Venice Beach can be a “hit or miss.” I’ve visited a couple of times, and each time I’ve fallen in love with the atmosphere in general. Although, there is a crap ton of homelessness- the best part about the beach is seeing all of the crafty artists selling their creations and artwork along the strip. The random graffiti and murals are also super dope, so I tried to get as many pictures as possible. Plus, I can not forget to mention the beautiful palm trees! Minus all of the homelessness and tagging, Venice reminds me of the Virginia Beach strip back home.
As we know, I absolutely love hiking! Although, I once succeeded an extremely challenging hike back in the Blue Ridge Mountains, I have never experienced anything like Runyon Canyon. That has to be my first super hard hiking expedition that I will not visit again until I’m super fit! Ha.
Runyon Canyon is located in Los Angeles, California. I chose the hike because I kept seeing celebrities posting via social media. They made it seem like a piece of cake compared to what I experienced! The park is one of the most visited in Los Angeles. The best part about the hike were the stunning views. The challenging part were the excessively steep hills and steps. Goodness, I was never scared of heights until going uphill at a dramatic angle with little to no railing support. At that moment, I was officially afraid of heights for the remainder of the journey. Seeing the whole Los Angeles, Hollywood, Burbank, and everything else was dope and all but I needed to make that a quick trip!
The confidence I originally had slowly drifted away plus, being out of shape did not help! I wanted the hike over because I felt like I was about to pass out and fall down the hill. Not to mention, wearing a pair of old Nike Huaraches was not the ideal hiking attire. The slipping was real especially when going down a steep hill of nothing but lose rocks- I thought I was going to die. I can’t forget the numerous warning signs for rattlesnakes! Good thing I went in the winter. My motto of life is, “Live a Little” so I pushed through to the end and was satisfied once the hike was defeated!
I would recommend for those who love a challenging fitness workout or those who love breathtaking views! Check out some of my journey below:
Hiking or walking trails will always be one of my favorite recreations when possible. I tend to love most of my destinations and all they have to offer. The magnificence of nature, the mindblowing views, the serenity, the fresh air, etc. are all cool bonuses of exploring trails. I will be truthful and admit; I’m not too fond of the “creatures” that come with outdoor nature (weird? I know). When I arrive at a new site, the first thing I locate and review is an information board for animals. Most of the warnings are typically for rattlesnakes and coyotes. Alright, I’m okay with that as long as I don’t see either because what are the odds, right? Luckily, I had never encountered either until recently.
One of my latest hiking adventures officially scarred me for life. This trails located at Ed Davis Park at Towsley Canyon near Newhall, Santa Clarita. Of course, there were signs for rattlesnakes and now the weather had warmed up- I was expecting to spot one or two. At first, I was not nervous because the trail appeared heavily trafficked. Los Angeles had just reopened all trails and parks so the paths were incredibly overgrown. No biggie, let’s get this 5.6 mile travel knocked out and enjoy the rest of my day. Ha! With only a few feet into the hike, you immediately hear the snakes rattling their tails. Talk about being freaked out! My biggest concern was catching one camouflaged within the overgrown shrubs off guard. Sheesh! I attempted to move expeditiously (T.I.’s voice), but moving fast wasn’t it because although I walk consistently, apparently, I’m still out of shape!
As I’m walking, I approach a swampy mud puddle infested with bees. I’ve never been stung by a bee; I try to avoid them at all costs- PERIOD. Due to fear, I didn’t have the strength to jump, but my sister and brother-in-law accompanied me, making them my motivators for leaping across the puddle. I was terrified, closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and went for it. As I successfully jumped over the pool and opened my eyes, lo and behold, a big ass black rattlesnake magically appeared out of NOWHERE. I almost pissed my pants jumping around and screaming my head off! Talk about a panic attack. I had never been so scared in my life. I just knew I was about to have a heart attack, but I survived (barely). At that moment, I accepted I was officially on my scariest hike!
Besides the snakes, the hike was enjoyable. It seemed like we were in a jungle- just missing Tarzan. The views were beyond amazing. Had I been more fit, I would have been able to enjoy it more because those hills were killer, and my breathing was entirely off. Most of the struggle with my breathing was due to being scared of possibly running into another rattlesnake. And we did run into another snake, but he wasn’t a threat. I was trying my best to prevent an anxiety attack because I was paranoid. Once we arrived at the top, I was able to relax and calm my nerves drastically. The remainder of the excursion wasn’t as terrifying with me worried about more snakes because I knew the end was near!
I’m glad I was able to experience the hike but probably won’t return until the temperature changes, and I’m more fit!
Enjoy a few pics of my journey:
Cute little bridge at the entrance.
Tar or asphalt pits throughout the forest.
“No face, no case”
This pictures does no justice for this breathtaking view.
