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| Starved Rock State Park, Oct. 1, 2025. |
My first instinct was to simply post this photo without comment. Let the headline be the punchline.
But that seemed perhaps a touch too wry, for the matter at hand. Death by falling is a perennial problem at Starved Rock, whose dramatic precipices make it a place of beauty and danger. Accidentally and intentionally. In 2022 the Operation Disrupt Signs went up, in Starved Rock and 16 other locations around the state. But the signs — which are not just at this overlook — did not prevent two people from committing suicide at Starved Rock in 2024.
So I thought a few words were in order. The boardwalk helps a lot — stay on the wooden paths, behind the rails, and you won't slide off any precipices. Not unconstrained nature in the usual sense, not the deeply-ravined woods you got in the pre-boardwalk days — which I remember, scarily, and not just out of fear of falling. But better to stay on the pre-approved route than boldly forge your own path off a cliff.
I was mildly curious as to whether there was any history to this "Lover's Leap" — I assume it's a common mythic local place name, like "Dead Man's Curve," and is a reflection of danger more than any association with specific death. None presented itself to me but, then again, I didn't look that hard. This is one of those moments in our nation's history when to reflect on anything other than gathering doom feels terribly beside the point. Twiddling your thumbs on a sinking ship. I'm not a believer in leaping to one's death. Life is but the once, and we should all tough it out, no matter the hardships of our public or private conditions. But I understand why people do it.
I was mildly curious as to whether there was any history to this "Lover's Leap" — I assume it's a common mythic local place name, like "Dead Man's Curve," and is a reflection of danger more than any association with specific death. None presented itself to me but, then again, I didn't look that hard. This is one of those moments in our nation's history when to reflect on anything other than gathering doom feels terribly beside the point. Twiddling your thumbs on a sinking ship. I'm not a believer in leaping to one's death. Life is but the once, and we should all tough it out, no matter the hardships of our public or private conditions. But I understand why people do it.
I have a feeling that a lot of MAGAts may consider doing so in the next few years, when they realize they bought into a massive lie from a disgusting conman!
ReplyDeleteI think those 'believers' will die believing
DeleteWishful thinking. When they finally realize that they bought into a scam, and that their lives never really mattered to the scammers, they will become even more angry, rather than suicidal. And there will be scapegoats, who will bear the brunt of all that rage and hostility. People of color, immigrants, Jews, Asians...the usual suspects. Maybe even a pogrom or two. This endless national nightmare will continue.
DeleteIn moments of my own despair, I have thought to myself: "What would happen to Cindy (my long-suffering wife) if I were gone tomorrow?" And then I realize that my life is more than just my own, to blow away if I choose. Part of your life is also a part of everyone else who loves you and who cares about you. And if I offed myself, I would also be offing the part of Cindy that she has invested in me. I could never do that to her. And so, I soldier on. Hopefully long enough to dance in the street and to turn somersaults on the grass, when the Orange One is finally gone.
Or.... since they've become so very adept at re-writing history....they will claim they saw through the charade all along, or voted for him the never voted for him
Delete(sorry, hit wrong key and sent before finishing!) Was trying to say that Trump voters may continue to rewrite history after Trump is gone, and one day come to believe they opposed him all along.
Delete"Mythic local place name" Growing up in Lemont, we had Dead Man's Hill, a particularly dangerous sledding hill that few attempted. The top was on Blue Hill (aka Polack Hill) and it bottomed out in the Bowl. More place names only a local would know.
ReplyDeleteThey're not all so mythic. Just east of downtown Cleveland, I-90 makes a sharp 90-degree turn. Which, naturally, has been labeled "Dead Man's Curve" for decades. Probably ever since the song came out in the 60s.
DeleteThe curve isn't quite as deadly as the name implies, but there have been many accidents at that location, and some of them were fatal. And overturned trucks regularly bring all traffic to a standstill. When this curve is finally realigned and fixed, I won't be around for the ribbon cutting.
S curve in Chicago. Two razor sharp 90 degree turns. Introduced in the 1930's and realigned between 1982 and 1986.
DeleteDuSable Lake Shore Drive...so beautiful.
I remember there being a crazy curve near the lakefront in Cleveland. The one time I was there an air show was going on over the lake and as I entered the curve a low flying plane thundered overhead. I looked up for a split second and almost crashed.
DeleteBingo. That's Dead Man's Curve. Next to the lakefront and Burke Lakefront Airport, which is very similar to the old Meigs Field, but bigger. With longer runways and larger aircraft. What you just described happens every Labor Day weekend.
DeleteI really hate the airshow now. Thirty-three years of noise. Takeoffs and landings that skim my rooftop. And every year, without fail, some people online start to freak out and panic and think all that sound and fury signifies another 9/11. All they need to do is to turn on the TV. But they don't. A lot of airheads in this town (sorry...couldn't resist it).
What do you mean " which I remember, scarily, and not just out of fear of falling"?
ReplyDeleteMeaning, because those boardwalks went in a long time ago, yet I remember the time before they were there.
DeleteIt was a lot cooler before they put up the boardwalks.
DeleteJust east of Concord, California is a section of Highway 4 called "Blood Alley." Loads of fatal crashes there. I avoided Blood Alley in high school.
ReplyDeleteBack in high school ,I was as I frequently did, hiking near Hennepin overlook in starved rock state park with some friends. Some silly stupidity and substances led to my buddy falling nearly one hundred feet and surviving. 1973
ReplyDeleteWe had a sledding hill at the lakefront in Wilmette called suicide hill. The fire department used to spray the hill. I don't remember it being particularly dangerous just really fast, but then again there were trees involved.
ReplyDeleteThe fire dept SPRAYED THE HILL?! Were they trying to drum up business for the ER?
DeleteWe all remember it well. I was going to post it if no one else did. We went down in toboggans, saucers, and sleds. It was great fun. It’s not cold enough now to make suicide hill.
DeleteEven the name "Starved Rock" has its questionable history - some claim its true, but no historical evidence remains.
ReplyDeleteI grew up just minutes from Starved Rock State Park and spent a lot of time there as a youth, and at the adjacent Matthiessen State Park as well. Not sure of the origins of the name Lover’s Leap, always assumed it was just cute and appropriate given the height of its location. Just past Lover’s Leap is Eagle Cliff, which is a bit higher up. No doubt about that name, it’s right near the lock and dam which stirs up the fish so bald eagles are very present, looking for a meal. Back in the 70s when we hung there, there were no fences or barricades and we used to jump off of Eagle Cliff into the river below. We were young and fearless and it was impossible to miss the water - we didn’t even think to consider the possible undertows create by the lock and dam. We had a lot of fun but nobody could accuse us of being the brightest crayons in the box! Oh, to be young again…………..
ReplyDelete