6th Street Bridge by Mark Indig, winner of FoLAR's Photo Contest 2009

…scheduled for this Sunday with Friends of the LA River was just announced by an email from Jenny Price, copied below….

The first-ever ALL-VALLEY LA River tour! — w/Friends of the Los Angeles River
Sun. May 16  9:00am – 4:00pm (option to leave midday)
Carpool tour – Headwaters to Griffith Park, with Thai noodle-shop and Cuban bakery stops

Everyone in Los Angeles has seen the LA River, and has heard that it’s being revitalized. But who knows where it is, exactly–and what exactly is happening on its banks?

On this Friends of the LA River tour, we’ll walk and drive along the river, as we talk about its central role in the city’s history and the necessity of the ambitious ongoing revitalization to LA’s future.

The tour convenes at Bette Davis Picnic Area (across the 134 from the Griffith Park zoo–map below), where we form carpools, and stops at the mighty headwaters in Canoga Park, the verdant beautiful stretch in the Sepulveda Basin, the 1/2-mile-long Great Wall of LA mural and new Tujunga Wash Greenway, and the new park projects through the neighborhoods and film studios in Sherman Oaks and Studio City and beyond.

We’ll eat lunch at an excellent Thai noodle shop en route (other options too–or feel free to bring your lunch), and we’ll end with an optional stop at the legendary Cuban bakery Porto’s.

Led by Jenny Price. Car-caravan tours –$20 members/$25 non.  Nonprofits and students–contact FoLAR for member rate.  Group rate available.

Bring snacks and water and sun protection.  Dogs welcome.

Spaces limited, and advance sign-up required–Contact Shelly at mail@folar.org or 323-223-0585. Webpage with more info.

Meeting spot: Bette Davis Picnic Area, which is a little piece of Griffith Park ACROSS from the main park on the NORTH side of the 134 and the river.  Meet and park on Rancho Ave. (~ across from ~ 1540-50 Rancho). Please arrive  NO LATER than 8:30am. Carpools will leave promptly at 9am. (MAP)