Thread started by tinycities at 05.10.08 - 3:43 am

man i haven't done a ride in forever.

but! im interning in echo park this summer [ i live in the scv ] and i figure because traffic blows and diesels almost 4.60 i should just metro it from newhall to downtown and then bike.. but i'm small and scared and i was wondering if any of you awesome people knew the best routes / ideas /safest ways to get from union sq [ or probably chinatown.] my internship is on sunset near dodger stadium so anyone know which streets are the most level / easiest to ride on?

i generally get pretty freaked riding by myself especially if theres traffic.

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There's really no level way to get from Union Station to that part of Sunset. It's just not a level part of town. But if you want to do it anyway, just go west on Cesar E Chavez, which turns into Sunset and you'll be there before you know it.



PC
05.10.08 - 4:31 am

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I USUALLY LIFT UP MY THUMB AND GET RIDES, FROM TRUCKS, YOU SEE, 'IT IS VERY EASY TO THROW YOUR BIKE IN THE BACK, I REMEMBER ONE TIME, THERE WAS SOME SHEEP, IN THE BACK, AND NO 'ROOM' IN THE FRONT, SO GUESS WERE I RODE?



eddieboyinla
05.10.08 - 6:59 am

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I wanted to ask you Eddie, "if you got lucky?"

Stupid question, I know you know what you are doing.



sexy
05.10.08 - 11:59 am

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LOL



eddieboyinla
05.10.08 - 1:02 pm

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EDDIE i didn't know you were from New Zealand!



ephemerae
05.10.08 - 1:47 pm

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There may be no completely level route, but the most level way to get to Echo Park starting from Union Station is to cross Alameda toward Olvera Plaza, take Los Angeles to 2nd, go through the tunnel and stay on 2nd until Glendale, then take Glendale all the way up to EXP. It's a gradual uphill most of the way.

I don't know what traffic would be like during your regular commute though, since the only times I ride to/from Union Station are either pre-morning rush hour or post-evening rush hour. I'm guessing that there could be some heavy traffic on 2nd between Los Angeles and the end of the tunnel.

The Chavez/Sunset route is more hilly, but probably gives you more space for biking when there's traffic.



nathansnider
05.10.08 - 5:27 pm

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I second the above poster.

I live in Echo Park myself and I use the 2nd to glendale route a lot because climbing cesar chavez to sunset is not something I enjoy doing everyday. Especially since the last hill to get to my house is near 30% grade.

But honestly, there is no way to get around the hills. You just have to deal the best you can.



kyber
05.10.08 - 5:41 pm

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The traffic on the 2nd to glendale rte is fairly heavy during rush hour, although the tunnel isnt usually the worst part, the section right after (when riding up to the park) from fig under the 110 up to the 2nd st junction (the bridge where 1st meets beverly, and 2nd, glendale and some other dinky st all merge) can be a bit gnarly. The lane is destroyed under the 110, and people don't usually seem to like giving room on the section from there to the junction.

Hoever it is still the easiest rte to echo park.



FuzzBeast
05.10.08 - 6:35 pm

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What's the exact intersection you need to go to ?
If you are trying to reach Sunset and Elysian Park ave, then yes that's the top of the hill, there is no way around it.
But if you are trying to reach Sunset and Echo Park you could avoid the Sunset hill.




marino
05.10.08 - 7:53 pm

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yeah its sunset and elysian.. what about from the chinatown station? which is still chavez/sunset.



tinycities
05.11.08 - 2:37 am

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Same thing. You're going up a hill. No way around it.

Why not give it a try? Maybe it won't be as bad as you thought.





PC
05.11.08 - 4:08 am

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yeah im going to. i guess i'm just worried because i haven't ridden or done any exercise in at least 6 months [ what design school does to you. ] so i'm ridiculously out of shape and im going to be biking with my laptop.. driving down sunset though it didn't seem so bad.. thought it was way worse closer to sunset junction.



tinycities
05.11.08 - 8:35 am

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yeah, it'll be uphill getting to your internship...BUT...it'll be downhill all the way BACK to Union Station!



adrian
05.11.08 - 8:36 pm

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