CHOKE CHERRY

I was at the track today (Road America) shooting some corporate things. It was Meeting Planner Day and hoards of individuals who are involved in the hospitality industry were at RA to sample some of the venues provided at America's National Park of Speed.

Racing isn't the only thing that goes on at RA. There is something happening on the 454 acre track almost every day of the week, year round. Today's samplings included an Off Road Adventure driving ATVs over some challenging trails around the track, a Paintball Experience, Disc Golf....golfing with Frisbees around the track's 18 hole course, Geo-cashing using GPS units to locate various "treasures," Go Karting at the track's Motorplex including a Blindfolded Golf Kart Relay and the program was topped off by a "fast lap" around the track in one of the track's Pace Cars.

Of course, breakfast and lunch were served, catered by Saz's...the best there is. Hopefully many of the individuals involved in the industry will recommend Road America as a place for corporate retreats, etc.

Oh.........about the Choke Cherry. During an idle moment between events this photographer amuses himself shooting "other" interesting phenomena around the track. The Choke Cherry (Prunus virginiana) trees are in full bloom. These flowers will produce pea sized cherries in a few weeks. Locals make wine from them. Its name comes from the bitter taste and astringent quality of the juice. It has a pucker factor of 10.

Did I mention that the plant is toxic? Digestion of the leaves, twigs, stems, bark and seeds will produce cyanide, prussic acid that is quite deadly. The juice of the cherry itself is not toxic...thus Chokecherry Wine.

BTW...the cyanide is in the pit of the cherry. Most people do not know it but the pits of most stone seeded fruits have the same cyanide in them...apricots, peaches, etc. But most people do not eat cherry pits so little harm comes to them. Interestingly, apple seeds also contain cyanide.....but you'd have to eat a 12 oz. glassful of seeds to get enough of it to cause you any harm. You'd have to eat A LOT of apple cores to get 12 oz. worth of seeds. You're pretty safe.

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