Bike Every (Satur)Day In May
Thread started by
Agent Orange at 04.23.10 - 2:13 pm
It started last year. I’d come off a pretty lackluster April bike-wise and I vowed to “Bike Every Day In May,” which I did… but that’s not the point.
The point is that besides all the regular workday commuting I did throughout that month-long endeavor, the weekends were for fun, involving a series of group rides that I organized, accompanied usually by a few intrepid souls. So. with April’s impending demise I’ve decided to go sorta 2nd Annual up in here with “Bike Every (Satur)Day In May” and you’re welcome to come along for the rides, which you’ll find listed chronologically after the jump…
All rides will start and end at the same place: SilverSun Plaza in Silver Lake at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Parkman Avenue.
Ten Bridges Re-Ride10 Bridges Ride (Backwards) – We’ll cross all 10 L.A. River bridges between Vernon and Chinatown, except unlike past editions of this classic zigzagger, this time we’ll be reversing course starting at Chinatown and heading south. Breakfast afterward at the World Famous Blue Star Restaurant in the Scrap Metal District where we will toast bridge builder Merrill Butler’s name several times. About 17 miles. Leaves at 10 a.m., May 1.
Watts Happening Ride – To Watts Towers and back with various stops at a couple dramatic shootout spots, a Nobel Peace Prize winner’s childhood home, and the Central Avenue Jazz District. Lunch at King Taco. About 30 miles (halfway option available via Blue Line return). Leaves at 10 a.m., May 8.
The Frank Lloyd Wride – A tour involving the famed architect’s four Hollywood Hills residences: Ennis, Hollyhock, Freeman and Storer. There will be climbing. Probably a stop on the way for nun-baked pumpkin bread from The Monastery of the Angels, with Musso & Frank’s after for flannel cakes, baby! About 20 miles. Leaves at 10 a.m., May 15.
The Two Rivers Ride – A metric-century plus extravaganza involving the breadth of the Real Eastside’s Whittier Boulevard to the San Gabriel River to Seal Beach to Long Beach and back up the Los Angeles River. Lunch at Wurstkuche. About 65 miles (halfway option available via Blue Line return). Leaves at 8 a.m., May 22.
The Black Dahlia Historic West Adams Mosey – We’ll see where Elizabeth Short was last seen alive, journey to where her remains were found and then venture through the living history of the West Adams District. Tacos at El Parian. About 30 miles. Leaves at 10 a.m., May 29 (which also happens to be my birthday so let’s partay).
I reserve the right to stop at and point out various socio-cultura-historical locations and/or read awkwardly from poorly organized notes gleaned from the googlenets in an effort to get you to share my appreciation for them. Helmets encouraged; functioning bikes and the tools/equipment required to fix flats expected. No rider left behind. Pace is casual/moderate. Laminated spokecards will be distributed.
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bump for the black dahlia ride, but all looks awesome!
Jeff Yess04.23.10 - 2:25 pm
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Looking forward to some of these rides. I did the FLW ride last year but had to drop off because of my poor choice in bikes....Folding bike <> hills and 20 miles......
Foldie04.23.10 - 2:27 pm
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Oh, man. I want to do all of these rides!
Marking them down and hoping to do as many as possible.
The Bridges and Two Rivers are the most attractive to me.
Creative Thing04.23.10 - 3:14 pm
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Just realized, the Two Rivers ride is the same day as the Amgen Tour of California time trial in downtown.
It starts at 1:00 pm, so the ride will be a great warm up to viewing the race.
In!
Creative Thing04.23.10 - 3:17 pm
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I take it you've got the folder with 20"s.
I rock one with 26"s and high psi's for putzing the distance.
bentstrider responding to a
comment by Foldie
04.23.10 - 3:23 pm
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Fo Shizzle my nizzle all up in here! Will! Can you bring your ride back to Bike Town Beta?!
Roadblock04.23.10 - 3:30 pm
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SO EXCITED for MAY!!!! I remember missing the FLW the first time around!
Gizzard04.23.10 - 5:20 pm
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this sounds amazing.... Gee will there be sponsors? I was hoping to get a massage halfway through the ride. I'll also be looking forward to all the corporate handouts along the way. BTW, anything more than 10 miles I require sag support , kthnxbai!!!
j/k awesome idea though
sancho104.24.10 - 12:17 am
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Sancho. You'll no doubt be excited by the news that I've lined up the following sponsors:
Bandini Fertilizer
Tucks Medicated Pads
Mike D Plumbing
Immodium AD
Krispy Kreme DogNuts
As to the massage, I'm working on a deal with a Thai place near the start
Agent Orange responding to a
comment by sancho1
04.24.10 - 6:46 pm
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this is relevant to my interests...
tfunk40804.28.10 - 1:30 am
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bump
for the return and mutation of IAAL-MAF-styled rides. always a good time....
champagne04.29.10 - 11:49 pm
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Any way to join in 'round Chinatown today?? :)
alicestrong05.1.10 - 7:59 am
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Ten Bridges was full of win. Thanks for a great ride. Can't wait for next week.
Foldie05.1.10 - 2:35 pm
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Thanks for a great ride this afternoon and introducing me to Blue Star. I hope I can make it to the other Saturdays.
SkeletonKey05.1.10 - 3:32 pm
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Seriously an awesome time! :) Great group of people too!!! Cant wait for next sat!!!!!
Gizzard05.1.10 - 3:43 pm
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There are few things more full of WIN for me than days like yesterday when I can share my love of cycling and city discovery with others. My thanks to all who turned out
If anyone's interested I posted online the ride notes I infamously forgot:
here
Agent Orange05.2.10 - 8:45 am
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Last Saturday’s “10 Bridges Ride” was chockfulla awesome and graduated another exceptional batch of riders into that realm of rare angelenos who’ve purposefully pedaled across all the spans over the LA River between Chinatown and Vernon for the fun and history of it (my woefully lacking Flickr set is here, my friend Kay’s much better one is here.).
For our next trek, this Saturday (May 8) you’re invited to saddle up with me and venture south for what will be the fourth edition of the famed “Watts Happening Ride,” which will chart a course from Silver Lake to the awe-inspiring towers of Simon Rodia and back, with a food stop scheduled afterward at King Taco on Washington Boulevard.
Along the way to and from the Watts Towers we’ll see and hear about:
* The childhood home of Nobel Peace Prize winner Ralph Bunche
* The historic Central Avenue Jazz Quarter and its focal point the Dunbar Hotel
* Black Panther Party’s LA headquarters, site of the infamous five-hour shootout between LAPD and members in 1969
* The location of the 1974 SLA/LAPD shootout
* The location of the arrest of Marquette Frye that sparked the 1965 Watts Riots
* The home of Eula Love
* The flashpoint of the 1992 riots
* The baseball field Wrigley built before he built Wrigley Field
Same as last week the ride will gather in the parking lot of SilverSun Plaza on the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Parkman Avenue, departing at 10 a.m. State budget cuts have left it unclear if the Watts Towers will actually be open and available for tours, but if they are and you want to get up close to the landmark bring $7. If I had to guess, I’d say the total casually paced ride time will be in the neighborhood of five to six hours. Route comes in at about 32 miles (
charted here via gmaps). If schedule or stamina doesn’t permit you doing the entire roundtrip, at least think about riding halfway (about 14 miles) with us down to the towers where you can then return downtown via the Blue Line’s nearby 103rd Street station.
Agent Orange05.5.10 - 6:37 am
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AO:
Flickr links did not resolve. Please post again when you get a chance. Thanx....
My pics posted on MR
here
Foldie responding to a
comment by Agent Orange
05.5.10 - 9:45 am
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Excited to finally make it to one of these.
PC responding to a
comment by Foldie
05.7.10 - 4:09 pm
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looking forward to this tour of south central tomorrow
superblueman305.8.10 - 12:34 am
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Just got a flat. Any way u guys can wait?
31069467343
Gizzard05.8.10 - 9:42 am
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this ride starts in 5 mins and I'm still in my PJs ...
AO, you ever gonna do any flake oriented rides that start at like 11 or Noon.
how about one that starts around 12:30 and is like 2 blocks from my house. That would be perfect. I live by hollywood and western. okthxbai.
have a great ride early risers ... i'm about to make me some hot coco.
trickmilla05.8.10 - 9:57 am
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i left a ride early and woke up early so i could make it here, only to get a flat a mile and ahalf from the start point.
fuck my life
superblueman305.8.10 - 11:17 am
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Another great ride....thanks AO.....Trick and Super you guys missed out on a fun adventure. Looking forward to next week.
Foldie05.8.10 - 5:01 pm
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Thanks again for the Watts Happening ride. It was well worth being up at the crack of 10:00 AM on a Saturday. Due to another engagaement I won't be able to make next week's ride but there's a good chance I can make the one after that.
Ridazz, if you're on the fence about dynamiting yourself out of bed for these things, don't be. You'll get a good ride in and maybe even learn something. Zoom whee.
PC05.10.10 - 12:16 am
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Thanks Foldie and PC and everyone else on last Saturday's "Watts Happening" ride. It was righteous. For anyone interested you can read my
copious notes cribbed from the internest
With next Saturday scheduled to land shortly we will be venturing forth on the Frank Lloyd Wride, featuring bike-bys of the four Hollywood residences Wright built between 1921 -1924: Hollyhock, Ennis, Freeman and Storer houses. Along the way we'll be stopping at Frank's son Lloyd Wright's Sowden House (1926), and paying a visit to the Monastery of the Angels for anyone who's always wanted to get a loaf of the nuns' famous pumpkin bread. After the ride, anyone who wants to join me at Musso & Frank's for brunch (flannel cakes!) is totally welcome. Distance is 18 miles with some short but relatively steep climbs so geared bikes are highly recommended (tentative route map is
here).
I'm honored that members of the architecturally astute cycling group
Bikehaus will be in attendance (including my friend Mike Kwan who's celebrating his birthday that day!). And since those folks know their architectural shizzle and I'm just at best a Wright fanboy with a hooligan's defensive adoration but nothing more than a cursory level of knowledge about the man and his mansions I'm more than likely just gonna STFU then blather.
As in past rides we shall gather at SilverSun Plaza, the stripmall at Sunset and Parkman Avenue in Silver Lake, for a 10 a.m. departure.
Agent Orange05.13.10 - 7:02 am
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Bump for FLW......
Foldie responding to a
comment by Agent Orange
05.14.10 - 12:33 pm
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Yes another Full of Win Wride. Hills didn't kill me but they tried. Thanks for another awesome adventure.
Foldie05.15.10 - 4:36 pm
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DANG! that pumpkin bread is SO yummy!
Once again another great ride! Thanks Will :)
Gizzard responding to a
comment by Agent Orange
05.15.10 - 5:03 pm
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Totally my pleasure, ladies and gems. Your support for my shenanigans is greatly appreciated!
Agent Orange05.16.10 - 11:53 am
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We had some awesome turnouts for the first three rides, but I'll bet May 22's Two Rivers Ride, this fourth of my five (Satur)Day ride series is definitely going to separate the cruisers from the crankers. Not only because it's an uptempo-paced doozy -- a 65-plus miler that will take us east out Whittier Boulevard to the San Gabriel River to Seal Beach through Long Beach and then back inland up the Los Angeles River -- but it's also starting WAY to early for most sane people:
7 A.M.
There's a logic to such a loony mad new start time. See, the 7th Stage of a little bike race called the Tour of California will be in Los Angeles that afternoon for individual time trials run along a 21-mile boomerang route between downtown to the coliseum and back. So my plan is to get me (us?) back to the Arts District in time for lunch at Wurstkuche so that we might spectate some of them perfeshunal pedalers as they zoomzoom.
If you're not with me, than you're sleeping in and missing the fun.
Agent Orange05.19.10 - 4:38 pm
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I tend to have “breakfast” at 2pm and lunch at around 8pm… sooooooooo when you say “in time for lunch” what does it mean? I have to be in Angelino Heights at 3pm – wondering if I can make this ride.
Kakihara responding to a
comment by Agent Orange
05.20.10 - 10:48 am
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@kakihara I'm figuring about a five-hour timeframe for the ride so that'd put us back in the Arts District south of downtown somewhere within the 12-1p.m hour.
Agent Orange responding to a
comment by Kakihara
05.20.10 - 4:36 pm
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I'll be there I also want to get a glimpse of the Tour of California and the metric century sounds nice but what time are we starting 7AM or 8AM?
BWiize responding to a
comment by Agent Orange
05.21.10 - 8:21 pm
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ah! well, hope you are having a lovely ride Mr. Will, I went to bed at 5 am sorry to have missed this one.
Kakihara responding to a
comment by Agent Orange
05.22.10 - 10:41 am
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AO:
Sorry couldn't make it out, but am looking forward to the final installment next week.
Bump for Black Dahlia Ride.
Foldie05.23.10 - 7:10 pm
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Well the first four are behind us: 10 Bridges, then Watts Happening, then the Frank Lloyd Wride, followed by last week's 70-mile Two Rivers trek to Seal Beach and back. But there's one more Saturday left in May and I've saved what I hope is the best for last. Full of history and mystery, the Black Dahlia/West Adams Ride will feature landmarks of triumph and tragedy as we work our way back in time and across town:
We'll head out from Silver Lake to the Biltmore Hotel, the last place Elizabeth Short was seen alive. From there here's some of what we'll bike to and see:
* Stimson Residence
* St. Vincent de Paul Church
* Chester Place/Doheny Mansion
* 2nd Church of Christ Scientist
* Jackie Robinson's 1947 Residence
* Diamond Widow Murder Site
* Leimert Park Site where Elizabeth Short's remains were found
* Black Panther Mural
* Marquis Residence ("Six Feet Under" House)
* Medal of Honor Recipient Walt Ehler's Post-War Residence
* Marvin Gaye Murder Site
* Rindge Residence
* Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery
After visiting the cemetery there's a change in itinerary. Originally I was planning to go grab a lunch of my favorite tacos at the awesome El Parian in Pico-Union before heading back to Silver Lake, but since Bike Town Beta is taking place that afternoon in the neighborhood surrounding Pan-Pacific Park, I'm heading over there instead and see what's up with that.
As usual, we will gather Saturday morning at SilverSun Plaza (Sunset Boulevard & Parkman Avenue, Silver Lake) for a 10 a.m. departure. The route (mapped here) between Silver Lake and Pan-Pacific Park is about 23 miles. If I had to guess I'd say it's going to take somewhere between four to five hours to cover all those places along the way. Hope you can join me.
Agent Orange05.26.10 - 3:47 pm
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Sorry. Black Dahlia/West Adams Ride mapped
HERE.
PS. Apologies to BWize for the confusion regarding last week's start time.
Agent Orange05.26.10 - 3:51 pm
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No problem, I really wanted to go but didn't know what time to wake up and head out. I should be there this Saturday though.
BWiize responding to a
comment by Agent Orange
05.26.10 - 5:09 pm
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Bump
This should be a nice ride before bike town beta. AO puts on some mighty fine rides.
Foldie05.28.10 - 1:31 pm
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Ridazz Roulette!
The shit sounds legit....im there........