Adam Kurtz

We didn't quite know what to expect, but judging by the buzz on facebook, the human party was not to be missed. So missed it we did not.

The directions were google maps that had been drawn on, with arrows and notes like "go around the gate." We park the car up in the hills near-ish to the Hollywood Sign and Lake Hollywood, in a neighborhood otherwise not accustomed to young ruffians like ourselves. The hill in front of us looks more like a mountain and we wonder, are we really going to climb this beast? We had been told it was about a half hour hike in, but usually that means 10 or 15 minutes.

Oh no, it was a half hour. For thirty minutes we trudge up a nearly vertical path of loose rocks and dirt, imminent death to our right the entire time. A few times we pass folks on their way down, one of whom says "oh you still have a long way to go" and the other says "if you guys are hiking down at night, i'm worried for you and your skulls." That was uplifting.

But despite profuse perspiration and questioning our life decisions, we summit, and there is a gathering of about 50-75 people with drinks, food, instruments and couches. Who the hell brought couches up, we were known to wonder aloud. But this was a killer party, probably because every single person there was unified in having made the hike. You earned your attendance, and it rewarded you with being a gathering of great people with music performances and a breathtaking view of the sunset, and a zip line.

What? yes, there was a zip line that sent you out seemingly over the lights of north hollywood to a hill over yonder. The safety disclaimer was effectively "you're an adult, so don't be a dumb ass" and there was actually some organization and 'veterans' of the zip line who took turns suiting up us rookies. Luckily we had the presence of mind to sign up soon after we arrived, because we still had a near 2 hour wait. But it was worth the wait. Just to take the 10 second scoot over across at a near post-dusk time of night with orange lights shimmering under you.

For a little while I was rockin an acoustic bass with whomever was performing. The killer set was when some guy played classic hits like Smells Like Teen Spirit and Sweet Dreams are Made of These i think. Pretty hilarious. Also, a transcendent jam with mikey p on the kit (a snare and hi hat, and yes, someone brought that up the mountain!) and another dude on tamborine, and me still on the bass. We mesmerized over a damn funky mikey p beat!

The gathering was going strong until it was broken up by the cops. But this wasn't your standard cop break up, it was cop helicopter circling the hill shining its flood light on the hill and shouting threatening things over a megaphone. If you gotta have the cops come, make them come via helicopter. Then everyone single filed down the path, slipping and falling to certain death. I held my lantern i had brought specifically for the occasion high aloft, shining the path. The moon helped too, and we made it down safely. The camaraderie was contagious, and laughs aplenty, and the party epic.

Definitely a great I Love LA evening if there ever was one, and there ever are them.