Tom Carroll, the bespectacled, skateboard riding host of Tom Explores Los Angeles, is partnering with the city of Santa Monica for a tour of the city and its history. Participants will cover ground both on foot and by bicycle.
According to the event page, the "tryathalon" (swimming does not seem to be a component) will cover "7,000 years" of the beach city’s history, "from Native Americans to Spanish exploration, from Mexican ownership to dusty American settlement." It’s free to tag along, but those wanting to go will need to RSVP.
Those without a functioning bike need not worry. The event seems in part designed to showcase Santa Monica’s bike share program, which will celebrate its first birthday next week. Sponsored by GoSaMo—the city’s marketing campaign to attract riders to alternative forms of transportation—the tour will stop by a Breeze Bike station before switching into cycling mode.
This will not be the first time Carroll has led a tour in the LA area. In 2015, he led a group down the entire 16 mile stretch of Wilshire Boulevard. In an interview with KPCC, he explained that he envisioned the eight hour tour as "a way to understand how large Los Angeles is." He also showed groups of people around the La Brea Tar Pits back in January.
The tour is scheduled for Sunday, August 21 at 10:30 a.m. Guests are encouraged to bring plenty of sunscreen and an "explorer’s spirit."
Update: If you are unable to attend the tour, don't fret. The city of Santa Monica is working with Carroll on an audio version that will be available on the GoSaMo website after the 21st.