Guide books often funnel people to over-loved places. Atlas Obscura, “the definitive guide to the world’s hidden wonders,” is a good resource to locate uncrowded, off-beat places to spice up a walk. The information is crowd-sourced, so it needs to be treated with caution. For example, a “machine gun nest” near our home is simply…… Continue reading An Atlas Obscura Walk in Chicago
Category: Urban Hikes
Finding Traces of Henry David Thoreau’s 1861 Visit to Minneapolis
Our Lady of Lourdes Church, built 1854-1857, with later additions. In May 1861, Henry David Thoreau visited Minneapolis. He was terminally ill, and would die within a year. I found myself wondering if there are any traces of places or institutions Thoreau would have seen or visited. There is very little contemporaneous documentation about his visit to Minneapolis:…… Continue reading Finding Traces of Henry David Thoreau’s 1861 Visit to Minneapolis
Dubai by Rail and Foot
I checked in to my Dubai hotel at 2:00 a.m. this morning, fresh off an eight-hour flight from Guangzhou. In the lobby, people were still enjoying the night. Two thirtysomething expatriate women emerged from the pub in summer frocks, looking like they were on their way to an English garden party. This is a city…… Continue reading Dubai by Rail and Foot
A Shanghai Urban Hike
I deliberately chose a creaky 1920’s era hotel for my base in Shanghai, which made it all the more shocking to emerge into 21st century Shanghai. “Do you need the company of a woman?” asked a conservative-looking thirty-something woman, pacing the street outside. Today, I walked a twelve mile, somewhat random loop from…… Continue reading A Shanghai Urban Hike
Shanghai Urban Hike
Posted A Shanghai Urban Hike.
Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood: Architectural Sculptures and Actual Buildings
Each week, I enjoy a walk or a cycle ride with a friend. This week we started at a street lined with twenty-four architectural sculptures on plinths. We had passed the end of this street many times, but had no idea these sculptures existed. Then we went on a hunt for some of the buildings depicted…… Continue reading Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood: Architectural Sculptures and Actual Buildings
An Indoor 9-Mile Urban Hike
A fierce rainstorm had hit California. People had died, a reservoir was bursting at the seams, evacuations had been ordered in several counties. The storm weakened as it crossed the Rockies on its way to Minneapolis and points east. On Monday, Presidents’ Day, the storm finally hit Minneapolis, dropping 0.6 inches of rain. This…… Continue reading An Indoor 9-Mile Urban Hike
My America
Today I waited at Cedar Riverside light rail station for a friend. We were going to walk and chat about our memories of the area. He, and his father before him, had attended the nearby Augsburg College. [See his blog post.] 100 years ago, the Cedar Riverside area of Minneapolis was the first American home…… Continue reading My America
A Carny’s Final Journey
If I die in a distant place, my instructions are simple. No coffin, no embalming, just have me cremated then shipped back in a generic box to Minneapolis. That’s it: one final flight to MSP, then scatter my ashes somewhere. Lakewood Cemetery would be a fine place for The Scattering. It’s beautifully maintained by a…… Continue reading A Carny’s Final Journey
Trek to Tiny Tim’s Tomb
In 1968 Tiny Tim released his first album, God Bless Tiny Tim, and his falsetto Tiptoe Through the Tulips became a worldwide phenomenon. In 1996 he had a heart attack on stage at the Minneapolis Women’s Club, and was pronounced dead at the nearby Hennepin County Medical Center. It seemed strangely appropriate to start my hike to Tiny…… Continue reading Trek to Tiny Tim’s Tomb