On Saturday morning, more than 20 LA Times subscribers came from near and far to join me on my first-ever subscriber hike.
We met at San Pascual Stables in South Pasadena. The dusky, hazy June weather was perfect for hiking. Our trek was only 2.0 miles, but we covered a lot in our two and a half hours together. As we meandered along the Arroyo Seco River watershed, surrounded by fields of yellow mustard, showy purple penstemon stalks, and feathery clusters of Matilia poppies, we exchanged tidbits of trivia about the history of the area and the architecture of the three great bridges we crossed.
We stopped at Casting Pond on the Lower Arroyo Seco Trail to take a break and take a group photo.
(Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times)
We discussed The Times hiking guide and exchanged opinions on some of the trails it introduced. When we arrived at the Lower Arroyo Seco Habitat Restoration Project, Richard Lewis, lead ecologist for the environmental consultancy Psomas, gave us a short talk about the flora and fauna there.
Many furry friends joined us on our hike.
(Deborah Vankin/Los Angeles Times)
I had the opportunity to get to know my subscribers better and it was heartening to see the connections participants were making with one another. The group of about 30 people relaxed in small groups and pairs while discussing work and family. Others spoke about the role hiking played in their lives. One participant shared how her partner had died and hiking had helped her fill the void. Another woman confided how scared she was to hike alone and asked for safety advice. Some people walked alone, lost in thought.
Psoma ecologist Richard Lewis, far left, gave a talk about the local flora and fauna.
(Deborah Vankin/Los Angeles Times)
During the event, I learned as much from the attendees as they learned from me. I came away with some story ideas. And, according to my iPhone, we walked about 8,700 steps. Not bad.
If the Arroyo Seco was the star of this hike, then an unexpected supporting character appeared: the hiking vest rig, which is actually a dog trainer’s vest with plenty of pockets and carabiner clips, that I made a video about a few weeks ago.
I was also happy to show off some of the hiking accessories I stock this bag with, including a waterproof reporter’s notebook with an elastic cord, a phone strap to secure my iPhone in my pocket, and a foldable water bottle.
But the most frequent question from nearly everyone who attended was: “Is The Times going to do this again?”
We hope so. Stay tuned for details on upcoming subscriber hikes. In the meantime, check out our hiking guides or subscribe to our outdoor newsletter, The Wild.
Stay safe and stay hydrated.