The following photos were mostly taken in the past few weeks as I drove, walked and biked around the Foothill Cities — Arcadia, Azusa, Duarte, Irwindale and Monrovia — that will be served by the Gold Line extension opening Saturday.

While the train certainly offers some sublime mountain views, riders see only a slice of these cities. They’re really interesting places — a mix of old-time California village and bedroom community inextricably linked to the San Gabriel Range that rises abruptly above them.

I hope the images provide a more expansive view of the Foothill Cities and some of the people I met there.

Click on any photo for a larger view (they look better larger!) and to start a gallery view.

The above is just some of what I shot. See the entire collection here.

Like this: Like Loading...