Over the last several months I’ve had the occasion to travel to Tahoe City, San Diego and Portland, Oregon. In each, I found myself thinking about whether I could write a blog about that place along the lines of what I do with Walking Redwood City and with this column; whether I could fully explore that place on foot and write about the interesting things, big and small, that I discover on my weekly walks.
In all three cases, my answer was no. Although there would certainly be plenty to write about in both San Diego and Portland, they are simply too big and likely have far too much to write about for one person. Tahoe City, on the other hand, has the opposite problem: It is so small and relatively stable that, on our recent visit — our first in more than a decade — I felt I could capture all of the changes over that decade with just one blog post or column.
I didn’t realize it when I started my blog back in 2013, but Redwood City is ideal for what I do. For one thing, the city is just over 19 square miles in land area, making it completely walkable for me. The farthest point from my house within city limits is the far end of Redwood Shores, a 6-mile walk (round trip, 12 miles). Occasionally, I walk more than 12 miles in one outing, but those walks either meander through various parts of the city to visit multiple sites of interest, or they take me into nearby communities (I occasionally report on doings in Menlo Park, North Fair Oaks, San Carlos and even Belmont).
It was just my good luck that I started my blog just after Redwood City’s building boom got underway. One of my earliest posts discussed 201 Marshall, the orange-ish 116-unit apartment building at the corner where Broadway crosses the Caltrain tracks, which back then was still under construction. Later posts covered the construction of the “Box” buildings, the 10-story Indigo Apartments complex, and pretty much every other commercial or residential building constructed in Redwood City since the summer of 2013. While other nearby communities have also endured significant construction projects worth writing about, none have done so nearly to the degree that Redwood City has. If my primary focus was on Menlo Park or San Carlos, for instance, many weeks I’d find it hard to think up something to write about. Fortunately, though, when there is the rare lull in Redwood City, I simply explore one of those neighboring communities and write about what I find there.
My walks frequently leave me with questions; and not long after I began writing I discovered Redwood City’s excellent city website. All significant projects of interest — those being done by a private developer and those by the city itself (the latter being mostly infrastructure projects involving roads, utilities and such) — get a dedicated web page, often with preliminary plans, links to meetings, and a capsule description of the project. Ten years ago, it was much harder to find similar information on projects in nearby cities, and what I did find was often incomplete or not up to date. Fortunately, most seem to have stepped up their game in the interim. San Carlos’ website, for instance, now has a nice supply of information about almost any subject I am interested in. Of course, in all cases, I’m able to watch live or recorded City Council and Planning Commission meetings to go really in depth.
I’m interested in far more than just construction, I should note. There’s so much else to see! I try to view the city through a variety of lenses, paying attention to restaurants and other businesses that come and go, parks, interesting houses and yards, roads and sidewalks, and transit. Plus, Redwood City’s port, which is something most other Bay Area cities don’t have. The port is a fascinating place, it is both a lovely place to walk as well as an interesting one to those interested in heavy industry.
Walking through one’s community is not only good exercise, it can be quite educational. My walks have given me a real feel for each of Redwood City’s 17 designated neighborhoods. They’ve caused me to learn about the Hetch Hetchy water system, and about our wastewater treatment and recycled water systems. I’ve learned about the history of Redwood City’s parks, and the story behind the creation of Redwood Shores. And I’ve learned a great deal about the history of Redwood City itself. All because I get out and walk, and then research things I come across but don’t understand. If you are able, I highly recommend walking around wherever you live. Five-hundred-and-thirty blog posts and 320 Daily Journal columns later, I can honestly say that you never know where that walk might lead you.
Greg Wilson is the creator of Walking Redwood City, a blog inspired by his walks throughout Redwood City and adjacent communities. He can be reached at greg@walkingRedwoodCity.com. Follow Greg on Twitter @walkingRWC.
(1) comment
Thanks, Greg, for all you do. In the words of Robert Crumb... "Keep on truckin'.
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