Drifting

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I set out on my drift on my bike. My ears led me to the bustle of North Ave. Busy with the traffic of cars and people, I decided to start my drift in this neighborhood. I began on North Prospect Ave, taking my first right on Lafayette Pl. I zig zagged through the neighborhood as planned by my strategy. I followed the third right, second left pattern until I hit the split at Cambridge Ave. I had been walking for about an hour, so I decided to make a directional change that would lead be back in the same direction (or at least sort of same direction) of where I started. I ventured off the path slightly more based on the intrigue of my ears and eyes. I was lead down an alley and around a some construction. Even in the quietest of areas, city sounds were still very apparent.

City Silence

Near the corner of Cambridge and Irving, I walked a good three blocks without seeing anyone or any cars. The nearest movements came from my shoes, the birds and the faint sounds of cars and construction.

Listen -- > City Silence

in 20 Seconds...

I hit the corner of Cambridge Ave and North Ave around 9:30 am. I proceeded right onto North Ave and quickly took another right down an alley only about 15 meters from the corner. It was fairly quiet in comparison to the cities normal consistent bustle. The sound of my footsteps pattered on as cars roared in from the left and out through the right. In the gaps between rumbles, birds are heard over head in the trees. Natural sounds are an added solace in usually congested environment.

CityWalk

Road work ahead

Somewhere between Lafayette Pl and Cambridge, I found myself on Bartlett Ave tip toeing around gravel and cement segments from what was the curb. I was across the street from construction workers, breaking from their morning tasks. It had been raining maybe thirty minutes before. The men chatter, a car passes on a wet road, a radio entertains and finally a gust of wind pulls through taking all the faint sounds with it.
Road work ahead

Men at Work

I rounded back towards my original starting point after drifting for a couple of hours. I was on E Windsor PL. In my head, I felt as if the head phones over my ears made me invisible. I heard the city like I had not before. I observed with my ears. I am not sure if I was noticed while ease dropping on Men at Work. I wonder if they would care either way.

Worker Men

Rain and Fun with Chimes

An long alley, in between two busy streets was where I could here the rain the best. No one is around for distractions and and you can hear the wind playing with chimes.

Rain and fun with chimes

Strategy

For my first Drift, I will be using Algorithmic Walking. (Take third right, second left, third right, repeat) I became most intrigued by this strategy after reading Joseph Hart's, "A New Way of Walking". I very much appreciate the concept of "psychogeography", " a slightly stuffy term that's been applied to a whole toy box full of playful, inventive strategies for exploring cities. Psychogeography includes just about anything that takes pedestrians off their predictable paths and jolts them into a new awareness of the urban landscape." (Hart) I immediately identified with the attempt to see my environment in a way I have not before. I have lived in Milwaukee since birth, and am in love with it as my home. I think it is a city that has so much to offer and to understand. As a teenage, I thought I knew most, to all there was to know about Milwaukee. I am now, however, learning new things about the city: community events, distinct cultural pockets and history. I plan to explore these characteristics more, and hopefully learn about a few new things along the way.