Leave your house.
Pedal away from El Molino.
Cover 4 blocks until Arroyo Seco
Turn right and cross several lanes to hit the farthest lane.
Stop, at the stoplight.
Light turns green.
Pull left onto Colorado Ave.
Start whipping between the ridiculously slow cars while gazing down the shops and shoppers as you cruise along. It's heating up outside. People are out, dressed all pretty.
Take a moment to reflect on your dirty shirt, holey shorts and awesome Chacos.
Stop at the stoplight just before Borders
Look to the right.
See the tall Cathedral jutting like a stack of archaic blocks in the northern sky.
Enjoy the view, smiling.
The light turns green.
Keep going
Cross the bridge over the leftovers of 134 South.
Cars on the road have thinned to none
The empty road is yours.
Dance and sweep between street, sidewalk and grass.
Ignore the empty red lights
Push up the little hill
Pass the Jaguar dealership, Ralphs, and Museum
Head towards the intersection of Orange Grove and Colorado.
Start to feel free.
At the top, the light is red.
Cross over Colorado
Perch up next to the pole.
See the orange trees and open lawn.
Wait.
Cars zoom by. Occasional looks your direction, nothing certain.
Wait patiently, breathe deep.
Realize this is a good time to take off your shirt.
The sun is bright, the sky blue
Tear off your white dirty shirt
Let your torso be lit by the low-hazed summer sky.
The red hand turns to a little green man.
Step on your pedals and loose the chain from its gear
Grind your old bike forward until the momentum picks up
Zoom through the intersection.
On your left is more lawns.
Pass the stone drinking fountain on your right.
Enter the walkway.
You're now on that long beautiful bridge running over the valley, just beneath the Ritz Carleton hotel
Begin to cross the bridge.
To your left is the long valley of the Arroyo Seco river
To your right opens up the vast glory of the valleys of Glendale
They lie nestled in a cup beneath rising mountains to its north, east and west.
See the cursive sign reading ROSE BOWL.
Look for a split second
Feel a twinge of fear that you might catch your pedals on the bridge dividers and fling yourself towards the cement pillars on either side again (see also: your horrendously unfortunate bike accident in 2007)
Keep going.
Reach the stairs on the other side, leading under the bridge.
Stick your foot on the pillar just before the top step
leap off your bike
turn it upsidedown
lift it over your head
carry the whole thing down the flight of steps
remember training for your backpacking trip to Mono Pass
reach the bottom
flip the bike back over
leap on.
Pedal down the hill in front of you.
A car or two whizzes by.
Release the handlebars
Let your balance take over
Stretch your arms out on either side.
Stand up on your bike
Pretend you're a bird flying close to the downhill road.
Pick up speed!
Start flapping your wings like an eagle diving for prey!
Sing!
Reach the stoplight at the bottom
Sit back down.
Pedal to the right onto the bridge ignoring the red light.
No cars are on the bridge with you.
Cross with the luxury of taking any lane.
At the farther end, see a little dirt trail pulling off to the left.
Approach, get dangerously close to the metal pole and turn onto the descending dirt trail.
Pedal downhill with fervor!
Birds and squirrels will run out of your way like with Link running to the Master Sword in the Lost Woods.
(smile arrogantly at your awesome reference)
Duck under the low branches of the old oak tree
Speed into the open park of the Aquatic Center.
You're almost there!
Large pine trees block the sun overhead
Keep pedaling forward!
The park opens up into a massive parking lot full of kids going to their swimming classes and parents pushing strollers.
Dodge the strollers and make eye-contact with 3 or 4 kids and parents,
Continue to pedal over the sundrenched parking lot.
At the farther end, look at the cursive ROSE BOWL sign within 100 yards.
See the track that runs around the whole stadium.
See the massive golf course just on the other side.
Cross the mostly-empty road with a huge grin on your face
Pull onto the track
Look up happily at your beloved deity, the ROSE BOWL sign.
Be happy because you've made it!
Now enjoy the track, stop and play in the grass, climb atop the bathroom stables, watch the kites flying, dodge the swooping remote control airplane, do yoga in the park, recite Shakespeare monologues to the rabble (aka overgrown grasses) and even explore behind the golf course if you feel so bold. Congratulations, you've found one of the many amazing natural playgrounds deep within the desert valleys and canyons surrounding Los Angeles.
Enjoy!
Next time:
How To Get Back
love Mikie
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