Day 24

Didn’t get my ‘walk,’ in yesterday. Instead my daughter and I went A TREKKIN’ And when I say A-TREKKIN‘….

Goggle Maps, go to Los Angeles, then look just north of Hollywood Blvd, and La Brea. Runyon Canyon. It’s in the Hollywood Hills, huge open land, right above Hollywood.

Usually on the gym treadmill I get excited if I can out last three miles at a '4' elevation, without falling to me knees in front of a everyone. I’m guessing, that means a 4 percent grade. Runyon Canyon, we figured about a ‘20’ with some flat places, but not many. Every exercise nut, jock, hunk, workout gorilla knows Runyon.

It started before we got there. Since it was street sweeping day, (Tuesday, street sweeping, parking only on one side of the street), we had to park way down near Sunset Blvd, the ’20’ starting as soon as we got out of the car.

And it was heavy breathing before we even got to the main gate.

There are three or four paths to the top. Depends on your ’macho-show off-insane’ level, and we got plenty in LA. We decided on the ‘easy’ route to the top, watching the Gung-Ho types run off into the brush, little paths, going almost straight up.

“Let’s take that path,” I said.

“You’ll be throwing up all afternoon, go ahead.” from my daughter. So we stuck to the main, curvy fire road. Paths not taken? I don’t think so, not today. Even the dogs coming out from those paths had their heads down, tongues lolling. Big dogs.

Then the pain in my chest, while runners, running up the hill, past us easily. Was that dust in my face?

“ We’ll catch them, “I said, “once we get our second wind.” That’s when the pain moved up into my throat. My arms had a funny feeling too, but I trudged on, bent over watching every foot step. I kept telling myself I’d rest on the way back down.

Then, FINALLY, the path leveled out, I could stand up right, and my heavy breathing subsided, my second wind. Feeling better about my athletic ability, the pains gone, no longer thinking I’d have to turn around an slink back, a lady holding twins, one in front and one in back, marched past us. We both looked at each other and laughed.

At the top, (Where’s my flag?) the best view of downtown Los Angeles. To the right, one hill over, is the Hollywood Sign, down in front is Santa Monica Blvd, you can follow it all the way to the beach, further out, way out, jets are landing at LAX. It was clear, Catalina on the horizon. Come to LA, follow the walkers up Runyon Canyon, bring your camera, and a bottle of water. Second best time you’ll have, other than Venice Beach, and they're both free.

Then Mister Bat Otto El, gray hair, no shirt, came bounding, hell bent, past me and down the other side of the hill, wildly passing people, like police dogs were after him! Crazy drunk, or he just escaped from somewhere, don’t know which. Again LA’s got lots of them.

We got back to the gate, I was feeling kind of exhilarated, but I knew the stiffness would soon set in.

“Let’s go again,” I said.

“Sure, why not? Tomorrow,“ she said. “Some do, be surprised.” That’s when the lady with the twins, marched past, going back up the hill!” Like I say in LA…

Time to put my main energy into my book. Thanks for commenting.

Until tomorrow.

Cornelius Butterfield