Crash Sends Two Vehicles Flying Into Griffith Park (PHOTOS)

I was riding my bike at the north end of Glendale Riverwalk this Sunday when I heard the judder of anti-lock brakes followed by several loud, dull metallic crashes. I walked to the Victory Boulevard bridge over the 5 freeway and saw evidence of a terrible multi-car accident - two vehicles had veered into Griffith Park and crashed into trees, one of them was crunched into a tree and another was overturned on its side. There were at least 4 other vehicles stopped nearby. At least one person was trapped in a vehicle. A CHP patrol car pulled up, then countless fire trucks, ambulances, supervisor vehicles, park rangers, etc. The firefighters cut away the warped door from the gold Ford Fusion and removed the trapped woman. I couldn't see exactly what happened to the SUV - several firefighters surrounded it and were doing something with an axe, but I wasn't close enough to make out the details. I haven't been able to find any more info about the accident, I hope everyone made it out okay. If you know more about the accident please post in the comments.

In this photo you can see a woman trapped in the gold Ford Fusion.

I believe the woman in blue is a nurse who stopped to help.

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A Formation of Jets Flying Over Griffith Park

On Sunday I was walking along the LA River when I saw this formation of three business jets - likely Cessna Citation Mustangs - accompanied by a single prop plane. I've never seen business jets in formation like this before. My guess is the prop plane was photographing the jets for promotional photos, probably over the Hollywood sign, as the formation looped around Griffith Park several times.

Other interesting aircraft I've spotted over Glendale include:

• the B-2 Stealth Bomber
• the Space Shuttle
• two Presidential helicopters
• a zeppelin
• a blimp and several helicopters

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A Guide For Accessing the LA River Bike Path From Glendale

A friend asked how to enter the LA River Bike Path if you're coming from Glendale. Several of the entrances aren't well marked, so I made an annotated Google Map:


View LA River Bike Path Entrances near Glendale in a larger map

via Fairmont flyover/Glendale Riverwalk:

Towards the north end, you can take the Fairmont flyover bridge from Glendale towards Dreamworks. The bridge, which looks like a freeway bridge but is in fact perfectly legal to bike on (and almost entirely empty), will deposit you on Flower near Dreamworks. From there, you can enter the brand new (and lovely) Glendale Narrows Riverwalk, which ends at the Bette Davis Picnic Area. Cut across the park, cross the Riverside Drive Bridge towards Griffith park and you're at the northernmost entrance to the bike path.

via Chevy Chase:

Take Chevy Chase Drive west until you hit the river. You'll find the newly expanded and re-landscaped North Atwater Park. You can ride the east bank of the river alongside the LAPD stables and the Los Feliz par 3 golf course, which will deposit you a block away from the Los Feliz Blvd entrance to the bike path.

via the Sunnynook Footbridge:

From Los Feliz or Glendale Blvds, take Valleybrink or Glenfeliz to Sunnynook Drive and head west. You'll find a footbridge that connects to the bike path.

from Glendale Blvd:

Stay right (heading UNDER the bridge) at the split for the Hyperion Bridge. The entrance is on your right - watch out for the lip of the curb.

the hole in the fence just south of Los Feliz

BONUS - to access the quiet, pretty, not-really-a-bike-path route on the eastern bank of the river between Glendale Blvd and Los Feliz Blvd:

you have a few options:

• The Sunnynook Footbridge (see above)
• A hole in the fence (!) just south of Los Feliz Blvd
• From the south side of Glendale Blvd you can walk UNDERNEATH the Hyperion Bridge (it can be a little creepy) and you'll be right on the eastern riverbank.

I regularly walk the scenic east bank between Los Feliz and Glendale Blvd and wish there was a more welcoming way to access it than looking for a hole in a fence or ducking under the Hyperion Bridge. Get on that, city of LA!

Let me in!

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Huell Howser's Visits To Glendale

I'm heartbroken to hear that Huell Howser has died.  We should all follow his example and explore our communities with open hearts and minds.

Here are some places Huell visited in Glendale:

A "carnival of belly dance" at the Glendale Civic Auditorium -

The Sylvia Woods Harp Center, which used to be located on Glendale Avenue.  (The Sylvia Woods Harp Center is no longer at that location, but is still in business online and by appointment in La Crescenta.)


Huell did an entire show on pita bread, which included a visit to Phoenicia Restaurant on Central Avenue. (low-quality video)


Huell donated his archives (as well as a Bond-villain worthy modern house on top of a volcano in the middle of the desert!) to Chapman University, which maintains a website with full video of many (but not all) of his programs. Here are the Glendale-specific episodes available online at the Chapman site:

• Glendale (California's Communities)
• Larry Larson Music Store (Visiting)
• The Glendale Quilt Show (Visiting)
• Tuba Christmas at The Alex (California's Gold)

The archive also has an entry for a visit to Porto's but the video link wasn't working. I'd love to see that episode and see behind the scenes there.  I know Huell made many other stops in Glendale, including visits to Forest Lawn and Leslie Brand's secret pyramid grave.  Hopefully those episodes make it online soon.  Where else did he go in Glendale?  Let us know in the comments.

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