Walk in the woods if your allergies let you

by Kay Hoflander

May 12, 2011






“You will find something more in woods than in books. Trees and stones will teach you that which you can never learn from masters. "-- Saint Bernard (1090 - 1153), Epistle

Get outdoors and walk in the woods if your allergies will let you, but I am not sure mine will.

Why, because it is time for the National Walk in the Woods Day sponsored by the American Forest Foundation and because it is also allergy season.

I'll explain.

The non-formal event is scheduled for Saturday, May 21 st , the idea being to learn more about our local forests, go camping, visit parks, take walks, and simply enjoy the trees in your own backyard or on your farm.

Now, I am all for this except for the fact that my annual oak tassel allergy has arrived.  

It's May; it happens every year.

Unfortunately, one cannot hide from this malady if one happens to live anywhere near oak trees, except by staying indoors. Presently, native oaks are doing their best to create complete misery in those of us who suffer from oak tassel allergies.

You've seen the tassels; I know you have.

Certain oaks produce long yellow-brownish worm-like droppings that cover cars, sidewalks, decks, and you and your dog if you stay outside long enough.

"Tis the season, and I don't mean Christmas" writes a blogger on a piece about dog allergies on econdosblog.com. "It's that time of year when the oak tassels are falling all around us and pollen is covering everything in sight. Many of us, people that is, are snorting drugs such as Claritin to alleviate the runny nose and sneezing that comes with Springtime..."

However, these springtime allergies can become far worse resulting in asthma attacks and bronchial infections.  

They don't call them the "mighty oaks" for nothing.

However, for non-allergy sufferers and for those of us on plenty of meds, I suggest a wonderful outing, a day trip from metro Kansas City, in which one can see an unusual grove of Bur Oak trees, some centuries old.

No, these are not the famed Redwoods of California, but they are the giant Bur Oaks of Missouri that William Clark wrote about in his journal in an entry dated July 10, 1804. During the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the explorers camped along the Missouri River in an area known as Curzon in Holt County, Mo.

Clark wrote how trees covered in thick hanging vines stood at the forest edge along the riverbanks. The exciting part of this tale to me is the fact that these same trees are still standing. Red Oak trees alive during the Civil War still thrive there to this day as well.

Thus, if you want an unusual way to spend a Saturday afternoon, I suggest a Walk in the Woods Day at the Riverbreaks Conservation Area near Forest City in northwest Missouri to see these imposing Bur Oaks that stand tall still.

They make me think of stories written by American author Willa Cather who described frontier life on the prairie in her novels. I wonder if she was thinking of Missouri Bur Oaks when she penned this:   "I like trees because they seem more resigned to the way they have to live than other things do." - Willa Cather, (1873-1947), O Pioneers! 1913.

I hope you get to see these remarkable trees.

Driving directions to two tracts: To reach the east tract, from Kansas City take I-29 North to Highway 59 (to Oregon) to Route O, then go south 3.25 miles to the projecting cantilever sign. To reach the west tract, continue south on Route O to Route T, then turn west and go 1.5 miles to the sign.


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