The Redwood and the Tumbleweed

Along the Avenue of the Giants in Humboldt County, California, a coastal redwood named the Immortal Tree has stood for over a thousand years. It has survived lightning strikes, logging attempts, and the catastrophic flood of 1964. Rangers will tell you the secret isn't toughness — it's roots. Redwood roots extend outward more than a hundred feet, intertwining with neighboring trees, reaching deep toward underground water sources.…