Grand Central to Union Station - LA Style
The November 8, 2011 skate was a TNS RailSkate™, mostly along the typical NoHo2DTLA/LARP route, but we took a short trip over to the former-runways-now-streets of the Grand Central-Glendale Airport, as was foreshadowed by the Destinations article of the same name.
We had a couple of new folks, a couple of old folks an a few that are just on the cusp of becoming regulars, and after a quick vote of confidence at the start we busted a move to the Pershing Square station and hopped the 8:20 Red Liner to NoHo. We laced up and rolled out at 8:54pm, and made our way out the bike path toward Victory, cut south on Sparks and hung a left when we got down to Riverside.
Next we detoured off the usual route along the LARP and crossed under the 5 Freeway to spend a few minutes cruising the runways at the former airport. A brief docent lecture ensued, and once we were all sufficiently educated (for skaters) we headed on down the path toward downtown. We regrouped a few times; at the equestrian crossing to Griffith Park; at the pedestrian bridges across the I-5 from the park to the path and across the river from the path to Glendale; at the overpass @ Los Feliz, and at the little park at the southern terminus of the northern section of the LARP.
All in all it was a grand skate. The nearly full moon hung directly overhead as we rolled along the river, bathing the river in a pale blue that twinkled off the rippling water. Creatures and critters of all types watched us tooling along; I was even treated to a short but nonetheless fascinating "Battle of the Night Ducks". I didn't know they'd fly at night, much less chase each other around and squabble in the rushes and the cattails.
We didn't stop for grub and beverages after this skate, mostly due to a late finish, but there were some tired-assed skaters at the end of this one nonetheless. Kudos to the new guys, both of whom intimated that they had set personal distance records with us that Tuesday evening. Here's to you new guys! Hope you come back.