Runyon Canyon

The view from part-way up! Today a friend and I went hiking. Right here in the middle of Los Angeles. Yep. I'd always heard of the mystical 'Runyon Canyon'. Celebrities boast of exercising there. People talk of Saturday mornings running the hills. But for some reason, I envisioned it as a far-off place I probably would never get to. Until my friend informed me that it was just down the street from our church and very easy to get to. And a gorgeous hike.

She was right on all accounts. We parked on the street and walked to the entrance. Easy as pie. There were people there, yes, lots of people but it didn't feel crowded. There were lots of dog walkers, some people with strollers, older people, younger people, even a few celebrities (CCH Pounder and Jeff Perry). But mostly, there were just people there to hike. To walk (and occasionally run, those people were crazy!) and enjoy the quietness of the hills, the sun before it got too hot, the dirt and the grass and the birds and the insects that all seem to elude us down a few blocks into the city.

My friend and I stopped a lot. We took in the views of the city before us. We caught our breath. We made sure the footing was stable before moving upward. But we also talked and laughed and got our heart rates up. There is nothing like a goal to keep you moving and pretty much, you have to go up to go down again!

A beautiful day. A beautiful hike. I can't wait to go again!
The view from the top!