A fairly normal walk around my city, Farmers Branch, a small suburb of Dallas that has a lot to offer, and a ton of potential. Because it's my home and likely to be for a long time, there's a good chance a disproportionate amount of miles and time will be spent here than any other.
My time in Farmers Branch will also serve as a case study of sorts for what has transpired in terms of city planning and how it affects the place today. While I don't have formal experience in city planning, I am well read in the area and very likely have had more experience exploring suburban cities on foot than most. And it's my take that you can't really know a place until you explore it thoroughly, and that means on foot as a foundation of sorts. This current project is simply a publicized expression of what I've been doing most of my adult life – exploring places on foot.
Today's walk is an intro to a small area of Farmers Branch. Nothing more than a simple photo walk and sharing a few details with you, dear reader (and hopefully fellow adventurer).
One major aspect of this route I'd like to point out is the variety of path surfaces experienced in a relatively short distance. Natural materials used for surfaces, along with extensive surrounding vegetation (with native plants!), can make for excellent paths.
Paths shaded by trees and surrounded by vegetation, using natural materials such as stone, clay brick and decomposed granite. These are all great examples of desirable footpaths in and around the Historical Park in Farmers Branch, TX.
Concrete as a surface material has its place, but should be used far less than currently used. Not only is it a major contributor to urban heat island effect because of its ability to absorb and hold on to heat so easily, it's just so utterly boring. Why design a place in a manner that contributes to heat when everyone is already complaining about the heat? Do better.
A side note of sorts – my true judge of a great path is whether or not it's enjoyable to walk on it barefoot – something that maybe isn't as obvious as it may seem. More on this in a future post.
