May 17, 2008

Exploring Phoenix on 2 Wheels

Central Phoenix by bike, Phoenix detailed.

One of my projects for PhoenixMarketTrends.com and www.RealEstateConfluence.com is to write about neighborhoods in the central core of Phoenix, the area that we mostly work in.

The "central core" are the neighborhoods of North Central Phoenix, which includes the Central Corridor, the Biltmore area, Arcadia, and to some extent Paradise Valley along with Uptown Phoenix, but our focus extends to the neighborhoods surrounding the Phoenix Mountain Preserve. This is a somewhat cohesive area which has no specific know n name, thus the "Phoenix central core."

Anyway, this project entails describing the areas and including pictures and getting the essence of a neighborhood, to find the hidden gems and to view the beautiful homes already there, but in the first attempts i noticed that despite our good knowledge of the areas the car was not going to do it as a vehicle for further exploration. Walking in most areas is out as well. Then came the idea of biking. Obvious! I wasn't to me, despite my keen attitude toward biking and exploring.

(Dreamy Draw by the Pointe, going South)

My first trip was down Dreamy Draw and the Phoenix Mountains Preserve down through the Central Corridor and to Medlock Place.

This was a great idea because of the slower tempo or riding a bike; I got to see so much more, so many wonderful homes which I have seen driving a car but never slowed down to appreciate.

(A walking and biking trail along the Phoenix Mountain Preserve, accessed from Dreamy Draw Park)

Riding a bike also allowed me to quickly and easily turn into small streets and cul-de-sacs. And, if exploration wasn't enough the benefits extend further to keeping active and healthy and to saving on emissions from cars. This is sort of an introduction to my intention. I'll be updating our information about neighborhood on both sites, from a different perspective of course, as a result of riding my bike and I hope to fill you in on some of the exiting places we find and explore.