The Anacardiaceae family has ruled the Town Lake Hike-and-Bike Trail for about as long as the trail has been traversed and has trafficked its itchy wares with impunity. Trail users know the family members by their nom de guerre: poison ivy. But now there’s a new hope. A concerned hiker/biker—possibly masked and caped — armed with informative leaflets and pipe cleaner by which to hang them, crept stealthily through the trail, marking the locations of the bothersome vine. The citizen’s identity remains a mystery to the Austin Parks and Recreation Department. Plans for a spotlight signal with the shape of a Toxicodendron radicans are rumored but not confirmed.
