On Saturday, November 21st, beloved local blog, Franklin Avenue, is holding its 4th annual urban hike across Los Angeles: The Great Los Angeles Walk 2009.

The walk, which starts in downtown and ends at the ocean, comes bundled with “no agenda, no cause, no special reason,” according to the organizers. It’s literally just a walk in L.A.

As a person who thinks L.A. is a great place to walk – we’ve got the weather, the terrain, the cardiovascular capabilities – this is an idea I fully endorse.

What’s more, walking is the foundation of the Metro lifestyle. Transit expects and requires a certain amount walking. Take a look at the great transit cities around the globe and you’ll notice that their sidewalks are filled with pedestrians. This is no happy coincidence. Since transit requires some walking, you’d better get comfortable with it, and what better way than with a 14-mile walk with friends.

This year’s walk begins in the Historic West Adams neighborhood at the Shrine Auditorium on Jefferson Boulevard.  There’s no Metro Rail to the Shrine Auditorium… yet.  Phase 1 of the Expo Line is slated to at least partially open sometime in 2010, and there’ll be station right there. Until then, the nearest light rail stop is the Metro Blue Line Grand Station (1.3 miles away, about a 25 minute walk), and there’s plenty of buses serving the area.

Bus Lines to the Shrine Auditorium

From the Metro Blue Line Grand Station/ Downtown/ Culver City/ Eagle Rock/ Highland Park/ South LA
Metro Line 81
Metro Line 38

From Echo Park/Westlake
Metro Line 200

From South Gate/Baldwin Village
Metro Line 102

The walk will go down Adams and Washington for about seven miles to downtown Culver City, where walkers will stop for lunch. If you need an escape at this point (as one reader requested), two Metro bus lines serve this area.

Bus Lines from Downtown Culver City

To Downtown/ Mid-City/ Palms/ Mar Vista/ Ocean Park/ Venice/ Santa Monica
Metro Line 33/333

To West Hollywood/ Beverly Hills/ Cheviot Hills
Metro Line 220

The next seven miles will  lead walkers down to Venice Beach and there’s a post-hike event planned but the location has yet to be named. For those looking to get back home from Venice using Metro, there are several bus lines that will do the trick.

Bus Lines from Venice Beach

To Santa Monica/ Culver City/ Mid City/ Downtown
Metro Line 33/333

To Marina Del Rey/ Culver City/ Windsor Hills/ Hyde Park/ Chesterfield Square/ Los Angeles/ Florence/ Huntington Park/ Maywood/ Commerce/ Pico Rivera
Metro Line 108

Remember, for exact transit directions please use Google Transit or the Metro Trip Planner to plan your trip. Hopefully this guide encourages you to participate in The Great Los Angeles walk and to use Metro to get to and from the event, making it a car-free day in L.A.  What a concept!