Touring * Fitness * Artistic *

From Interstate 405 (the San Diego Freeway) in Culver City, exit onto the Marina Freeway (Highway 90) and follow it toward Marina del Rey. Turn left on Culver Boulevard and then right on Highway 1/Lincoln Boulevard. One block down, turn left onto Fiji Way and follow it as it curves around to Fisherman's Village in Marina del Rey. Parking fees are charged by the half hour, but it's free if you get your ticket validated at a shop. Map: Los Angeles County Bike Map, available for free by calling (213) 244-6539.

The Ballona Creek Trail runs along the banks of one of the nicer flood control canals in Los Angeles. Starting where the creek meets the Pacific at the mouth of the Marina del Rey harbor, the beachside portion of the trail extends southwest nearly half a mile on the top of the breakwater, delivering great views of the harbor to the north and of colorful multistory dwellings across the channel's rocky banks. From the coast, the trail takes you inland toward Culver City on a 10-foot-wide asphalt path that provides many thrilling dips under overpasses. Except for a few serious cyclists, the Ballona Creek Trail receives little traffic, making it a great location to bring along your ski poles for an allover workout on the flats using cross-country skiing techniques. And of course, the underpass dips (usually paved in smooth concrete) are a delight, allowing skaters to switch to downhill slaloms. Starting from the Fisherman's Village area, look for the trail entrance near the terminating loop of Fiji Way, south of the village. A few strokes brings you to the intersection at Ballona Creek. Turn right to skate out on the breakwater. The section of trail from here to the bridge across the channel is part of the route connecting the shoreline bikeway in Venice Beach (see South Bay Trail: Santa Monica to Marina del Rey, page 323) to the bikeway at Playa del Rey (see the next listing). At the bridge, continue skating on the breakwater to the end of the pavement, about a third of a mile out. It's a fine spot to stop for a moment to enjoy the cool breezes and watch the gulls and pelicans. Unfortunately, another breakwater protecting the entrance channel blocks a view out to sea. Back at the intersection near Fisherman's Village, continue inland on an eight-foot-wide asphalt trail on the rockbound levee above Ballona Creek, at this point full of water. For the first mile, a wide, grassy floodplain is beyond the chain-link fence to your left. After the initial chain-link section, the post and cable fence to your right is attractive and unobtrusive. After the canal passes under the Marina Freeway, the scenery changes to residential, ranging from modest homes to tenement housing. Ballona Creek is reduced to a mere trickle here, but the trail's pavement quality actually improves. Near the Marina del Rey Middle School, the trail crosses a wood-surfaced bridge to continue inland another couple of miles through Culver City neighborhoods.