from a new perspective.
Not every trip is going to
be a life-changing experience.
But if we check our
skepticism at the door and
leave that door open to the
possibility, we might find
something close.
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