AwareWalk/2012

On Sunday, December 9th, 2012, the Foundation for Awarenessness will hold our first annual walk-a-thon: AwareWalk/2012. The walk begins at the parking lot of the Hollywood Bowl Overlook on Mulholland Drive and winds west along Mulholland, across the 405 freeway until ending at the entrance of the now defunct LA-96 Nike Missile Site. All told, the route is just under 14 miles long.

Click here for a link to the AwareWalk/2012 route map.

As with all Foundation for Awarenessness events, the public is invited to participate in AwareWalk/2012. You may choose to walk all or a portion of the route. Walkers will gather at the beginning of the route at 11:30am to stretch, sign a liability waiver, receive a bib number and enjoy a stunning panoramic view of Los Angeles before departing at 12 noon. Participants may also choose to join the walk in progress. The walk can be located by simply driving along Mulholland while keeping an eye out for walkers on the side of the road. Also, our public awarenessness outreach coordinator will be on the route live-blogging the event on theFofoAw facebook page with text, photos and location updates. This way you can follow along virtually and offer your words of encouragement and support via social media in case you are unable to do so in person. Make sure to “like” our facebook page to stay abreast of these updates. You can also follow us on Twitter!

Tentatively, the walk is scheduled to end at 5:00 pm with a small celebratory reception at the finish line. The public is invited to join us at this reception whether or not they participated in the walk. Healthy snacks and beverages will be provided.

If you plan to participate by walking in the AwareWalk/2012, please keep the following tips in mind:

1. This route is very dangerous. Most stretches of Mulholland Drive have no sidewalk and often have little to no shoulder to speak of. Large portions of this road are not intended for pedestrian use. Therefore, participants should be constantly aware of automobile traffic which will be passing by very close to their persons, often at great speeds. There will be no street closures in affect for the event and a form exempting the Foundation for Awarenessness of any and all liability in case of injury or death must be signed. Therefore, walkers will participate in AwareWalk/2012 at their own risk.

2. This walk is physically challenging. Not only will participants be negotiating hazards such as speeding cars, crumbling pavement and dirt roads, but the route itself is mountainous with a good deal of climbing and descending. During the final three or so miles of the route, in particular, walkers will encounter significant elevation gain along with a potential loss of light as the sun will begin setting prior to the scheduled completion of the event. It is highly recommended that participants be in good physical condition if they plan on walking a significant portion of the AwareWalk/2012 route.

3. This is a non-supported event. Except for some snacks and refreshments provided at the end of the route, all participants are expected to bring along their own water, food, and equipment. The following is a list of items that we recommend participants consider bringing along depending upon the distance they intend to walk and their personal needs and preferences:
- Water (at least 1/2 liter for every hour of walking)
- Sports drink or salt to replenish electrolytes
- Food / snacks (some healthy snacks are power bars, raisins or nuts)
- A good pair of broken-in hiking or running shoes
- Cushioned, breathable socks
- Comfortable, breathable clothing (avoid cotton)
- Jacket or sweater (light layers work best) Check the weather beforehand!
- Sunglasses and/or hat
- Sunscreen and lip balm
- First aid kit (including moleskin) & any needed medications
- Runners lube or Vaseline (for chafing)
- Small backpack or lumbar bag
- Trekking poles
- Flashlight or headlamp
- Cell phone
- ID, health insurance card, emergency contact info.
- Emergency cash
- A plan to get safely home or back to your car
- Trowel

4. There are no officially designated “facilities” along the AwareWalk/2012 route—so please plan accordingly.

The Foundation for Awarenessness looks forward to seeing you at AwareWalk/2012 either as a participant or just as a supporter along the route or online! Feel free to contact us with any questions about this event or check out the facebook event page for more information.

AwareWalk/2012 will be taking place as part of Los Angeles Road Concerts: Mulholland Dérive. More information on this day-long event of site-specific performances and installations along the entire length of Mulholland Drive can be found on their website.

Ride for Awarenessness @ CicLAvia this Sunday

This Sunday, October 7, 2012, join the Foundation for Awarenessness for a group bike ride to promote Awarenessness @ L.A.'s premier open-streets festival, CicLAvia! We'll be meeting up at 11:00am at the Grand Park Hub on Spring Street (between 1st & Temple) next to the CicLAvia info booth—look for the Awarenessness volunteers in magenta T-shirts. Also, check out the CicLAvia website for a map and more info about this great event.

***All Ride for Awarenessness participants will receive an official FofoAW button!***

Our ride will begin by heading south to the Expo Park Hub where we'll have some lunch before heading out to explore the rest of the route together. Feel free to meet up with us along the way—just email us (awarenessness(at)gmail.org) to receive a cell phone number you can use to contact us the day of the ride. The CicLAvia route officially re-opens to car traffic at 3:00pm, but all Ride for Awarenessness participants are invited to join us for an after party (details will be made available at the ride itself.) 

If you've never been to CicLAvia before, there's a great artle for first-timers on the CicLAvia blog. But for the purposes of our ride, you'll need the following:
- A bicycle in proper working order (we will be able to do minor bike repairs on the ride in case you have an unexpected mechanical failure, but you should check that your bike is in good repair if you haven't ridden it in some time)
- A helmet (only mandatory if you are under 18 years old)
- Comfy clothes and sun protection (a hat, sunglasses and/or sunscreen)
- A water bottle (there will be bottles for sale along the route if you don't have one)
- Some cash for food and refreshments (there are numerous food trucks and restaurants that line the route)

Also, in the interest of increasing your awareness of bicycle safety, here is a very dated, slightly offensive and extremely strange video to help you stay safe out there on the roads. Remember: look out for monkeys!

Complete a Public Awarenessness Survey, get a free button!

On Saturday, September 29th and Sunday, September 30th 2012, the Foundation for Awarenessness will be conducting a Public Awarenessness Outreach event in Downtown Los Angeles.  Volunteers will be asking the public to complete a brief survey in  exchange for their very own FofoAw button. 

Information collected during this outreach campaign will be used to inform future Foundation for Awarenessness projects and events—so let your voice be heard! You are invited to participate  this weekend at the following times and locations:

Sat. 9/29 from 1pm to 4pm @ Pershing Square Metro station (Corner of 5th and Hill Streets)
Sun. 9/30 from 1pm to 4pm @ 7th St. Metro Center Station (Corner of 7th and Flower Streets)

***Look for the volunteers with the magenta shirts and clipboards!***

This event is also part of the Artmageddon LA project which encourages Los Angelinos to leave their cars at home this weekend and instead walk, bike or use public transit to check out the rich array of art and cultural offerings available throughout the city.