Big Basin Park: A Short Story

The sanctity of the moment was interrupted by voices coming up the trail. Two young men walked on past us at a good clip. We acknowledged them; they did not acknowledge us—too involved in their conversation with one another. They were talking about “doing” trails. One said something about “doing Berryvale,” which I know to be a great hike out of Big Basin Park. They were so much into their own exploits and planned exploits that they did not see the view of the bay. They did not see the gulch below. They did not see the uninterrupted forest. They did not see the eagles. They did not see the cluster of tiny wildflowers that we saw at the end of the clearing later—even though they put on a dazzling display of variety in color and design. They saw nothing. Nothing but themselves. It was so sad. I did not say anything to my brother and he did not say anything to me. We just looked at …show more content…
Selections from the little my dad wrote were included too. His letter to my mother at the end of the war and her return letter to him—neither of which I had previously seen—are a window not only into their lives but also into the times in which they lived. Later letters, including what my father wrote when he was dying and the entries my mother made in her diaries gave all of us a broader understanding of, and deeper appreciation for, both of them.

For this reason I decided to make The Peopling of Silicon Valley, 1940 to the Present Day an oral history. I wanted the people who lived the events to tell their stories. Although I lived a lot of the history of the Valley during the subject period, I realized the book would be better if I allowed a wide cross section of people to share their experiences as well. As I collected the stories, my own understanding of the Valley broadened, which confirmed this