the runners and support vehicles will head down Colorado Blvd. to Pasadena and their first pit-stop at the Rose Bowl,

home of the UCLA Bruins and the world famous New Year's Day Rose Parade.

After a short rest period and switch of runners, the Torch winds it way through Pasadena, towards Downtown Los Angeles and Chavez Ravine.

Our next stop, Dodger Stadium,

in Chavez Ravine, marks the half-way point, of our Run.

The Start of Leg-3 is a downhill run towards DownTown.

Crossing over Sunset Blvd and passing Echo Park. The run also goes past The Daily Racing Form offices and The Staples Center(DownTown). Emerging from DownTown, it is a short run to our third pit-stop at the L.A. Coliseum(home of the USC Trojans).

This stop includes lunch and a tour of the Coliseum, where the 1932 & 1984 Summer Olympics were held. The 4th and last leg, runs past The La Brea Tar Pits and through the "South Central" area of Los Angeles. The crowds line the streets heading to Hollywood Park. This last leg, tests the endurance of the runners, who are moving slowly as they reach the Hollywood Park parking lots. Which also houses the L.A. Forum(former home of the L.A. Lakers). After a short rest, we head in to enjoy a Friday night of races. While the Torch Run is the culmination and highlight of months of planning. The most difficult part of the planning process, is picking a team! It is a fine line of Residency politics and logistics, to field a team of worthy participants.

Management is a tricky thing. Trying to please 30 different personalities, can be impossible and is why at our Residency, most decisions are put to a vote. In this case that was impossible.

So I delegated that responsibility to our member, with the most "Sim" experience and arguably the most successful trainer(texasace). Hopefully this will prove to be a wise decision?

Only time will tell! In addition to the Equinics festivities, Los Angeles can be a diverse tourist destination. From the nightlife in Hollywood and on the Sunset Strip.

To the daytime Family Resorts of DisneyLand, Knott's Berry Farm and Six Flags "Magic Mountain". For those looking, for a more low-key outing. You can visit the Art Museums, Museum of Natural History and the Griffith Observatory. With all the possibilities, Los Angeles can be a daunting experience. Being small and one of the newer Residencies, you can only imagine what this opportunity means to us. It is the equivalent of Jamaica making the Winter Olympics, back in 1988. I can only hope our experience is equal to or greater than theirs. While we have scraped and clawed our way up the Residency Standings, this could be a pivitol moment for us and one we don't take lightly.