Hurray for Hollywood!

I was invited recently to go Hike to the Hollywood sign with a group of gals this past Saturday. I am a lifetime resident of California and Hollywood to me is still like a Tourists attraction . I used to hang out in Hollywood quite a bit in my early twenties at the clubs,restaurants,to watch bands, bars and even when I worked on a few movies as an extra but since marriage and children I very rarely get out there..especially in the daytime but when I do I feel like a tourists ..and hiking to the Infamous Hollywood sign was something I never did before and knew I could not pass up!

We met up early to Caravan to the destination with the gals at the Cerritos Mall in the Macy's parking lot at 8:30am sharp. Thelma picked me up early and we went to jamba juice to get some pre exercise Jamba juice to give us the extra boosts we needed for a good work out. When we arrived the dirt path to the parking area there were two ways to go..One to the Hollywood sign and One for Horse Rentals...(which Horse ride is a must someday).

There was many levels and we did many breaks in between...well at least Thelma,myself and Jen did. The other two girls hike frequently so this was a cake walk for them.

We need to get Up there..this is a zoom shot..it really was much further.

Jen and Thelma..this was just a very nice shady tree area that seemed to be perfect for a rest. I had to get my Ipod going to so we could have some music to listen to on this 5 mile hike.

We are getting closer...This trail was all pretty much UPHILL!! There was just one small amount of pathway that was not. The trail had some paved roads but a lot of dirt roads too.

Lots of interesting bushes along the way...I was curious what the heck this was...

Jen and I...we were trying to figure out what city this was behind us...Burbank possibly??

I thought it was kinda cool seeing these random strands of red flowers on the mountain sides.

We made it!! Almost there...

At the big Satellite tower..There was one more little hill top to climb to be at the very Top

WOO HOO!! We made it!!

Over looking Hollywood from the Hollywood sign!

We were so happy we made the whole trek.

We didn't have champagne but this nice Ice cold water worked just fine. We all relaxed up there a little while with a bunch of other hikers in aww taking pictures of their accomplished treks to the top. We all enjoyed a nice granola bar too. Thank goodness they hike back was ALL DOWN HILL!! It was a cake walk back..a nice cool down really.

On the top we noticed one of the backyards down below had something written ..I zoomed in and this is what it read.....NICE If you can't tell what it reads it says "Tourists go away"

Back down hill we had to take one last photo

Luckily we found a stranger nice enough to do a group shot of all of us.

I bet this hike would be perfect in the fall!

After we got back down and chatted for a bit on the next group hike we got in the nice AC of the car and Thelma took me home. Man we were so eat up looking..our faces were red and swollen looking. We felt great though ..it was a wonderful work out!