FEB 22: PASADENA to AZUSA
Posted: February 28th, 2010
I guess you can call it a sunny orange afternoon when walking through a cloudless environment in which you’re given fresh-picked oranges all along the way. Today turned out this way.
Carlos and Erin had a tall orange tree in the backyard, from which they invited us to take as many with us as we could carry. Of course, we knew we’d be receiving more oranges from George before leaving town, so can you imagine refusing the opportunity for an extra load of delicious fresh citrus gems..? (We did.)
Carlos dropped us off at the George L. Throop Construction Company, which was only about a mile from his home. Shay and I spent at least an hour there listening to George answer our questions about the history of the business, show us around the construction yard, explain to us the concrete focus of the business, and tell us about his pitching days with the Houston Astros. George and I then got some pics in front of the company signs– a fun post for the day to the website.
After about an hour with George, he dropped us off at the intersection of Colorado & Fair Oaks, where we’d last left off on foot, and it was on to Azusa from there– some 25km away.
We spent the rest of the day walking to Azusa, passing through the cities of Arcadia, Monrovia (HQ of TJ’s), and Duarte along the way– each only distinguishable by roadside signage.
Just after dark, our host Couchsurfing host Kyle met us in Azusa near Route 66, about a mile from his very musical domicile. I first shook Kyle’s hand while upside down, as Shay and I were spending a few minutes propped up against a wall with our feet in the air. The inversion state feels beneficial to our feet after so many miles of pounding the pavement.
We reached Kyle’s place, and ended up meeting over a half dozen friends and roommates, all in their early 20’s, each of whom were a band member or otherwise heavily involved in the arts. They were a fascinating bunch, and being around them definitely brought back those fun college crowd memories…
After having started the day with oranges, we ended it with pears, yogurt, and other goodies…
21-FEB: SILVER LAKE (L.A.) to PASADENA
Posted: February 28th, 2010
We began the morning by eating a fresh, tasty bagel & steel-cut oats breakfast compliments of Tom & Kristen. Kristen showed us some of the super-charming kitty-cat cards she’d designed with photos of felines + flowers, fixed and formed with nifty software. She gave us some for the road!
Shay and I enthusiastically took them up on their offer of attending Hollywood’s Farmers Market with them. We joined them to the many blocks of delicious fresh citrus (proof was in the samples), veggies, prepared foods, and jewelry. I walked away with some three pounds of tangerines, but later found myself questioning how quickly I’d be able to eat them, after having sampled from nearly every booth for blocks. (Oh well.)
We set out for our 20k walk to Pasadena just before noon– knowing we’d be able to make it there well before dark.
WILL THE REAL GEORGE THROOP PLEASE STAND UP?
I had entered into contact with George L. Throop III (I am George C. Throop IV),
Though I’ve never met another Throop who is not a family member, years ago my dad (George III) had met another George Throop III, President of the George L. Throop Construction Company in Pasadena, CA., after learning of him through their throop.com website. On my way to Mexico in February of 2007, Dad, my brother Ryan, and I all joined George for lunch before continuing through the area.
Funny coincidences: both George Throop IIIs were born in 1950; their George-Throop fathers were born in 1924; their sons Ryan were born in 1977. Unlike Dad, Pasadena’s George didn’t pass the name on to any George IV; apparently there was enough confusion within the family construction business, which has existed for over 80 years, over which office call was for which George. (As my paternal grandparents had lived with us for a while during my upbringing, I remember the triple-George confusion quite well.)
George is an incredibly nice guy. George and Marcia, his wife, invited us to dinner at Le Grande Orange, a classy restaurant in Old Town Pasadena.
After dinner, they showed us around town. We drove by Caltech, formerly Throop University, founded by Amos Throop in 1891. We stopped at the Throop Church, a Unitarian Universalist church, for a pic next to the sign.
They ultimately delivered us to the cute, cozy, fixed-up home of Carlos & Erin, our well-traveled, full-of-great conversation Couchsurfing hosts.
Parting with George truly did feel like parting with family. We promised to be in contact the following day– George was going to bring us a sack of oranges, and we’d stop by the business to visit him there and pick up the oranges.
Another great day complete; more to come…
20-FEB: On to SILVER LAKE (LOS ANGELES)
Posted: February 21st, 2010
Nothing like just meeting someone on the side of the road and then coming to spend the night at their house, eh..?
The “official” Santa Monica departure was from the pier this morning, and photographers from two local newspapers came to shoot us. We spent at least an hour and a half with Brandon then Margaret, the two fun photographers. To our great fortune, the 50% chance of rain and slight chance of thunderstorms in the morning had all passed the night before, when heavy rains seriously got underway at about 8 PM. As luck would have it, this was about the time that I stopped walking last night– at the corner of Santa Monica Blvd & Normandie St.
Santa Monica Couchsurfing host Dan accompanied Shay and me to the pier for the event, and after the photographers were finished with us, we went back to Dan’s to prepare for the rest of the day. It took a while to leave Dan’s, and after doing so, a bus was taken back to Santa Monica & Normandie, where the trail was picked up exactly where it was left off last night, and I moved on to Silver Lake.
Tom and Kristen Abraham, who had stopped in the storms of Big Sur to say hello and take our picture, had stayed in touch since then, and invited us in for the night. We took them up on their invitation, and Shay and I are spending the night here. Kristen walked the last mile with me to the house, which is in a very quaint neighborhood just a few blocks from Sunset Blvd. Tom & Kristen invited us both to dinner at one of their favorite local restaurants, and a lovely, energetic octagenarian neighbor of theirs joined us.
We stayed up into the night for hours chatting away, and I look forward to the Sunday morning Hollywood Farmers’ Market that Tom will be taking us to before we walk on out of here to Pasadena.
Yes, we’d spent not even a minute talking to Tom & Kristen in Big Sur– it was raining too hard for them to get out of the car. But Kristen added me on Facebook, seemed trustworthy enough both during and after that first minute, and we never thought twice about accepting their warm invitation on our way east to the Atlantic…
Great times!
19-FEB: WEST HOLLYWOOD to WESTLAKE (LOS ANGELES)
Posted: February 20th, 2010
I logged a few miles today without Shay. Shay has walked from Santa Monica to downtown L.A. in preparation for walking with me. So, as far as I’m concerned, I’m catching up to miles she has already walked. Therefore, as she caught up on personal+joint business, I went alone to the crosswalk we both left off at in West Hollywood, on Santa Monica Blvd., and walked a circuitous path through Sunset Blvd and Hollywood Blvd until ultimately dropping back down to Santa Monica Blvd and Normandie St., where the rain began pouring as I awaited the bus with a half dozen other locals. (Thank goodness for streetside awnings!)
I’d once been told by L.A. expats that, unlike Portland and Vancouver, locals here simply do not talk to each other on the bus. Well, boarding the bus with signs saying “WALKING ACROSS AMERICA” must drastically twist those social norms. Three separate conversations presented themselves to me as a result of people seeing the signs– despite the fact that I’d taken them off before boarding the bus back to Dan’s– tonight’s host in Santa Monica.
18-FEB: Off-the-route day at Xan’s
Posted: February 20th, 2010
Catching up on contacts, planning, and rest…
Local media contacts were made to inform them of the Walk’s official west-to-east departure from the Santa Monica Pier on Saturday, 20-Feb., at 10 AM.
17-FEB: Off-the-route day at Xan’s
Posted: February 20th, 2010
Catching up on contacts, planning, and rest…
16-FEB: SANTA MONICA to WEST HOLLYWOOD with Shay…
Posted: February 20th, 2010
We’d been talking the talk, and today, we decided to see how well we’d do together, walking the walk.
Shay and I walked a good ten miles from Xan’s apartment to West Hollywood.
Shay’s tough, and I’m much more convinced now that she’s ready for the long miles ahead of us. We’re both aiming to walk across America, and it would be nice to walk it together. We have a lot to learn as the miles roll on, both about the upcoming challenges of the Walk, as well as about each other. ..
15-FEB: Goodbye Colin; Hello Shay
Posted: February 20th, 2010
Colin Leath had business to take care of in Santa Barbara, and had only devoted himself to walking as far as L.A. with me. He was unsure what the future would hold for him afterward.
Shay had been planning to meet me since we’d met each other in person in Portland, over my Christmas-New Year’s break at home to see the family. Shay was inspired by the Walk, and spoke of joining me. I didn’t know that she’d actually do so, until she beat me to L.A.
Colin left in the morning, after we’d walked a hundred miles together. Shay arrived in the evening, ready to walk across America with me.
14-FEB: Stepping into SANTA MONICA on Valentine’s Day
Posted: February 20th, 2010
I’d been waiting for months to meet Xan (Zan). She’d invited me in after seeing a friend of hers mention the walk from Santa Cruz– so since 14-Dec in Santa Cruz, I’d been waiting to meet her and rest up at her place in Santa Monica. I even sent a number of items forward to her from Carmel, so that I could catch up with them all upon arriving.
Katie joined us up and out of Woodland Hills this morning into the trails of Topanga State Park. She released us from there, and we proceeded on, high between the San Fernando Valley and the Pacific for most of the day, until dropping down into Santa Monica only an hour or so after dark. The hills were so beautiful and peaceful, that after spending the day and early evening there, I didn’t feel ready to come down all too fast. Commitments had been made though, so down we came.
We met Ryan Powell at the bottom, in Temescal Gateway State Park. Ryan had been in contact with me through the previous weeks. He was about to start his own walk across America, and had spoken with me about possibly joining me from Santa Monica. We finally met in the park, and after a couple of hours of in-depth conversation, it was simply decided that our aims and approaches to our respective walks differed enough to not realistically make them compatible. Therefore, we wished each other well, promised to stay in contact, and amicably parted.
Xan had a concert to go to, which didn’t end till after midnight, so she suggested we hang out at Hollywood Swingers Restaurant to wait for her. The restaurant is a cool place, and Colin and I treated ourselves to dinner on what was our last night of walking together.
Xan showed up just after midnight– we met, hugged, and all went back to her place for the evening.
13-FEB: SIMI VALLEY to WOODLAND HILLS (L.A.!)
Posted: February 20th, 2010
Salim joined Colin and me for today’s 15-mile hike up and across the narrow roads of Box Canyon and into Woodland Hills. It was the first time he’d taken this walk himself, and it’s easy to understand why– as canyon road portion of the walk was not at all pedestrian friendly.
The views were great in the sunny, 80-degree weather, however, as we climbed up and over the hills. I didn’t know that Woodland Hills was officially within Los Angeles’ city limits, so to my surprise, today was the day that I reached L.A!
Kevin and Katie, who had read about the Walk in the Ventura County Star, invited us in to stay the night.
We attended a housewarming party with them on the other side of town, and later interviewed for Katie’s blog: Where the Sidewalk Starts.