GREAT LOS ANGELES WALK 2008: 18.3 Miles Later, We Did It!

And you thought we were all crazy! We did it, we hiked 18.3 miles from Union Station to the ocean on a beautiful Southern California Saturday.

For the third annual Great Los Angeles Walk, I chose the longest course yet. And yet we attracted the biggest crowd yet too.

Approximately 150 of us (some say more, some say less, several of us settled at the 150 estimate) gathered early in the day (some had been up super early, parking in Santa Monica and then taking the bus out east) for the event. We started at Union Station at 9 in the morning, and after a quick detour through Olvera Street, made it on to Cesar Chavez Blvd. From there, Cesar Chavez quickly turned into Sunset, and we hiked on, through Echo Park, past Dodger Stadium and on to Silver Lake.

At Sunset Junction, we peeled off onto the start of Santa Monica Blvd. We continued, onward past the Hollywood Freeway (and the former Hollywood Star Lanes site, RIP), and into Hollywood. We scored some free water from the Jackson Hewitt tax prep company, walked past Hollywood Forever cemetery, and into West Hollywood. Groups broke for lunch at several Weho spots… and many of us reconvened right at the West Hollywood/Beverly Hills border at 2 p.m.

From there, we walked the dirt sidewalk of Bev Hills (apparently they’re resurfacing the bike path) and made it to the intersection of Santa Monica and Wilshire (home to the first walk in 2006!). Several of us walked into the old Trader Vic’s restaurant at the Beverly Hilton, where an auction was taking place — the famed Pickford estate. Furniture, clothes, photos… some reasonably priced (including a menu from a 1930 William Randolph Hearst dinner!). Onward, we passed by Century City and the Mormon temple… and then under the 405, and soon, as we hit Santa Monica, we began to feel the cool ocean breeze.

Santa Monica is always a snap, as the numbered streets help count down to the finish line.

Here’s the crazy part: Some walkers sprinted so fast, they got to the finish by 3:15 (I worry that they didn’t get a real sense of the route, having sped by so fast!) The bulk of us, including me, got to the end between 5 and 5:30 — still faster than last year, when we walked 2.5 miles less, yet got there at the same time. (We were pacing around 20 minutes a mile — check out my Great LA Walk Twitter feed to see.)

A handful of walkers did it right: They got to the end at around 6:30, having taken their time to explore sites along the way. Whatever the pace, most made it to the Britannia Pub after all to toast their feat. And rest their feet.

I’ve uploaded a ton of photos at our Flickr group site: www.flickr.com/groups/greatlawalk. If you were on the walk, feel free to add your pics to the group as well!

And please send me the web addresses to your blog posts and photo collections, we’ll post all the links here, for easy access.

PHOTO STREAMS:

:: Check out the Franklin Avenue shots here.

:: Anthony’s got some great shots here.

:: The Atwater Village Newbies’ shots here, and blog post here.

:: Scott Lowe of Tropico Station fame has some pics here, and a post on the day here.

:: Will Campbell’s shots here.

:: Pamela “Meekorouse” put her pics here.

:: Jeremy Miles (“Beautiful Freaks”) took these shots. He blogs about the adventure here.

:: Sean “Ztainment”‘s shots are here.

:: El Daybeh’s shots are here.

:: Follow Raul’s pics here. He also recaps the day at his blog here. Raul’s crew also gets points for being most creative — re-enacting the number for each mile marker (above, they do “8″s for mile 8 — Martel).

:: Sha in LA’s shots are here.

:: Melanie’s pics are here.

:: See Todd’s shots here. Todd has his blog recap here. He definitely took full advantage of modern technology with the walk!

:: David Johnson’s shots can be found here.

::LA_OC_Foodie has put his pics here.

:: Abby Phoenix has posted her pics here.

:: Pics here by Miss Martini.

:: Three-time Walker WALT! has his pics here.

:: Caroline on Crack’s pics are here, and her blog post here.

:: Scott’s shots are here. These are some of Maria’s faves; Scott has a good eye of details that a lot of us missed!

:: Justin Canada’s pics are here.

:: Joni, the Accidental Yogist, has her recap here.

:: Frenchy But Chic’s blog post is here.

Now, some of my shots from this year’s event:

Part of the crowd gathers in the Union Station courtyard

Signing in

I brief the crowd

Eric Lynxwiler opens with a pep talk

On our way

Leaving Union Station

Passing through Olvera Street

Crossing the 110

It’s Dodger country

Guava for sale

Sounds good to me…

The friendly nun (photo by Anthony)

Super Barack!

Cool old neon sign

Andrea models one of the spiffy Great Los Angeles walk t-shirts — still available at Cafe Press.

The Beautification Team has its work cut out for it

Jimi!

Jackson Hewitt tax folks pass out water

Ask for “Rico”

Hamburglar?

Will Campbell has a message for one of those LAPD spy cameras.

We were tempted, but ultimately decided a Formosa pit stop would steer us off course.

Required Great L.A. Walk wear (photo by Anthony)

Excited to be at the Beverly Hills border

Heading back out for the afternoon portion of the walk — only 8 miles to go!

Beverly Hills City Hall (photo by Anthony)

R.I.P., Trader Vic’s! (photo by Anthony)

Live webcast hosts monitor the Pickford auction at the old Trader Vic’s. Sad to see the old bar, now empty!

Autographed Mary Pickford photo at the auction

Hey, yo, that’s cheating! (Don’t worry, he promises via the comments that he did, indeed, retrace his steps!)

Stereotypes ‘R’ Us

Scott fixes his feet

Historic Route 66

Walking to the finish line

One of the several groups to hit the finish line

Sunset at the end

Follow Along As We Tweet the Great Los Angeles Walk

(Map via Will at Metblogs L.A.)

I’ll be updating our coordinates all day at www.twitter.com/greatlawalk.

From below, the others who plan to Twitter include:

twitter.com/justin_canada
twitter.com/meekorouse
twitter.com/la_oc_foodie
twitter.com/maxually
twitter.com/drtiki
twitter.com/neverlost
twitter.com/anotorias
twitter.com/nay63
twitter.com/melanieo
twitter.com/zentertainment
twitter.com/jc_losangeles
twitter.com/Carolineoncrack
twitter.com/wildbell

The Great Los Angeles Walk Happens Tomorrow!

The Great Los Angeles Walk 2008 takes place tomorrow morning at 9 a.m.! For those of you walking, a reminder: You that you should make sure you have a transportation plan in place, so you’re not stranded after walking all day!

I’ve heard from several of you, and it seems like a consensus is brewing that the best option for those of you without anyone picking you up is to PARK IN THE MORNING in Santa Monica, and take the bus all the way to Union Station BEFORE the walk. (That way, your car is waiting for you when it’s all done.)

Veteran walker Joni was the first to give this tip:

For those choosing to leave their cars at the end of the walk route (or for those who live in Santa Monica like I do), the Big Blue Bus #10 is a freeway flyer that goes from Santa Monica and 4th (near the Britannia Pub, our after party location) to Downtown’s Union Station.

It runs less often than the 704, but it gets there much faster:

http://bigbluebus.com/busroutes/schedule.asp?bus_route=10&dayofweek=saturday.

The 7:17 am bus arrives at 8 am, 7:47 am at 8:30 am, and 8:17 am at 9:03 am; one-way fare is $1.75. (I would strongly suggest taking that 7:17 am bus so you’re not late… if you arrive early, you can always have breakfast while waiting for the walk to begin.)

The #10 makes a number of stops along Santa Monica Blvd before it hops on the freeway at bundy, so you don’t have to drive all the way to the Promenade to catch it (and you can always catch the big blue #1 to get back to where you left your car from the after-walk party).

GOOD ADVICE, JONI! Thanks.

For those of you who nonetheless decide to park at Union Station, that Big Blue Bus #10 heads back to Union Station from 4th & Santa Monica at 5:44 pm, 6:15 pm, and 7:16 pm (the last trip of the evening), each scheduled to take about 55 minutes.

ESCAPE ROUTE: Along the route, if you’re exhausted and want to take the bus either to Santa Monica or Union Station, you’ve got a couple of bus or rail options (thanks to David for this info):

<a href="http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/704.pdf
” target=”_blank”>http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/704.pdf
The 704 Metro Rapid line runs eastbound from 2nd & SM Blvd in Santa Monica to Union Station but last Saturday bus leaves at 7:01pm and takes 80 minutes.

http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/004.pdf
The #4 regular line runs eastbound every 15-20 minutes from 2nd & SM Blvd in Santa Monica to Metro Rail stations at Vermont and Civic Center downtown. The Red Line subway terminates at Union Station.

I’ll be updating mile by mile, as well as when we stop and start, take breaks, etc. at www.twitter.com/greatlawalk.

Here are a few more people who plan to Twitter:

twitter.com/justin_canada
twitter.com/meekorouse
twitter.com/la_oc_foodie
twitter.com/maxually
twitter.com/drtiki
twitter.com/neverlost
twitter.com/anotorias
twitter.com/nay63
twitter.com/melanieo
twitter.com/zentertainment
twitter.com/jc_losangeles
twitter.com/Carolineoncrack
twitter.com/wildbell

If you plan to, let me know, so I can compile a master list.

Meanwhile, we’ll see you on Saturday! The crowd will be gathering in the courtyard outside (on the right of the main hall, if you’re facing the entrance) of Union Station. We’ll then head through Olvera Street and make our way to Cesar Chavez… and we’re off!

Great Los Angeles Walk Afterparty Location: Britannia Pub

(Pic via the Los Angeles Times.)

Thanks to the fine people at Yelp, we’ve found a spot to celebrate on Saturday!

After our 18 mile hike down Santa Monica Blvd. (and more), we’ll be heading over to Britannia Pub for our afterparty.

We’ll probably make it to the ocean by 6 p.m., and then we’ll head to the Britannia, where we’ve reserved the upper floor.

See you all on Saturday!

Great Los Angeles Walk 2008 FAQs

Last chance to get your Great Los Angeles Walk T-shirt in order to wear it while hiking on Nov. 22! Several different T-shirt styles available, all with the cool logo designed by Maria. We’re not making a dime off these things; the prices you see are exactly what Cafe Press charges. Check out our Cafe Press site to order.

Now, the Walk FAQ:

1. WHEN/WHERE? Saturday, Nov. 22, 2008 — the Saturday before Thanksgiving. We’re meeting at Union Station; people will start to gather in the front of the historic train station in the 8 a.m. hour. Just look for the crowd of people who look like they’re about to embark on an urban hike. We leave at 9 a.m. sharp.

2. WHO? We’re expecting over 100 hikers this year. We’re still taking RSVPs at franklin_avenue(at)yahoo(dot)com… but we’ll take anyone who shows up too!

3. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? C’mon, it’s completely free! But you’re on your own when it comes to lunch, dinner, water, etc. So don’t forget to plan accordingly.

4. WHAT’S THE PATH? From Union Station, we’ll hike down Cesar Chavez, which turns into Sunset. Near Sunset Junction, we’ll switch over to Santa Monica Blvd. After that, it’s Santa Monica all the way to the ocean.

5. WHAT IF I CAN’T GET THERE THAT EARLY, OR DON’T WANT TO START THAT FAR EAST? Just wait for us somewhere on the path and join in once we pass by. Several hikers will likely be Twittering as well; if you’re interested in sending Tweets throughout the day, let us know.

6. HOW LONG IS THE HIKE? 18 miles. That’s two miles more than last year’s; but we’re also hiking down a much more lively (and, dare I say, pedestrian-friendly) route this year.

7. WHEN WILL WE GET TO THE END? With so many hikers, people will eventually start to space out. Faster walkers will get to the end sometime after 5; others will get there closer to 6. We’ll stop midway for lunch, likely in West Hollywood.

8. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE WALK IS DONE? We’ll take a group photo at the ocean… and then celebrate at a TBD restaurant. The fine folks at Yelp are helping us determine the best spot. Stay tuned for details; even if you can’t stay, you’ll want to at least stop by for a special souvenir that’s being planned.

9. HOW DO I GET HOME? Last year, we arranged for a bus to take stranded walkers back downtown — but didn’t get enough takers. We’ll throw it out again this year: The bus costs $300 — and we need to hear from enough people to make it worthwhile (and make sense cost-wise). I figure we’d need at least 10 people (at $30 a pop) to make it reasonable. If you want to join in, email franklin_avenue(at)yahoo(dot)com by Friday.

But as Great Los Angeles Walk vet Will Campbell notes, MTA’s No. 704 line runs regularly from 2nd and Santa Monica Blvd all the way to Vignes and Cesar Chavez beside Union Station. That obviously would be a lot cheaper… and would also make your return a little more flexible (allowing you the chance to stay longer at the after party).

10. WHAT SHOULD I WEAR/BRING? Loose, comfy clothing. I’d wear shorts, a t-shirt and then bring a jacket — it gets chilly in Santa Monica. Also, tennis shoes… sunglasses… a hat… sunscreen… extra socks… a blister kit (optional, of course — I haven’t brought one, although Band-Aids are a good idea)… and most importantly, a camera! We’ll all be documenting it and posting pics later.

11. HOW SHOULD I TRAIN FOR THIS? It’s not a marathon, so training isn’t really necessary. I suppose you should walk around your neighborhood in the days before hand… but I’d avoid any big gym routine the day before, so you’re not sore the day you’re hiking. But other than that… I didn’t train at all for the last two walks, and came out just fine.

12. WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? Why not? There’s no special reason, no charity, no protest, no issue we’re promoting — other than a passion for Los Angeles. In 2006, I organized our walk down Wilshire to mark my 10th anniversary in Los Angeles. But it was so much fun, and it was a chance to meet so many new people, that we did it again last year, down Pico. It’s the Saturday before Thanksgiving as well, so somehow I don’t feel as bad gorging on sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie a few days later. And hey, it’ll be a cool conversation piece at your holiday party.

The Great Los Angeles Walk 2008: Update

The response has been great so far — I’m expecting the biggest turn out yet for our third annual Great Los Angeles Walk. There’s still plenty of time to join in — just email us to let us know you’re coming!

To answer the two most frequently asked questions: Is it free? Of course. And is this a fundraiser of some sorts? Nope. The only cause here is “just ’cause.” We walk because we love Los Angeles, and there’s no better way to see the city up close than on foot, along with other fellow Angelenos.

Now, two notes:

– Time’s running out to order a shirt, if you want to wear it during the walk. According to Cafe Press, it takes 7-9 business days for the shirts to arrive via the cheapest shipping method. Check out our Franklin Avenue Cafe Press store to order. Again, we don’t make any money off these; as a matter of fact, we’re doing this through Cafe Press so that we don’t have to deal with money, period.

– Our Facebook event page is up. Feel free to head over there and join the list.

– We’re taking recommendations (or even better, looking for eateries that might be willing to partner with us) on where to hold the after party in Santa Monica, and where to gather for lunch in West Hollywood. Suggestions? Email or comment below.

See you Saturday, Nov. 22 at 9 a.m. sharp at Union Station!

THE GREAT LOS ANGELES WALK: Hike Santa Monica Blvd. With Us on Nov. 22

It’s official: For our third annual Great Los Angeles Walk, we’ll be pounding the pavement from Union Station to the ocean.

All told, that’s 18.3 miles — including portions of Cesar Chavez and Sunset, before marching down Santa Monica Blvd. in its entirety.

This year’s Great Los Angeles Walk takes place on Saturday, Nov. 22 — we’ll meet at Union Station and leave at 9 a.m. sharp. We’ll spend the day walking, before celebrating over food and drink in Santa Monica. (Details for the after party still to come.)

In 2006, we walked the length of Wilshire Boulevard. Last year, we walked — and ate — our way through Pico Boulevard.

This time out, we’re sticking with our downtown-to-the-ocean theme (that ocean breeze helps pick us up in the afternoon as we inch closer to the water), and sticking with the Saturday before Thanksgiving (there’s something about walking this much a few days before stuffing your face that makes you feel better about that Thanksgiving gluttony).

This time out, Sunset and Santa Monica promise plenty of interesting sights — and we’ll even hop off the path once or twice to check out sights like the Angelino Heights Victorians.

Santa Monica Blvd. also cuts through four cities — L.A., West Hollywood, Beverly Hills (then L.A. again) and Santa Monica.

Above, in a pic from Will Campbell, Great Los Angeles Walkers kick things off at the start of the 2007 walk.

Wanna take part? Simply email us at franklin_avenue@yahoo.com. Leave us your name and email address… and we’ll keep you informed of details.

Meanwhile, we’ve already got several different Great Los Angeles Walk 2008 shirts ready for purchase via Cafe Press. (We don’t make a dime on these, we only uploaded the image just in case you wanna show off your feat.) Check out our Franklin Avenue shop here. You’ve got a week or so to order if you want to wear the shirt to the walk.

Walking in L.A.: Plenty of Opportunities in the Coming Months

Looking for some practice before this year’s Great Los Angeles Walk?

Several other bloggers are planning big walks over the next few weeks:

– MetBlogs L.A.’s Will Campbell and Julia Frey are planning to march down all 26 miles of Western Ave. this Saturday. Check out details here.

They’ll be meeting at Fern Dell Park (at Fern Dell Drive, the first street east of the Western/Los Feliz bend), and end at Friendship and Bogdanovich Park.)

– Franklin Avenue reader Scott Trimble is heading up the Location Managers Guild of America’s Route 66 Project, which begins Nov. 9 with a stroll down a chunk of Santa Monica Blvd.

Event will begin at 8 a.m. at the Santa Monica Pier and wind up at Barney’s Beanery. The walk will be followed up by five more, and then a nationwide roadtrip to Chicago. “These events are open to Location Managers, other members of the film industry, and the general public — really, to anybody who has an interest in Route 66 and its history,” he writes.

– And then, don’t forget to reserve all-day Saturday, Nov. 22 — the Saturday before Thanksgiving — for our third annual Great Los Angeles Walk! Details to come.

SAVE THE DATE: The Great Los Angeles Walk 2008 Is Saturday, November 22

(Pic from the 2007 walk by Will Campbell.)

I’m starting to hear from a lot of you, wondering if the Great Los Angeles Walk will return for a third year. The answer, of course, is YES.

As usual, we’re throwing it the Saturday before Thanksgiving — it’s a great way to get some exercise in before gorging on turkey or other fixings the next week — so clear the day now. It’s Saturday, November 22, 2008.

We’re still hammering out which street to hike this year, following up on Wilshire (year one) and Pico (year two). But like past years, it will be an all-day event, leading to an afterparty at (or near) the beach.

Stay tuned for details!

Tu Ciudad, Mi Fotografia

I took this photo of a City of Los Angeles manhole cover during the Great Los Angeles Walk, amused by the “Made in Mexico” notation. If you know anything about Los Angeles history, you know that’s true — even if, in this case, they’re literally talking about the manhole cover.

Tu Ciudad editor Oscar Garza was amused, and asked to use it in the mag. Hence, my first photo credit in a major magazine (outside of the two I’ve worked for, Variety and Electronic Media, where photos of mine have appeared as well).

The photo, which was published in Tu Ciudad’s March issue, is paired with a short essay by Daniel Hernandez:

It’s not often you get a cultural lesson from a piece of municipal property, but this actual manhole cover plainly conveys the essence of Los Angeles, day after day, politics and media games aside. The message, etched in steel, is not a call by Chicano nationalists for a reconquest of the American Southwest. It is simply a statement of fact.

How? History tells us that L.A.’s roots and soul were indeed made in Mexico, but so does the present. We’re reminded in the way the city is laid out, along the former boundaries of old Californio ranchos. We’re reminded in the flavors and sounds of the cultural landscape — la comida, la vibra. In the faces of the people, who come in every shade of brown mismatched with black and white and yellow and red and everything in between.

Today, Glenn Beck, Lou Dobbs, Jim Gilchrist, and hordes of faceless lieutenants in the relentless hate-talk war against “illegals” too often cloud our historical perspective. In Los Angeles — the undisputed capital of modern-day Alta California — even our manhole covers are smarter than that.