June 2, 2012 -- 8AM -- From One Wilshire to the Sea
We're walking a big L.A. street from one end to the other this spring! In the past we've done Pico, Santa Monica, San Vicente...and now we are returning to the classic Big Stroll, first completed by my father-in-law Norm Palley and some buddies of his from Rand. This year we're returning to the "original" in honor of the opening of the new Expo line: we will be walking Wilshire. If you want to take the Expo Line, please meet us at the La Cienega station at 7:15. Fare is $1.50 one way to the Metro and 7th Station. We'll walk to the corner of Wilshire and Grand (between 7th and 6th) and set out at 8AM.
The great news about Wilshire is that not only is there the Red and Purple Line trains that take us as far as Western, but the 720 Metro Bus travels the length of Wilshire. Returning to Culver City is a snap because the Metro 534 back to Expo, or Metro or Big Blue Bus back to Culver City. www.metro.net will help you figure it out!
We'll do an easy pace over the 15.5 or so miles: we usually stop for coffee, lunch in Beverly Hills (I'm thinking Kate Mantilin's), and again for a cold drink in the afternoon. We should hit the ocean around 3:30 or 4:00.
The LA Conservancy has published a great guide to Wilshire right here...
Many years ago, my father-in-law worked at Rand in Santa Monica. He and his colleagues made it a practice to walk the length of Wilshire Blvd., about 16 miles, on a Saturday each spring.
Great idea, right? That Rand crew wasn't the only one to have it...in 2006 some folks calling themselves The Great Los Angeles Walk did the same...and then in 2007 they traversed Pico. If I remember correctly, they were intrigued by food critic Jonathan Gold's project to eat his way along Olympic (which eventually lead to his winning a Pulitzer Prize...hmmm). Read all about it on their blog...no news on whether or not they did Olympic this year.
Personally, I think the all-time classic was this one...but we don't have the time or the gear to do it this way...
Anyways...watch this space for the 2009 edition...or do it yourself! The LA Conservancy has published a great guide to Wilshire right here...
...although they cheated. They told people to use the bus and Metro....
From Silverlake to the Sea!
June 4, 2011 -- 8AM ... The Santa Monica Blvd Stroll!
Hey Strollers! It's that time again!
This year, we're doing Santa Monica Boulevard...from Silverlake to the Sea! It's a slightly shorter walk than the Wilshire stroll: only about 15.8 miles. We'll be gathering at Intelligentsia Coffee Shop at 3922 West Sunset, right near the beginning of Santa Monica Boulevard, at 8AM on June 4th.
Need some help getting to the start from where you are? Use the handy MTA Trip Planner, right here:
...that way we'll know to expect you! Also...I'll send you my cell so you can call if you get lost.
PAST EVENTS!
October 10, 2010: 10:10:10 at 10:30 AM!
The Big Stoll does CicLAvia!
10-10-10 marks the day a giant urban park will unfurl across Los Angeles: CicLAvia will provide a car-free, bike and pedestrian-friendly, 7.5 mile thoroughfare. Having strolled Pico and Wilshire and San Vicente...we're going to take on CicLAvia: from East L.A. to the Vermont corridor.
We'll meet near the northern end at the NE corner of Vermont and Wilshire (you can park in the all day lot at 6th and Wilshire, or anywhere in the neighborhood). Meet at 10:30 AM at the Coffee Bean there…right above the Red Line station @ Vermont and Wilshire.
We'll jump on the Metro and ride it as close to the Southeastern end of the CicLAvia route, and then walk the whole route from Hollenbeck Park to LACCC near Heliotrope and Melrose. Total distance will be around 9 miles, but you can always bail around 6-7 since that's when we'll pass Wilshire & Vermont.
You (or maybe your kids) can bring bikes and or scooters since you can take them on Metro trains. An all day Metro pass is now $6, or you can pay $1.50 for a one-way ticket…up to two children ride free with an adult.
Join The Big Stroll for an adventure across the face of L.A. ... from the corner of Pico and Main in Downtown Los Angeles, to the end of Pico near Shutters in Santa Monica.
START: We will meet at the SW corner of Pico and Main...the official address is 107 West Pico...there's a Metro PCS store there. This is the section of the Fashion District that specializes in sporting goods, esp. team jerseys, caps, and so on. Alas, there are no convenient coffee shops, etc. ... but Pico is FULL of great food! We will start the stroll as close to 8AM as possible.
If you want to travel with us to the start, we'll be starting off near Main and Venice in Culver City...you can park in our neighborhood if you like...or get the bus with us somewhere along Venice. We'll start by hopping on the MTA #33 (local) or the #333 (express) along Venice Blvd., and meeting up at Pico and Main at 8AM.
Need some help getting to the start from where you are? Use the handy MTA Trip Planner, right here:
We'll be walking at a moderate pace, stopping to eat and explore whenever we feel like it! We should be in Santa Monica by about 3 PM, and will then take the 33 or 333 back home (or to our cars).
...that way we'll know to expect you! Also...I'll send you my cell so you can call if you get lost.
Last Year's Crew: The Two San Vicentes...
Big Stroll 2009 took across the city along San Vicente! We started near Crenshaw and Venice (where San Vicente was formed by the Red Car heading north to Beverly Hills), and followed it to where it ends at Sunset Boulevard. From there we cut through Beverly Hills and Westwood to pick up the SECOND San Vicente which runs from the VA to the Pacific Ocean. Great crowd this year!
Many years ago, my father-in-law worked at Rand in Santa Monica. He and his colleagues made it a practice to walk the length of Wilshire Blvd., about 16 miles, on a Saturday each spring.
Great idea, right? That Rand crew wasn't the only one to have it...in 2006 some folks calling themselves The Great Los Angeles Walk did the same...and then in 2007 they traversed Pico. If I remember correctly, they were intrigued by food critic Jonathan Gold's project to eat his way along Olympic (which eventually lead to his winning a Pulitzer Prize...hmmm). Read all about it on their blog...no news on whether or not they did Olympic this year.
Personally, I think the all-time classic was this one...but we don't have the time or the gear to do it this way...
Anyways...watch this space for the 2009 edition...or do it yourself! The LA Conservancy has published a great guide to Wilshire right here...
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