Walking in LA

Our apartment complex lives next to a golf course that lives next to the LA River Walk. Several years back the city created a giant walking/bike path along the river since it's apparently a major tourist attraction.  I guarantee you've seen it in multiple films. That racing scene in Grease? LA River.

It's pretty spectacular to see mountains in the background, quite different from the view of fields.

The only problem? Walking next to a golf course is dangerous. See those two tiny people on the path ahead? Nearly assassinated by a runaway golfball. Ah well, now I can tell everyone that "danger" is my middle name.

 And the trees along the water? They're actually part of the land in the MIDDLE of the river. The LA River runs very shallow in parts. Those trees are also the home of River People. Seriously.

 Another fun challenge of walking in LA is the horse manure from the horses that live at the equestrian center a block from our apartment. I promise we live in a city... just a very strange one.

See?

 And if you're really awesome, you can Wild West your way through the river with your horse, from the East side of the path (see above pics) via these dirt ramps. Traverse the raging LA River, the scary River People, and go to the West side of the path. There's also a tunnel that goes under the highway and, I believe, over to Griffith Park (that GIANT hill in the third pic).

It's great having a walking path nearby and quite motivating to get outside and move my ass. For being a city, LA desperately tries to keep a connection to nature, which, while the city is still dirty, is admirable.