I don’t know about you, but Spring brings out the kid in me. Yesterday I woke up at 4 am to a little voice pleading, “Let’s go watch the sunrise from Starved Rock! Please! It will be fun. It’s going to be a beautiful day!” Grownup me covered my head. It was 33 degrees. It was DARK. I grumbled. I also knew kid-me had already won. I drove nearly an hour to the park and was filled with pride for no reason when I realized I was the first person in the parking lot. I bundled up and headed for the path the led to the top of Starved Rock.
Starved Rock derives its name from a Native American legend. In the 1760s, Pontiac, chief of the Ottawa tribe, was killed by an Illiniwek. During a battle that followed, a group of Illiniwek sought refuge at the top of the 125-foot sandstone bluff. Once there, they were surrounded by the Ottawa and Potawatomi. It was a standoff. Legend says everyone stayed put until the group of Illiniwek died of starvation. The contradiction of welcoming a new day on this site was uncomfortable. Kid-me didn’t care. She took a lot of pictures and then she wanted breakfast.
It was still too early to get food, nothing was open, so I made coffee in the parking lot. Yep. I carry a small stove and coffee in my trunk. It was still pretty cold, but the coffee was strong and hot. I enjoyed it as I watched the lodge workers arrive for the day. Many of them were dressed in shorts and other light clothes. It was going to be a warm day, and kid-them probably told them what to wear.
My server was grumpy. I was her first table and asked not to be seated in the middle of the room. This is a common scenario when I dine alone. I don’t want to be at a central table, so I resist and ask for a table in a corner or by a window. “ONE of those,” my server daughter says. Yes. I will be one of those. And I will sit by the window. Since we didn’t get off to a great start, the service wasn’t terrific. Kid-me wanted to tip her really well anyway. I hope her day got better. I got to hike. She had to stay inside and listen to where people wanted to sit all day. Kid-me was smart when she left a big tip.
The more I listened to kid-me, the better my day got. Starved Rock is filled with wonder. There is so much dark history; accidents, starvation, murder, suicide. There are also countless happy events; marriages, picnics, birdwatching, hiking and ice climbing. It’s easy to explore and let one’s imagination run wild!
I crossed paths with a family, a couple with a little girl, maybe six-years-old. She was a REAL kid, not the kind that gets boring because they are stuck in an adult body with adult problems. This kid was carrying a stick. She stopped when she saw me. It seemed she was evaluating me, so I stopped too. “Hi!” I said. “I am a witch,” she stated. “Oh good!” I said, smiling. She waved the stick around as if casting a spell on me. Her mom nudged her along, smiling sheepishly. I followed up, “There is lots of magic to be found in the woods. You will have fun!” I met her again a few hours later. “How is my favorite witch?” I asked. “I lost my wand,” she said, frowning. Then she started waving her arms around. “Don’t worry. I have my own magic.” Yes. Yes, you do, my sweet young friend. Thank you for reminding me.