Will walk for fun!
Walk in the Woods Blog- Introduction to the concept
Many people are Sidewalk Superintendents when they pass a
construction site. It may go well beyond simply wanting to know in passing “How
it’s Made”. House Movers and “Build it Bigger” are well rated Discovery Channel
shows, all paced in the premise of building, rebuilding, or demolition. From
admiring the art of architecture, the beauty of mechanical machinery and
process, or simply the ballet of logistics involved in construction, many
people are drawn to watch.
The term "Sidewalk Superintendent" was reported in
the TIMES as John D. Rockefeller Jr.'s idea. During the Depression, many
unemployed workers sat at the construction sites, watched, and commented/
"kibitzed" about the goings on. In 1938, during the construction at
Rockefeller Center, he helped created a "Sidewalk Superintendent’s
Club."
“Because John D. Rockefeller Jr. is
an ‘excavation fan,’ those men, women and children who like to stop and watch
while others toil at new construction work won an important concession
yesterday. The first "excavating watchers' club" was dedicated at
Rockefeller Center. Anyone who wishes to take in the show as workers dig and
drill and blast for a new unit of the Center, from now on may stand and watch
in comfort.” - 11 November 1938, New York Times
When you combine this construction curiosity with a love of
nature, you can easily extrapolate an interest in trail and boardwalk design
and building.
Boardwalks lift you up!
Boardwalk trails reduce impact on the soil and flora by lifting the foot traffic above the surface. They can help eliminate trail braiding and short cuts, and eliminate impacts and deliberate damage to surrounding trees. Boardwalks can allow wildlife to pass unmolested underneath it, and keep unsteady or infirm walkers from slipping on uneven slopes or from falling into nearby bodies of water. Raised railings can help keep children and sight impaired hikers safer than if they were on an unmarshaled open pathway. Boardwalks can act as continuous bridging over wet or flooded areas, and improve the sight distance of hikers by lifting them up above undergrowth and tall grasses.
Boardwalks lift you up!
Boardwalk trails reduce impact on the soil and flora by lifting the foot traffic above the surface. They can help eliminate trail braiding and short cuts, and eliminate impacts and deliberate damage to surrounding trees. Boardwalks can allow wildlife to pass unmolested underneath it, and keep unsteady or infirm walkers from slipping on uneven slopes or from falling into nearby bodies of water. Raised railings can help keep children and sight impaired hikers safer than if they were on an unmarshaled open pathway. Boardwalks can act as continuous bridging over wet or flooded areas, and improve the sight distance of hikers by lifting them up above undergrowth and tall grasses.
That is where we are going, I hope you join in, and share our dialog.
Are their any groups that evaluate and award trails for being unique, pretty, well constructed, or well promoted trails/ boardwalks ?
As this blog goes, I will be posting my experiences as I....Walk in the Woods.
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