The Great Los Angeles Walk 2021 Recap: For the 16th Edition, We Retraced the Steps of Los Pobladores

A year after being socially distanced, the Great Los Angeles Walk was back in person this year, in time to try something different: In honor of Los Angeles' 240th birthday, we decided to retrace the short journey of Los Angeles' first settlers -- Los Pobladores -- from the San Gabriel Mission to downtown L.A.

We weren't sure who might show up, but the attendance was strong, as a hundreds joined us in San Gabriel for the 16th edition of The Great Los Angeles Walk on Saturday, Nov. 20. We hiked through Alhambra, and the El Sereno, stopping at spots including the Ming Ya Buddhist Association and exploring Lincoln Park. We later passed by Los Angeles County General Hospital, and the coroners office, hiked over the Los Angeles River and past Union Station, walking through Chinatown and Olvera Street before moving on to Grand Park, Spring St., Broadway, Grand Ave. and ending for a photo in front of Angels Flight. From there, some moved on to celebrate at Grand Central Market

This year's Walk eschewed our normal downtown-to-the-ocean route to try something a bit different. After a brief gathering at the San Gabriel Mission -- now being renovated after a 2020 fire -- we walked nine miles to Los Angeles' Pueblo and Olvera Street, followed by an afternoon traveling through downtown and adding on around four more miles.

Thanks to everyone who made all of the trek, some of it, or even just helped give rides to their friends. Here are some highlights from the day:

 

Bless Your Animals (Then Grace Yourself With A Margarita)

Prepping your dog or cat for sainthood? You might want to head down to Olvera Street on April 3 for the annual Blessing of the Animals.

The annual event, which takes place from noon to 5 p.m., features a procession on Olvera Street at 2 p.m., with the blessing -- done by Cardinal Roger Mahony -- immediately after.

Organizers promise live music, animal-oriented information booths, as well as "an exciting charro equestrian show, pony rides for children and a petting zoo complete with llamas, sheep, cows and other animals."

I got excited for a second -- a Churro show? Sounds delicious. Oh -- a charro equestrian show. I have no idea what that is, but I'm guessing it doesn't involve a woman playing guitar and screaming "coochie coochie" on the "Love Boat."

More info:

The centuries-old ceremony of Blessing of the Animals dates back to the fourth century when San Antonio de Abad was recognized as the Patron Saint of the Animal Kingdom. In those days, the people would take their animals to the priest to receive a blessing and ask for fertility and health. Today, Blessing of the Animals is held in grateful recognition of the tremendous services given to the human race by the animal kingdom.

This colorful celebration has delighted visitors to Olvera Street for generations. Over the years many animals have been blessed - from cats and dogs to more exotic pets such as snakes and iguanas. A cow covered with a blanket of flowers will lead the elaborate afternoon procession down Olvera Street because it is the animal which provides the most to humanity. After the procession, His Eminence Cardinal Roger M. Mahony will individually bless all pets; however, you do not need a pet to enjoy this beautiful, time-honored event.

We don't have pets -- but c'mon, Blogger Kid and Blogger Baby 2.0 are close enough.

This Is What It Takes To Get Everyone to Ride Mass Transit

Apparently, all it takes is free rides -- too bad the Metro wouldn't be able to withstand such an economic model for long.

But just like it has on opening day for all of its lines (including the original portion of the Gold Line in 2003), Metro went fare-free on Sunday to celebrate the launch of the Gold Line extension into the real Eastside.

We got on at our usual Gold Line stop -- the Mission station in South Pasadena -- and realized this may not have been the best idea. We had the baby and stroller, which were tough to navigate on a train packed with riders.

Then, the dealbreaker: As we approached the Chinatown station, a voice informed the crowd that the elevator was broken at Union Station -- and that we'd have to get off there anyway and then reboard the same train going to East L.A.

I guess that was the only fair way to get people on the Gold Line a shot at getting on the train. Otherwise, anyone who didn't board in Pasadena would have been stuck without a seat on the packed trains.



As much as we were interested in checking out the new Metro stops, and perhaps grab a tamale or lunch on the Eastside, it was just too much. The Gold Line extension isn't going anywhere --so we've decided to check it out and plop down a few bucks to ride it in the coming weekends. Piece of mind comes at standard fare.

Instead, it was margarita time (for me) and lunch time for all of us, on Olvera Street.

Happy 226th, Los Angeles!

On this day in 1781, 44 settlers walked from Mission San Gabriel and founded a new pueblo: "El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles del Río de Porciúncula."

How are you celebrating? I mean, besides grabbing a Mr. Churro at Olvera Street?