{"id":3797,"date":"2011-12-07T12:04:00","date_gmt":"2011-12-07T12:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/2011\/12\/07\/wildwood"},"modified":"2021-09-08T07:07:01","modified_gmt":"2021-09-08T14:07:01","slug":"wildwood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/?p=3797","title":{"rendered":"Wildwood"},"content":{"rendered":"
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“Walking reminds us of who we are.”<\/i> – Paul Theroux
( from The Bohemian Traveler<\/a> )\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

On an overcast morning in a new city,\u00a0 I go for a walk with no predetermined destination in mind. I hope to get lucky and discover some new place, an unplanned adventure. Risky and careless perhaps, but it gets your blood pumping.
Wandering through Portland’s industrial district of rundown buildings, ports and biker bars, I turn to go up a steeply inclined street into a neighborhood that looks promising.<\/p>\n


I come to an old bridge that leads me to what looks like a city park. I find that it is one entrance to the United State’s largest urban forested area within city limits, Forest Park<\/a>.
Intrigued, I start hiking the Wildwood Trail<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

Large moss covered trees feel like ancient soldiers protecting you as you hike along the muddy trail. Different shades of green, red, and yellow fill your senses. Waterfalls play music, with all sorts of birds chiming in with their song. Walking mile after endless mile, wildwood is magical.
As the blisters on my feet scream for me to rest, I exit the trail in the Nob Hill<\/a> neighborhood, lost but smiling. I cris-cross the maze of streets while enjoying the view of the city, eventually, and luckily, finding my way back to my bed.
I close my eyes and sleep well in this new city.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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