Wall Stickers

By admin | 2010/01/17 22:34 Posted in Wall Stickers | Comments (0)

Giant Wall

The Trails and Travails of Giant City Illinois State Park

Giant City State Park Campground has about eighty sites, most with electricity, but no water. Water spigots are placed strategically around the park. The roads are very narrow with tight turns. We managed to find this out the hard way. The roadway gave way at a culvert and we were stuck with the back end of the trailer on the ground and the wheels in the air: a very uncompromising position. The hostess of the campground, Carol, was very solicitous and let us use her cell phone (of course we were in cell hell again) to call for an extrication vehicle. When the tow truck arrived a crowd of about twenty adults and children gathered to view the spectacle. I jokingly told them that we were charging $5.00 per head to view the proceedings and only 50 cents for soda. We are eternally grateful for the kindness of these people. The tow truck driver was going to try to pull the trailer out of the situation using a winch and a long piece of angle iron. If he did that, the trailer would be severely damaged. He was not properly equipped to free the trailer from its predicament, especially with each of the wheels having independent suspension. He said that he was told that it needed winching, nothing more. Many of the adult spectators then became active participants, offering suggestions and following them up by getting wooden ramps made to support the tires and trailer. By rolling onto the ramps, the rear of the trailer lifted off the ground. We extricated the trailer with a minimal amount of damage to the vehicle. I am amazed at the kindness and friendliness of strangers. We were too stressed to find out their names. They disappeared back to their camp sites, like the clay people from the old Flash Gordon Series.

Ate dinner at the lodge in Giant City State Park. The CCC built the lodge in the 1930s, beautifully constructed of stone and native hardwoods. The highlight of the menu is the fried chicken dinner, all you can eat. Many chicks gave their lives to sate our appetites that evening.

Today we decided to explore the beauty of Giant City State Park. The park boasts a variety of trails ranging from an easy 1/3rd of a mile to a sixteen mile one or two day hike around the park. We chose to hike four of the shorter trails. Two of the more interesting ones follow.

The Giant City Nature Trail is one mile in length of moderately difficult hiking. The trail winds up and down and through the sandstone bluffs. Wind and water combined forming shallow caves and honeycomb niches for wildlife to make their homes and nests. The name of Giant City comes from a section of bluffs, which are carved vertically straight. The walkway is no more than three feet wide in most parts, with right angle corners. The positioning of the bluffs reminds the hiker of narrow streets in a city, thereby giving the name of Giant City. Graffiti vandals of yesteryear, c. 1862, have left their marks on the wall faces. Along the same path is a balanced rock weighing several tons. To pass the rock you have to go under it. The trail then ascends a series of stairs to the top of the bluffs. I found a horse trail, which led near the top of the streets of Giant City. Viewing the street from the summit is like being in a four or five story building, looking down at the narrow streets.

Another trail we took was the Stone Fort Nature Trail. This was only 1/3rd of a mile in length. Most of the travel was up a fairly steep hill along a stream to the top of the bluff. On top of the bluff is a reconstruction of a stone wall, which the Native Americans erected about 1,000 years ago. It was 285 feet long, six feet high and nine feet thick. Archeologists believe that walls were built to mark boundaries for the extensive trading network of the various tribes. Early Anglo settlers removed many of the rocks to use in construction of their own homes. The wall was restored by the CCC and is considered a prime archeological site.

About the Author

John Pelley is a Geriatric Gypsy. He is retired from the rat race of working. He is a full-time RVer, who ran away from home. He began our travels on the East Coast and, like the migrating birds, seek the warmth of the seasons He has discovered volunteering with the National Park System. He has a CD he has recorded of Native American flute music., A Day with Kokopelli. For pictures, links, and more information visit http://www.jmpelley.org.

'The Cell' excerpt - giant wall cape