I recall a story that the architects/planners for the Evergreen College campus left the open spaces untouched until they could determine where the users walked--another term I have heard is "volunteer trails."
I love this article. I use these hidden gems regularly in my walking. And in my search for lost history in the wild I find them as well. Like the cut out path from a century ago up by where I found hanging railroad track. It was such a major effort that even down logs and brush couldnt erase it.
But what I want to say today is .... these paths are disappearing. In one of my local parks Lincoln Park there used to be little sub paths into the wild areas. Over many years they have disappeared and if I go down them now they are a tangled mess of blackberries and barriers.
We need to use this little paths with care but don't abandon them or they quickly disappear from history.
I learned a new word today from your description of the path - caltrop - and looking it up led me on another voyage of discovery upon reading about the meaning. It was delightful sidetrack adventure.
I love this. And may be responsible for a few of these showing up on OpenStreetMap! My favorites are those that are in the public right-of-way, especially ones that neighboring homeowners have opened up and maintain for folks.
Listening vs reading to the newsletter are different experiences. I just did both.
Different parts resonate as your words trigger thoughts and my mind wonders and returns.
Today I heard "goriila paths," which sounded like the kind of thing a naturalist would say about a rough trail, but then read "guerilla paths" and a whole different set of thoughts and images popped to mind.
--I think I prefer reading more, but having the option to listen is nice, especially when time is limited.
Keep up the great work, David! Your thoughts and observations are always a delight!
Enjoying the world around me includes listening to your podcast, y'know.
A few years ago I had a group of 20 kids for Camp Read-a-Rama at Dearborn Park International School. We stayed outside each and every day, and a major success besides reading, was watching kids discover old trails and clear them,and even blaze their own route to a wetland. They were 100% absorbed and self-directing as they snipped away at blackberries and moved downed limbs to create a passage over s trickle of running water they "discovered." It called up my own childhood memories of trailblazing in an southern Ohio woods, coonskin cap perched on my head.
David, I don't know if you caught our friend Nalini Nadkarni when she spoke at Benaroya recently as part of Nat Geo Live, but her new book-a collection of her Tree Note podcasts- seems right up your alley...err in adult path of (least?) resistance.
What a great post! Thank you, David!
I recall a story that the architects/planners for the Evergreen College campus left the open spaces untouched until they could determine where the users walked--another term I have heard is "volunteer trails."
Sounds like a prudent idea.
I love this article. I use these hidden gems regularly in my walking. And in my search for lost history in the wild I find them as well. Like the cut out path from a century ago up by where I found hanging railroad track. It was such a major effort that even down logs and brush couldnt erase it.
But what I want to say today is .... these paths are disappearing. In one of my local parks Lincoln Park there used to be little sub paths into the wild areas. Over many years they have disappeared and if I go down them now they are a tangled mess of blackberries and barriers.
We need to use this little paths with care but don't abandon them or they quickly disappear from history.
Wow, the one that led to the RR track sounds pretty cool. And, yes, good point about use.
Here is my article on this found old narrow cut out road. And other finds while tromping around in the brush. https://batgurrl.net/2021/03/19/more-mysteries-surround-the-cedar-mountain-mines/
I learned a new word today from your description of the path - caltrop - and looking it up led me on another voyage of discovery upon reading about the meaning. It was delightful sidetrack adventure.
Yay! Some of my favorite natural caltrops are from the plant I know as goat's head, Tribulus terrestris.
I love this. And may be responsible for a few of these showing up on OpenStreetMap! My favorites are those that are in the public right-of-way, especially ones that neighboring homeowners have opened up and maintain for folks.
I like those, too.
Listening vs reading to the newsletter are different experiences. I just did both.
Different parts resonate as your words trigger thoughts and my mind wonders and returns.
Today I heard "goriila paths," which sounded like the kind of thing a naturalist would say about a rough trail, but then read "guerilla paths" and a whole different set of thoughts and images popped to mind.
--I think I prefer reading more, but having the option to listen is nice, especially when time is limited.
Keep up the great work, David! Your thoughts and observations are always a delight!
-Scott Ryan
I'd make the sound of a gorilla, if I could! Thanks for your thoughts.
Enjoying the world around me includes listening to your podcast, y'know.
A few years ago I had a group of 20 kids for Camp Read-a-Rama at Dearborn Park International School. We stayed outside each and every day, and a major success besides reading, was watching kids discover old trails and clear them,and even blaze their own route to a wetland. They were 100% absorbed and self-directing as they snipped away at blackberries and moved downed limbs to create a passage over s trickle of running water they "discovered." It called up my own childhood memories of trailblazing in an southern Ohio woods, coonskin cap perched on my head.
David, I don't know if you caught our friend Nalini Nadkarni when she spoke at Benaroya recently as part of Nat Geo Live, but her new book-a collection of her Tree Note podcasts- seems right up your alley...err in adult path of (least?) resistance.