I only have traces of Memories & a couple of photographs from my childhood. Even that is suspect & subject to interpretations. But when we drove past the Giant Paul Bunyan & Babe it struck a huge Chord of recognition. I have no specific memory of a visit. But I remember pictures and perhaps a Coloring book, or postcards, or something. Still...when I saw those two I knew I had been there and that I had to visit again. Partially in hopes of restoring memories and partially to try to makes sense of "snapshots" of memories of my childhood. (A vivid scene I remember completely walking over a bridge with a display of the 3 billy goats gruff and some kind of talking box in a wooded setting.) It didn't happen. But, I had a most magnificent and enjoyable adventure with my family which should not get lost in the mists of childhood.
Malika taking pics of Paul & Babe. Malika not wanting to climb on Paul's foot. The gift shop does not hold many memories other than the cribbage boards had no pegs & had no coolness factor. So we will have to hit gift stores. OR...Steal some "fallen" redwood so I can make my own. I REALLY want a cool redwood cribbage board. I was surprised and intrigued by the "coonskin" caps. I remember all 3 of us boys had hats very similar to that as children. I wonder if it's a coincidence or not. Stupid memory.
We left the gift store. Paid $14 apiece ($42 total) to get into the "Trees of Mystery". My wife in an impressive display of hiding her feelings was skeptical. She thought it would be a touristy lame wast of money. (She admitted it was worth it at the sky deck place.) So upon entry it was...okay, but they reeled you in quick with the "Family Tree". A humongous tree which has other trees growing out of some of it's (quite large) branches. Cool to see & surprising It wasn't just branches with weird angles. You could see they were actual trees with branches & offshoots of their own. There was a "lecture box" which gave a little talk about the Tree & what was coming up down the trail when you pushed the button. We stopped to listen to every single lecture box.
Next was a little garden with a water feature. It was neat. Then was the "Elephant Tree". Total lame sauce. I mean, yeah I could kind of see it. But the Fallen Giant far surpassed it. My favorite tree of the main trail was the Lightning Bolt Tree (I don't have a decent picture. The link is to a fantastic picture of it I found with a google search) In it's quest for sunlight the tree took some fantastic angles & looks like a lightning bolt. At the ending of the main trail was the "skylift". WOW cool sky-lift ride & the view was astounding, indescribable magnificence. Even the man-made staircase & trail looked cool from the pod. There was a hiking trail down which would have been cool but difficult. So I let my wife talk me out of it.
Trail of tall tails had fantastic carvings and decent (ish) Paul Bunyan stories. Although some of them seem "borrowed" from other stories. But the carvings were good. We wound up back at the gift shop. So we visited the "Trails end Indian Museum". It had baby carriers from just about every tribe I can imagine. From almost "silence of the lambs" style strap ins to supported mummy bags. it was very cool. And the doll things WOW totally awesome. But the weaving was the most impressive. Just the time & precision it must have taken astounds me. I don't know if I could do it. Saw a game ball or caramesh? And in the pacific northwest Indians display I saw a Lacrosse net & Balls. WOW I know I haven't played other than in High School and I shouldn't be surprised. But I thought Lacrosse was either french ("La" cross) or Scottish. (they thought up Curling and Golf so I figured they were tuned into the weird sports.) So even that was cool and educational.
In the end I didn't relate to my childhood other than the initial recognition. BUT I did learn stuff and I did have a solid experience of wonder with my wife & child. I hope that someday my child can pass a similar experience on to her children.
So far that has been the highpoint of my vacation, and will go on the upper end of my "life experiences list" (not top shelf, but on the upper end for sure)
QUESTIONS INSPIRED BY TREES OF MYSTERY:
Was "Red Thumb" a politically correct Johnny Apple Seed ripoff? How does his story effect the "Babe Sneezing the Redwood forest" story?
My daughter pointed out that (allegedly) the Indians considered the "Trees of Mystery" area Taboo & forbidden. The area of "The Oregon Vortex" was also (allegedly) taboo & forbidden. Crater Lake was also (allegedly) taboo & forbidden. Do white men make tourist traps out of any lands the Indians treat special?
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