Week 1, Walk 2: Desire Lines (5.20.10)

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Finding desire lines in such a well-manicured town as Palm Springs, California was not easy; nearly every patch of grass is meticulously groomed to the point of perfection. I did, however, happen to come across a small, unoccupied lot along the downtown strip. I found somewhere nearby to park my car and proceeded to explore this space which was seemingly out of place.


The main reason why I noticed this particular desire line is because it extended right from the edge of the paved sidewalk into the undeveloped space. It is clear that this path was a product of human walking patterns since the tall grass is flattened in such a way that it leads directly to the unoccupied property.


As I wandered through the empty field, I noticed that the path branched off to the left. This made me realize that a significant number of people must frequently walk through here or else the path would not be so distinct. Perhaps they are property developers who often survey the space, hoping to turn its vacancy into something useful. Maybe the path is traversed by exercisers who would rather not run on the concrete sidewalks. Or maybe these well worn ribbons of dirt are followed by rebellious teenagers because they know it will lead them somewhere private. No matter who has created this desire line, its use is definitely preferred to that of the parallel sidewalk which is in close proximity.


After walking down the path a ways, I glanced back at my car which was parked near where I had started. Its somewhat far distance from me made me realize how intriguing and almost enchanting desire lines actually are. Initially, the only reason I pulled over to investigate this desire line was for the purposes of this journal entry. However, once I was out of my car, I found myself wanting to explore it even more than was necessary. I very easily could have parked, taken a few snapshots of the path, and then moved on within a matter of minutes. But once I found this alluring place, I had the urge to physically follow the path to see where it might lead. Desire lines are extremely captivating and should not be ignored by anyone looking to discover their place.