On Home Scouting

Often times I get asked how I happen to know a neighbourhood or building that’s not really on the radar, or how I know my way in an area a bit out of the way.

Such as when driving home from the Gulf Coast: Alligator Alley (the highway crossing South Florida) was blocked right at mid-point between the coasts, due to a brush fire. The police diverted all traffic south to Miami–a big pain if heading home ENE towards Boca Raton. When I asked the officer if he instead would let us take the small roads heading northeast, he inquired if and how I knew my way. My answer: I ride my motorcycle often in that area. He was kind and let us through, saving us circa 2 h drive-time. 

Unexpected finds plop into view this way as well: I was riding to the Boynton Inlet on Easter Sunday, took a side road, from there a side road and from there another side road. Voila–I discovered this home, on a handkerchief-sized lot close to the beach.

And quite a few of the 4,100+ modernist homes I documented in SE Florida made it into my architecture address list that way. I still find new ones, especially when I scout a neighbourhood I haven’t seen yet.

So if you have a horse, a bike or a motorcycle–go ride and explore. Even if you get wet, it’s much more fun than Google Earth.

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Photo ©tckaiser