Monica Miller, 3 Days 3 Ways

Walking, One Perspective, and Bussing

Inspired by the Nato Thompson reading, I took to the alley ways of downtown Milwaukee, used the river walk, and tried to explore some of the city that I was unfamiliar with. My goal was to try to find a route that would really connect with the reading. I used routes that were a bit uncommon, as a way of exploring public places that were slightly less traveled, and also combining within this route places that were highly trafficked and deemed as public hot spots. 

The act of feeling out my route, traveling the city with fresh eyes during the first walk, was the most influential way of the three. This was true exploration for me, for I tried hard to walk to places I have yet explored. The last two ways were not as interesting, based on my modes of transportation, a personal choice, but also because it was a forced exercise. While I enjoy repetition, in the case of these walks, I was not as satisfied. 

The second way I took was walking, but with a bit of a twist. Mortified with the idea of walking backwards or crawling (though I did seriously consider it for longer than I probably should have), I decided to walk the same path, but record my travel with my phone stationed in my pocket. I thought it was kind of a quirky idea, and by using a recorded version of my walk, I would be able to review it after the fact, kind of pushing time limits and places in space. The videos of this walk are strange because the rhythm of the pace in which I walked was so apparent. While I have captured a strange and limited perspective on this walk, I can only stand watching these recordings for so long, for after a while the weird rhythm creates a strange motion sickness feel to them.

Lastly, I took the bus. I could only take it from school to the Milwaukee Public Market, and then from McKinley Street to Brady Street, having to walk the rest of the way, for it was on an unconventional path. Using the bus didn't cut out as much time as I would have thought, considering that I could only use it for short distances, but I also had to wait for them at each point. 

Thinking of Thompson's depiction of human's force on nature, there were some interesting connections I had within the reading and the ways in which I walked. I believe that the River Walk is a perfect example of this force. The city of Milwaukee has used the river as a natural resource that interconnects within the every day lives of the citizens and businesses throughout the area. If the city and its architecture are meant as a representation of those who are living within it, I believe that the River Walk and the buildings and parks that surround it portray us in a decent light. The ways and times in which I traveled varied, but the traffic of the public areas were always in use. After living in a city where the downtown is very dead, seeing Milwaukee being interactive in this way was very refreshing.