Add your brainstorming topic here... by Evan Lui

Place

evanlui2006 — 2024-10-21 22:47:59 UTC

The place of my walking research is Alley Pond Park. Right by my house, this trail connects my house to a lot of my other landmarks, such as schools, playgrounds, families, and restaurants. This trail is located in a fairly privileged area, majority Asian, and Jewish. This train went under construction during covid, renovating the road and adding safety rails along the path. Cutting through backyards, this trail is always occupied by residents of people around the neighborhood. The trail is spilt into two lanes, one traveling west and one traveling east. For my trip, I traveled east for 20 minutes. The nature of this trail serves as a natural habitat for many animals and critters. Along the trail, I was able to spot many squirrels and birds. I have also seen raccoons at night when coming back from home.

Sensory inquiry

evanlui2006 — 2024-10-21 22:48:22 UTC

Along the trail, my sensory inquiry was able to observe many things. First of all, the most remarkable thing was the cool breeze that travels through the path. As the branches sway and the leaves rustle, I was able to take in true beauty that is beyond the visual senses. In a state such as New York, it is not often you are able to experience an isolated, quiet area such as this trail. Being able to utilize such a beautiful and sacred path is truly one of the best privileges this neighborhood has. The air almost feels more pure as well. The trees and the greens of this trail allow you to smell hear and feel nature. The sound of birds chirping would sometimes be interrupted by the noise of a bike passing by or a couple walking west on the trail.

Embodiment

evanlui2006 — 2024-10-21 22:48:32 UTC

This trail is key a part of my life. I used this trial for almost everything. The path shown above is an exit out of the trail that leads straight to my aunts house. I would use this path whenever I wanted to stop by or have dinner with them. Additionally, when I used to play soccer competitively, I would run on this trail everyday for miles, sometimes with my team mates as well. This trail was also used for biking. During covid, my cousins and I would travel from one of the trail to another. Stretching out for almost 6 miles, this trail is a very common spot that I would visit.

Rhythm

evanlui2006 — 2024-10-21 22:48:49 UTC

Unlike a typical street, people on this trail go on their own pace. We have elderly people who like to go on their afternoon stroll, we have runners who are looking to get fit, runners who are trying to improve their pace. Remarkably, on my walk, I was able to account for 6 elderly people who were in fact running. 2 of those were presumably a couple who were running together. Along the walk, I was also able to document 3 bikes, all of which were traveling east with me. These bikers look serious, as in they looked like that had professional bikes and uniform, skin tight, and a cool looking helmet. But for the walkers, all seem to be walking at the same pace, a nice relaxed pace. The walkers were usually in pairs, male and female, with the occasional lone walker. Most of these walkers were Asian, with one pair of walkers African American. None of these walkers look like they are walking for the destination, like how residents in NYC walk, fast paced with serious intent. These walkers a walking for the walk. There is no rush to get any where, these people are enjoying and savoring their time in the trail.

evanlui2006 — 2024-10-22 21:02:51 UTC

Here is a exit that has existed for a very long time. This exit was not an intentional design by the park, rather it was made by people. On the other side of this shortcut, lies a elementary school, and a lot of apartment complexes. This exit also lead to Bell Blvd, which is also quite busy one certain times. I used to take this shortcut when coming back from my middle school every day. I have this one memory of when me and my cousins had the bright idea of riding our bicycle down this steep slope. All but one cousin succeeded. Losing control of his bike, he flipped over and went face first into the dirt. We were lucky that one of our aunts lives within 2 blocks of this spot.

evanlui2006 — 2024-10-22 22:45:19 UTC

This park is held sacred in the hearts in everyone in this community. Here, there are no traces of littering or graffiti and no reports of any crime of any sorts. I feel this is due to they type of neighborhood that this park located in. Tradition Asian families usually teach their children at a very young age the value of respect, and that include respecting their homes. This translates into the children respecting their neighborhood and the nature that is surrounds it. However, graffiti is existent in the further parts of the trail. Further west on the trial, the road runs underneath a highway, where you would be able to find some forms of graffiti. Graffiti artists respect people property, despite what stereotypes are made about graffiti artists, their rebellious nature, and inconsideration for property, these graffiti artists respect the integrity of the residential environment this neighborhood holds.

evanlui2006 — 2024-10-23 01:55:56 UTC

I resonated with the sensory enquiry portion of the chapter written by Springgay and Truman. I often rely too heavily on my visual senses to acquire knowledge. Prior to my walk, I read the chapter on walking, with the new set of lens, I went on my walk uses my ears, my nose, and my skin to pick up information in which my eyes are incapable of. It felt like a whole different path, different trail, different experience.

evanlui2006 — 2024-10-23 02:18:53 UTC

This walking research was able to enhance my understanding and awareness of this trail. On this walk, I was able to take understand what this trail meant to people in this neighborhood. The types of people that use this trail, how they use it, and most importantly, why they use it. Shown above is where the steep slope exit leads to. On the right, you can see P.S. 205. I didn't go to this school, but it has a huge playground, so I would frequently visit it. Prior to this walk, I never really took the time to consider where the steep slope exit came from. But while using my new skills, I was able to concur that that short cut was just made by many people using that same short cut with brute force to get into the trail