Originally Posted by AlanK
Something else to consider...
The way most U.S. cities are designed forces people to travel long-distance to access wilderness. If U.S. cities were designed with fewer car spaces and fewer roads, there would be more space available to be left undeveloped, and thus be used for outdoor recreation.
Portland has done this to some extent - Forest Park is a large Urban forest with hiking and biking trails that is well with biking distance of the city. There are also other nice trails scattered throughout the city. I know it's not the same as getting out to the boonies and camping, but it's still nice and convenient.
Alan,
you are exactly right!
(did you notice i used to live in Portland?) but yes, Portland is one of the very few US cities that tries to maintain an "urban" area surrounded by a non-developed area. unfortunately even Portland continues to sprawl a little more out every year (they frequently expand the Urban Growth Boundary) but it is MUCH better than it otherwise would be! and yeah, i used to live and work right next to Forest Park (my office was on the border so i used to go trail running at lunch there and i rode 1-2 times/week in the park)
on this point Europe really has North America beat as in Munich (between the size of Portand and Seattle) the radius of development from the center is about 10km, so from where i live (2km from the center) i only have to ride 3-10km to be "out of the city" which means on country roads with farmland and small villiages as opposed to developed surburban sprawl as outside the US metro areas. AND i also live right on the river which goes through the city which has a greenway... so i go out my front door, cross the street and am on the bike path along the river. then 3km along the bikeway the mountainbike single trails start! (i lead a weekly MTB ride there every Wednesday)
P.S. @Alan: from your post it shows that you live in the Northwest where people are much more conscious of sprawl, urban desing and environmental issues
and yes, unfortunately in most cases, "the way things are" requires that one either reduce/alter "outdoor activities" or use an auto to travel to places that are not developed - often long distances
in Portland i was also car-lite and did about half of my "outdoor activities" in the city parks -- i had a vehicle only for out-of town trips to the mountains and always made sure my friends and i carpooled as much as possible.