A Walk In Bull Mountain Park And A Tigard Forest Is A Hike For The Psyche.
Too many suburban towns forget about the people and the place they call home.
New people move in, throw a lawn chair in the backyard, and call it good.
They turn invisible.
For the next twenty years they drive to the city for work and back, or take the bus.
You see them backed up on freeways, waiting at the park and ride, all on their way to someplace else.
Cities and suburbs are full of commuters. They roll over the roads, walk on sidewalks, preoccupied with what to do next.
They’re busy people. Busy living their lives, taking care of others, staying engaged.
Without a break from the pavement, the noise, and more people, stress kicks in. The common feeling they all share is being overwhelmed.
Once anxiety takes over, greater problems present themselves. Decisions, choices, activities of daily life are all clouded through the filter of stress until you don’t know what to do next.
Instead of making an appointment with a doctor for pills, a liquor store for booze, or just getting wound up until you snap, take a walk.
Tigard has just the walk with the help of Toraj Khavari.
Who?
Some houses where I live back up to what’s called green space. Not a backyard, but not a park. These are forested areas between residential developments that might turn into developments one day.
That’s where I met Toraj Khavari.
Are they real forests or a few acres planted to look like a forest? From the wildlife in the area and the existing foliage they are real forests.
Since one entrance is half mile away, a walk in the woods is easy to get to if you try.
Instead of more TV, more internet, and more phone texting, more woods is a stress reliever.
Mr. Khavari has been in the woods. The work he’s done organizing and writing grants shows.
From trail support to bench building to enhanced facilities, Bull Mountain Park is becoming a destination.
The steep hillsides are more accessible through switchback trails. Forest views lay in front of a series of unexpected benches.
This is a park that invites you to leave your troubles behind.
Spending time in nature is more than a trip to the zoo.
Mr. Khavari’s love for the local woods is evident.
He’s planned the work and works the plan with help from friends and neighbors.
They’re called Friends of Bull Mountain Park.
One of the beautiful benefit of Bull Mountain Park is seeing it change with the seasons.
There’s no bad time for a hike here.
With the work of Toraj Khavari and Friends of Bull Mountain Park you can hike year ’round with safety.
Each season evokes different feelings.
Robert Frost would like Bull Mountain Park:
About David Gillaspie
