RIP To My Favorite Tree in GGP

Six months ago, in Golden Gate Park, they cut down one of my favorite trees.

I pass by it every morning on the way to drop my kids off at school, and on this sad day, I saw a crew had gathered and were in the process of cutting it down.

Just a few weeks before, I'd been thinking about making a page on this site with pictures of my favorite trees. I'd started taking pictures of my favorites. I only had one.

So I posted to reddit.

RIP to my favorite tree in GGP

It's by far my biggest smash. At the time of writing - it had 1.4K upvotes in /r/bayarea, and another 500 in /r/sanfrancisco!

It seems I was not alone in my fondness for this tree. The comments were heartwarming:

Wow, I sat under that tree at 4 years old with my grandpa, eating turkey sandwiches after we had taken a few laps around Stow Lake in a rented boat. I’m nearly 40. Sincerely sad to see this. (link)

omg is this the one right at the Eastern end of Hellman Hollow? We'd affectionately named him Gandalf on our regular walks... very sad to see him go! (link)

I am also heart broken. I’ve seen it grow over the years and in its moss and roots support a beautiful ecosystem. I’ve seen the fog roll through it. I’ve seen the sun glisten off the leaves. I’ve seen it as seen it the backdrop listening and dancing to some of my favorite musicians with best friends. Its shaded my family while celebrating numerous birthdays and graduations. It’s brought me enormous comfort over the years and it was a sight to behold. (link)

Daaaaaammmmnnnnnnnnnn that’s my favorite tree son of a biiiiiiiitchhhhhhhhhhhhhhh (link)

Anyone here happen to have some mushrooms? Dead serious please DM me (link)

I also texted my tree loving friend who lives on the far side of town. He'd already heard the news. Not only that, he'd gotten up at 6am that morning to come get some photos! Turns out I went by it right after he'd left.

This week, after 5 months of silence, I got a notification that a user, GGPTreeHugger, posted that they had extra wood block prints of the tree they wanted to give to a good home. I got in touch, and I was able to swing by their house to pick up this beautiful print by 3 fish studios.

So thank you great Cypress Tree. You're missed by many. And thanks to reddit, u/GGPTreeHugger, and 3 Fish Studios. The spirit of the great tree lives on in your print in my home.

Discovered another banger of a comment, about this exact print:

Did some acid in 2019 and watched a painting of that tree turn into a beautiful woman and dance. Next day went to 3 fish studios and asked them where the actual tree was, and paid my respects in person. Still have the painting long after leaving SF. Rest in power to that beautiful, glorious, lovely tree