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| The Mountain Bike of Redemption, deep in Switzer Canyon. |
I actually ventured deep into one a few weeks ago. I had just won a new mountain bike -- the "Mountain Bike of Redemption" -- and was excited enough to ride it on Mars. So, heading down 30th Street from South park to North Park, I veered off the road and descended into Switzer Canyon.
It was wild and overgrown with brush and too many stickers and scratchy branches (I was wearing shorts.) There was no trail to speak of, so I rode cross-country ... or, rather, cross-brush. In some places it was so thick and overgrown, I thought for sure a raccoon, possum, or rattlesnake would scare the heck out of me.
I finally reached the end of the canyon and climbed out of it -- pushing my bike because the only decent exit I found was too steep to ride up. When I made it to the street above, I was feeling all smug and proud for doing Switzer Canyon without a scratch. Then I felt something warm dribbling down my leg. I looked down. My legs were scratched all to hell. And as if that weren't enough, my brand new mountain bike's front tire was completely flat. "Switzer Canyon, I curse thee," I thought.
Find out how my relationship with Switzer Canyon evolved ... after the jump.
As if to deliver me from the ordeal, waiting for me at the top of the canyon was the Hug Nation Van, which I I've encountered a couple of other times at odd moments on bike rides around town:
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| Heavenly wings delivered me from the depths of Switzer Canyon. |
The movie was called The Nature of Cities. It's all about how some cities are infusing their urban environments with nature, bringing nature closer to urban dwellers, and making cities much more pleasant places to live.
Turns out, San Diego's canyon's play a starring role in this movie. Through the film's lens, San Diego's canyons are ribbons of glorious nature running through the city's urban core ... sort of our last chance to reconnect with nature amid all the asphalt and concrete dominating this city. Unfortunately, the movie's trailer doesn't include any scenes from San Diego, but here it is to give you an idea of the film:
The movie was incredibly eye-opening. I recommend it to anyone interested in San Diego, in appreciating our city more, and in gaining powerful perspectives on how much better it could be.
And here's a GreenTech Geek bonus -- a free story about just how very special Switzer Canyon is: North Park’s Switzer Canyon Inspired Conservation Movement
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| Until next week ... |
