I am not the biggest fan of nature. I don't like bugs, or dog poop or the way my sinuses respond to extended periods of outdoor activity. I like exercising indoors and am one of the people that you would probably find shopping for soothing sounds in the Nature Company store in the 90s. When my friends decided a saturday morning at the greenbelt would be fun and relaxing before lunch at Tacodeli, I was less than enthused.
The greenbelt is a huge area of trees, hiking, rocks and water in austin Barton Creek. It is used for all sorts of outdoor activities from yoga to hiking, water activities and running .
I went there to meditate and try to become better friends with nature (and because my friends made me). This was mildly successful. My allergies went crazy, but I did like the feeling of being isolated as I sat down and read on the hill.
Here's what I observed:
Despite the many people visting, it is quite tranquil there. The large, green trees and sandy rocks under your feet give off a stronge prescence. There were families teaching their kids how to ride bikes on the trails and the huge boulder looking rocks on the ground were a resting place for a dog and man doing yoga. The air smelled much fresher and crisp than downtown austin and while I did notice creepy crawlers, they didn't bother me so much as the dug in and out the dirt.
I, at one point, walked up the rugged path to a mountain like part and could see super fancy, elevated homes on the right. I imagined Sandra Bullock lived in one of them and then thought the view from the houses must be insane. After daydreaming for a bit, I was interrupted by the no longer sedated dog as he began to flex and bark at me. This was scary and annoying until his owner called him down.
Because of the heat, river/water was dried up, but the place looked really cool still. I think its great that a place in a metropolitan city could be preserved like that and hope to go back there some day soon!
photo: http://www.johnhackbarth.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Greenbelt-Trail-in-Austin.jpg
Its kind of reliving to know that quite a few people aren't exactly enthralled by nature and some of the bugs. I think that its really good that Austin still tries to preserve spots like these for nature lovers because it is also beneficial to animals who have made areas like these their homes.It is interesting that you mention how tranquil and cleaner it is than the norm, which is one of the reasons why people are so eager to find nature as it is a world away from the one we are used to. From the picture the Greenbelt doesn't seem to be constantly monitored and put effort into, which makes it my opinion much more realistic in the way nature should be represented. I noticed you mentioned that the heat had caused the river to dry up once again a reminder of the effects of climate change. Hopefully the grass and trees around wont suffer as Austin summers can be extremely hot. I would surely hope to visit Greenbelt some day.
ReplyDeleteThe Green Belt in Austin is one of my favorite locations after Mount Bonnell. Since , i am an outdoor person and i love jumping off cliffs and bridges this is one place i always keep revisiting. As you mentioned that you don't like bugs and dog poop, keeping all of that aside this place is adventurous , great for picnics and great for jumping off cliffs and having a lot of fun. Nature is all about bugs, insects and the smallest creatures that make it so beautiful and enthralling. They make the green belt adventurous and outdoorsy. As the comment above states, since now a days its really hot and temperatures sore to about 100 degrees, i hope too that the trees and the beauty of this place does not get soaked away by the strong heat of the sun. In other words i hope the plants and the greenery of this place dont get dry and turn yellow. Another thing i really hope is that the water does not dry up. I also do agree with the fact that the green belt does need more attention to keep it clean and in good shape. Austin definitely needs to maintain it well to keep the charm of this exotic location which im sure not many cities have.
ReplyDeleteI'm not much of a nature person myself, but after taking this class I've become more interested in exploring nature. With that being said, I usually take my jogs inside of Gregory Gym. The Greenbelt sounds like a very interesting place to visit and I shall take a jog there sometime during the fall when Austin cools down. I believe Austin is a very Environment-friendly city, the city even has bike lanes in major areas of the city. Lets just hope that Austin keeps the Green Belt green.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy playing sports outside but hiking seems tedious and boring to me. So unless I am doing something exciting outside I would rather be inside away from those bugs! The greenbelt is one place I have enjoyed hiking though. When we went we parked behind some office building and just entered there. There used to be a nice size stream there but it seems to be all dried up now. It is nice to be able to travel a couple miles from the middle of the city and be engulfed in a completely different world. Although this is neat, I prefer Zilker Park because of the people you meet and the sports you can play.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy that Austin has decided to preserve the Greenbelt as a place where people have the option to go and enjoy all that nature has to offer, whether it be swimming, rock climbing, bicycling, hiking, etc. Even if you're not someone who likes to do outdoor activities, it is still a great place to be able to escape from the stresses of everyday life and be somewhere where you can enjoy the scenery and clear your mind.
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