Hello Explorers!

This weekend we had a marvelous time seeking out the trolls at Filoli Gardens. You can find out more in the Captain’s report below. We also have a couple of events coming up that we’d love to see you at.

Our next expedition will be Steeplechase on Saturday, October 18th. I’m really excited for this one as we’ll be presenting a history of all the various adventures with Steeplechase through the years. More information on this will be coming soon, but do mark your calendars.

We also have a couple of curio events. The first is on September 28th, The Visitors will be having its final performance at the SFMoMA. We’ll share more information about this next week, but for the uninitiated, The Visitors is a video/music installation experience that’s been running for years at the SFMoMA, and for many it’s been meaningful for them. There’s a contingent of Explorers planning to go to the final farewell showing on Sunday, September 28th.

We also have Driveway Follies on Thursday, October 30th in Oakland. This is one of those shows that I adore and am always so thankful it continues on so that it can be shared with more people. More information on this will be shared as we approach the date, but it’s after dark in Oakland.

Captain’s Report: Trolls of Filoli Gardens

It was already a beautiful day when I reached Filoli Gardens. There was a buzz of excitement in the air as the public hurriedly parked and rushed through the gates to see the same things we Explorers had come for: Thomas Dambo’s Trolls. I had encountered a couple of them last year while preparing for a possible expedition to the Pacific Northwest. It was Captain Lark who told me that a traveling band of them was coming through the Bay Area. Excitedly, I picked a date, and we began planning. What was equally exciting was that other Explorers seemed eager to join as well. Forty-eight signed up, making this one of our bigger day trips in quite some time!

What we weren’t exactly prepared for was just how much interest this event would generate beyond the Explorers Guild. The parking lots quickly filled, forcing a number of Explorers into the overflow lot on the far side of the property. Despite my best efforts to start on time, about a dozen Explorers had to make a long trek before joining up with the troupe.

Luckily, the group’s enthusiasm didn’t wane. After a short introduction from a staff member (who, despite reciting dates and ownership history, seemed a bit thrown off when our first question was, “What do the trolls eat?”), we were on our way.

Right from the start we spotted a troll, proudly holding aloft a flag! Denorae eagerly unfurled our own flag, hoping to induct a new member into the Vexillologist Mutual Appreciation Society. The response was a bit… stone-faced. For a moment, we had forgotten that trolls become statuesque in daylight. With that, our study of the wandering trolls of Filoli Gardens began.

In total, there were six trolls. Each was youthful, and therefore smaller than the mature counterparts found elsewhere. At each stop we asked questions, made observations, and took notes, all in the effort to understand them better. After the first two, we decided to split the group and meet in the middle. I was fortunate that Captain Lark was attending, as she graciously led one group while I took the other. This was beneficial as after we met in the middle, we were able to verify (or not) what the group had found.

By the end we could say with some confidence that the trolls do not appear to be ticklish. Though there are signs that some trolls eat humans, these seemed intent on connecting with us. The abundance of chromatic birdhouses suggested that they see color and value artistic expression. Four of the six were clearly engaged in creative practices, evidence of a culture that celebrates art. When their flesh and hair turned to wood, they appeared hollow inside. Their eyebrows matched the texture of their hair, though only one troll had a full head of it. And unlike certain other members of their kin, none of these trolls seemed to live under bridges, at least not at Filoli.

There are still mysteries. We found what we believe to be troll poop, but ran no test to confirm their diet. Their mission of “save the humans” was never fully explained. We wondered whether it carried a second clause, perhaps “save the humans… for later.” Another theory suggested that the trolls weren’t frozen but simply moved very slowly. This, along with the question “how do they know when to turn to wood?” remains unanswered.

All in all, our field study of the trolls was a rousing success. With so many Explorers in attendance, countless happy faces left that day delighted by the adventure. It should also be noted that after our final lines of Semper Explorandum were read, most of the Explorers continued their wanderings through the Filoli grounds, making my captain’s heart glow brightly on the way home.