Nike Hill

The marker in the top left of the image (click it for the bigger picture) is the bottom of what’s referred to as Nike Hill in Whittier and the marker in the bottom right is the top. In between those two point, it’s 1.81 miles at an average grade of 9%. To put that grade …

Silver Lake Stormwatch: February 19

Can’t say the meteorologists didn’t warn me. They certainly didn’t up-play the potential rainfall yesterday’s very cold storm might drop. Still, given how it was a-brewing aaaaaall day long and how our backyard for whatever reason tends to be the beneficiary of rainfall totals greater than the average, I harbored hopes there might be a …

Such A Winter’s Day

With a rare Friday off from my public safety training schedule, I decided to schedule my third outing since the Glendale Trail Safety Patrol started two weeks ago. I was joined by fellow volunteer Mark Kobayashi and we traversed the distance up Las Flores Motorway, making a stop at Tongva Peak before continuing on to …

Thank You Señor Rojas

I was saddened to learn today from LA Observed that master burrito maker Manuel Rojas, owner of the famed El Tepeyac restaurant in Boyle Heights, has died. Susan and I were introduced to the legendary eatery by our friends Arnold and Martha Ontes, who took us there back in 2005, under the stipulation that I …

Assisted Pull-UpDate: Multiply This Daily By 10 (To Start)

Back last September, I was apparently the only one in the world who DIDN’T know of the existence of resistance bands and how they can aid those such as myself who are pull-up challenged (meaning with my long-ass arms, weak upperbody strength and my 200-plus pound bulk I could barely do one). Since then, I’ve …

Bamboo Charlie Lives!

You might remember last September when I wrote about visiting the garden of Bamboo Charlie (nee Charles Ray Walker) after I learned of his sudden demise. If not, you can read and see about it here. Bamboo Charlie was homeless by choice and a beloved fixture in that area near the Boyle Heights Sears, carving …