Running
After circling Griffith Park 26 times, I realized that the
downhill stretch from the saddle to Greek Theatre was injuring
my right instep. Rather than aggravate it by applying even more
downhill force to the foot, decided to simply run around Los
Angeles and see what I could see out my front door.
Diary
- Tue, Apr 3, 2001
- Area bound by Beverly, 110 Harbor Freeway and 6th St.
Neighborhood at Carondelet and Council with two blocks of
charming bungalo houses. Saw the existing Belmont High
School (as distinct from the unfinished Belmont
Learning Complex, sitting ontop of a toxic waste dump).
Watched a soccer game on the 3rd St. hill just across from
downtown (dirt field). Went into lobby of a huge apartment
building that's now a re-habilitation center. Saw future
site of the Wilshire Center Skateboard Park (now a
dirt lot with a bulldozer).
- __ mi (__ k): Lots of zig-zags... east on 6th, north on
Hoover, Council St., Rosemont, Temple, Roselake, Beverly,
Lake, 3rd, Crown Hill, 2nd, Lucas, 3rd, Alvarado, Ocean
View, Rampart, 6th, Vermont and 5th.
- Tue, Mar 13, 2001
- Ran around Rosedale Cemetary and Chapel of the
Pines (Washington/ Normandie/ Venice). Back of
Silvestri Studios on Washington Blvd.; a large open
window gave view of several workers preparing (painting?)
Disney statues. There was a hazy fog in the room that
looked beige from the lights, the Disney characters were
pure white and about as big as the men working on
them. Papa Cristos at Pico & Mariposa looks like a
landmark restaurant and food store, just north of a large
Greek church. Man with brick throwing it as hard as
he could against a palm tree. Not down by I-10, but in the
nicer part of Koreatown, where several elder, homeless
black man "live" (more roaming lately, and very down &
out). One of his homeless blankets next to him on the
sidewalk. He felt threatened, preparing to defend himself,
holding his own on that part of the sidewalk. After
running right by him (w/ eye contact), he landed a good
one on the palm tree.
- 5.2 mi (8.2 k): south on Catalina, over Wilshire, south
on Berendo, under Interstate-10 to 24th Street. Turn
around and head back north.
In the beginning, my route was in Griffith Park. Park car near
the golf course clubhouse just downhill from the Greek
Theatre. Hang a right along edge of the golf course. Hang a left
over the gate to begin the uphill climb, past two water tanks
and the scenic overlook. Lots of bikers and joggers use the old
blacktop road that circles the park. Great views of
Interstate-5 and the Los Angeles River, of downtown L.A., of
Glendale, of Burbank, of the Verdugo Mountains, of the Front
Range of the San Gabriel Mountains, of the rest of the Angeles
National Forest on up to 10,000+ foot Mt. Baldy. Just a little
more uphill to the saddle, and soon the HOLLYWOOD sign
comes into view. Then Griffith Observatory and simultaneously
the downtown skyline. Through the tunnel and then down a
tremendously steep incline to Greek Theatre and the car (or
motorcycle).