Bike Riding in Los Angeles: Mostly Infeasible

Posted on by Matt Ruscigno 1 Comment

I’m big advocate of the bikeability of Los Angeles. We have great weather, wide streets, many accessible parks and a highly active bicycle social scene. A big gap in this vision is the one left by an unsupportive city. Five years ago this did not bother me so much because our numbers were small and I could understand how the demands of a fringe group of bicyclists in a car city could be easily ignored. But the situation has changed. Dramatically. We have way more rides and riders, new bike collectives and shops, bloggers, activists and a more involved advocacy group. The other Gold Standard cities, Portland and NYC, have really stepped up their game. I guess you could say I started to get my hopes up.

Then the city releases the new LA Bike Plan.

I know we aren’t Portland. I know we don’t have a whole lot of civic engagement. But this is embarrassing. And people are going fucking nuts (note 4 different links).

The Senior Bicycle Coordinator of the LA DOT then claims she knows nothing about the details of the maps or them being released. And this is the city person in charge of bicycle projects? In NYC bicycle advocates working with streetsblog.org started a campaign called Weinshall Watch to keep tabs on how then Commissioner of NYC DOT, Iris Weinshall, was actively working against bicycle infrastructure. Would a similar tactic be useful here to watch the person who is suppose to be working on our behalf? I’m not sure if I know the answer. But something needs to change. Mountain bike Hall of Famer, local journalist and DIY-advocate Dan Koeppel voiced his opinion here and as this topic makes its rounds in the blogosphere I’m sure we’ll be hearing more.

Bike night at the Hammer and Velocity

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Last night my friend Lisa, as an artist in a current show, put on Bike Night at the Hammer, which included valet parking, free vegan food and a screening of Breaking Away (see trailer below). This sounds like a typical thing to do: bikes, food, watch a film about what we do. But this was in the freakin Hammer museum! I missed the group ride out (50+) and when I showed up there were over 100 bikes inside and hundreds of people chilling in the open courtyard.

I wasn’t going to stay for the film, but am glad I did. The layered stories of how ones defines oneself, the challenges one faces in times of change, friendship, family, etc, etc. And in a theatre with 200+ amped cyclists. Thank you Lisa!

The kids at Orange 20 covered it on their blog so check that out too.

And coming up this weekend are the Velocity races. The flyer below is for all of the North American events, Los Angeles specific info can be found on our struggling website bikeswarm.org. The races are open to all cyclists, not just messengers. Ya dig?

http://www.youtube.com/v/J1jzs6dk4bs&hl=en&fs=1

LA riding and other readings

Posted on by Matt Ruscigno 5 Comments

Here’s some stuff I’ve been checking out in the internerd.

Gary, who rode Feel My Legs this year, writes about Priuses and psuedo-environmentalism. There’s a cool chart to calculate your MPG’s by bike. Remember, it’s high, but not infinite. And Joe Linton, who I ran into on the LA River trail on my way back from Echo Mountain the other day, recently wrote about the Not A Cornfield park and potential bikeway connections to the Arroyo-Seco. We are so close here in LA to having an awesome bike city. So close. This stuff gets me excited.

I was also doing some research on diet and climate impact and came across this amazing journal article (Food-Miles and the Relative Climate Impacts of Food Choices in the United States) where the authors conclude that eating a local omnivorous diet has more impact on the environment than a vegetarian diet regardless of distance the food has traveled. It’s unfortunate that the majority of localvores still insist on eating meat. It’s a lot like driving a prius. Even the United Nations has come around: Livestock a Major Threat to the Environment. The pdf for the report, Livestock’s Long Shadow is here (pdf!).

BSNYC/RTMS sums it up succinctly in this post:

The people “going green” these days are the same people who did graffiti or experimented with homosexuality at their liberal arts college–they enjoy flirting with a lifestyle they don’t understand in an environment where it’s looked upon favorably, but as soon as it becomes difficult, unsafe or embarrassing they conveniently abandon it. Fortunately for them, you don’t have to give up your car to “go green.” Instead, you just need to buy a new one with marginally better gas mileage.

Echo Mountain

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Knobbies back on the cross bike. Hit the San Gabriels out of the house
via Eagle Rock and the Rose bowl. Planned on just riding the fireroads
but the single track was calling me. “You’re going to come all the way
out here and not ride anything technical? Who are you? I thought you
were cool.”

Bottom half of Sunset ridge, Malliard canyon and El Prieto. All in
great condition. Photo from Echo mountain and a wall from the old hotel.

Hit Josef’s grand opening for the Flying Pigeon bike shop (next to
the Bike Oven) on the way home. Ate so much food a woman asked me if I
was okay.

Feel My Legs, I’m a Racer

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Riding bikes with friends and strangers, sharing my geographical knowledge of this fascinating city and ending it all with a wonderful BBQ/picnic in a beautiful park is a way I’d like to welcome Spring every year. The FML09 route map is here.

(the short sprint of a hill that is #5: Quintero. Echo Park)

FML09 went really well and I thank everyone who put work in:
Morgan, Paul and Jesse scoring, Kiecker running sweep, Max running/rocking the cargo bike, Jenny, Kathryn and Brendan handling the BBQ, Sasha and others for making great food and everyone else who jumped in and helped out when needed. And of course, all of the crazy people who showed up to ride, had a great attitude and showed appreciation. Thank you!

After congregating at the Silver Lake Farmers Market, about 50 us rolled out for the 6-mile cruise to Mt. Washington Dr, pictured above. This is a sweet, 1.4 mile climb with multiple switchbacks. It’s not a taxing grade, but is consistent and gets steeper at the very top.

Unfortunately, not every rider got to experience the complete hill and all of its worthiness. A miscommunication between myself and the scorers put them at the wrong spot. Not the top! The lead pack got there, raced for it, then someone who knew it was not the top told everyone and another ‘race’ broke out for the real top. When I got up there (haha! I wasn’t in the front pack…) we had to figure out how to score it. I made my decision after discussing it with those involved and said that if this hill made a difference in the end (remember there is only a first place) we would have a run-off. Most riders were not that concerned, but one guy threw a temper tantrum and stormed off. It bummed me out. Here is a race with no entry fee and no prizes, put on by volunteers. Is it really worth being a dick about? Multiple people apologized for him and said it is best not to have someone like that along for the ride anyway.


Next up: Eldred St (above). Some argue it is steeper than Fargo. It’s steep, narrow and in poor condition. It took out a number of people. Between hills two and three we stopped at Cycle Way coffeeshop. Note to ride organizers: It takes a long ass time for a group of cyclists to use one restroom.

Hill number three is new for this year as well: Amethyst st in El Sereno. It’s .60 miles and has varying degrees of steepness, width and road quality. It winds tightly through a small neighborhood and at the top looks like rural Central America. The crazy descent reinforces this. At this point the ride leaders are establishing themselves: Jack (who showed up to race despite the rumors), Brian (not on a mtb this year), E-rock (westside cyclocross guy) and Dean (on a sick IF cross bike with tubulars).

After a cruise through Lincoln Heights and Chinatown, we arrive in Echo Park for White Knoll, #4. This has been on FML each and every year. At 11am it was still overcast and the possibility of rain loomed. After this point the rides between hills become shorter and the reality of 10 steep hills in one morning hits.


Quintero is a .20 mile sprint of a hill (also the first photo in this post) and I went for it. Brian teasingly let me take the photo finish for third, which would prove to make a difference in the end.

Another classic climb. We start at the coffee shop on Echo Park before turning left onto this monster with its bricks and unevenness. Usually after we descend, Baxter (where the bus was stuck) is the next hill, but not this year. After descending we roll down Lake Shore to Berkeley into Silver Lake.

Micheletorena St, usually the last hill, is number 7 this year. It’s only 0.60 miles, but it varies in steepness and is visually very intimidating. No turns and only up. It’s like it will never end. No photos from this year, unfortunately. This year I linked up Micheletorena to Duane by going over the ridge to the reservoir. The temperatures are starting to rise, the sun is out and people are ready to be done. Then Duane hits as number 8. That little push up on Silver Lake is tough and then you see the massiveness of Duane. It’s a busy area with the dog park and a line of cars had to wait patiently for the last of the tacking riders, but they were cool and one guy even clapped as he drove by. Sweet.

Thee Fargo as hill number 9 is cruel. But logistics ruled and that’s where it ended up. It’s gotten fame in the cycling world from the LA Wheelman hill climb and is a doozy. 32 percent?! Above the lead group hammers up.

The hammering wouldn’t last as even the strongest riders had to tack near the top. Dean is killing it out in front while everyone else does a coordinated bike dance. It was great to watch these guys battle it out, as the points were still close. From here a short ride lead us to the back of Elysian Park and a 1.6 mile climb up Stadium Way to the glorious finish.

E-rock, Brian and Jack on the slight downhill before it picks up again.

Brian would end up taking the last hill, which left him and Jack in a tie! Oh no, exactly what I was worried about happening. We considered a one-on-one battle up this last hill, going back to Mt. Washington, a banana-eating contest, a dance off…..but it ends up both were too hungry to care and we all went to the BBQ and didn’t think about it again. Awesome.

Chillin.
Kathryn and Brendan grill some big franks and veggie ham/pineapple kabobs.

Other friends arrived bringing food, beer and a kickball. Nothing like a group of adults playing kickball in spandex… It was great (except for the spandex part). I got to spend time with people I wish I saw more often and hang out with people I’ve only seen from a distance or in the internet. I appreciate the feedback I get and I really do feel honored that people come out to ride such a ridiculous event AND they have fun. Looking forward to the 5 year anniversary in 2010!

You can also check out Ingrid’s photos and Gary’s write up.

Feel My Bus

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Life is a lot like this bus that we spotted stuck on Baxter St during Feel My Legs. A bus has almost unlimited potential in how far it can take you and provides seemingly unlimited space to fill with your heart’s desires (not to mention it as a ubiquitous symbol of education/knowledge). But then sometimes you want to go to places you probably should not. Even if you know this, the idea is intoxicating and the potential for growth being in a new, uncomfortable space is huge. Going where we shouldn’t also has its risks. If it did not than it wouldn’t be any different than our everyday lives. And then sometimes you get stuck on a steep incline.

Photo from Ingrid’s Flickr. The bus made it up Baxter, from the steep Fargo St side, but is stuck on the ridge before the descent. In previous years we came up the road from the direction the bus is facing, but in 2009 I pulled this hill in order to include the new one in El Sereno.

What does this have to with a hill race? I’m super busy right now and going through some things I really, really wish I did not have to do, so I’ve been super slack on posting about Feel My Legs this year. Hopefully in the next couple days.

FML09 update

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Thanks everyone who has given feedback and has shown interest in riding this year. We are all very excited. I hope to have the hills finalized next week. As of now there are two new hills that are just unbelievably awesome. What we need help with is promotion. Please forward the info to club lists, forums and anyone you think would be interested. Use this link: http://nowhip.blogspot.com/2009/01/feel-my-legs-im-racer-2009.html.

Bike choice- You can ride any bike you want! The fastest few are always on road bikes with normal gearing. A good all around bike would be a cross with slicks. Some people do ride mountain bikes and while they are not the fastest, by the 5th or 6th hill those not riding them will be envious of your granny gear. You may want to reconsider fancy, expensive wheels (see below) and please make sure your brakes work very well.

The hills- All ten are on open roads, most of them poorly maintained. Think pot holes, cracks, uneven pavement, debris. It takes more then strength; good riding skills will definitely come in handy.

Training rides- I haven’t scheduled any yet! Will do though. I recommend Mitcheltorena off Sunset and Duane off of Silver Lake Blvd as good measure hills.

No cars- Seriously. The starting point is easily accessible from Union Station and numerous Metro buses and trains. If you absolutely have to drive to the start, don’t plan on seeing your car till the end. If you want your boyfriend to come along but he can’t ride very well, you’ve got five weeks to get him up to speed.

Food afterward- We are going forward with a vegan picnic/BBQ in Elysian Park (Stadium Way & Academy Rd) starting at noon. It is a facebook event here. Some of you may not be into vegan food, but it’s how most of Swarm! eats and you don’t have to come! But you are invited and please tell others (and ask them to bring vegan food!). Check my sidebar for info on veganism and recipes. We will be honoring Bryan Farhy and the motivation he gives us to be active vegans and “fucking boring semi-employed geeks” at the same time. Year one was the year of the pancake, year four, which this is, is the year of the rabbit. We will celebrate by eating what is commonly referred to as rabbit food. And vegan corn dogs (the year of the corn dog is not for another 13 years and we can’t wait that long).

Support- Very limited. We will have a floor pump, but please bring everything else to fix a flat and minor mechanicals. There will be a utility bike that will be at the first few hills and then meeting us at the BBQ.

Thank you all and looking forward to seeing you on the 14th of March.

Can you define ‘eyesore’ ?

Posted on by Matt Ruscigno 4 Comments

A few weeks ago the LA Times ran the article 7 alleged members of LA tagging crew arrested which included the following quote:

“The tag has been an eyesore visible from downtown high-rises and freeways for months.”

This is no ordinary tag. It’s a 1/2 mile long. Seriously. I see it whenever I take the 1st or 4th street bridge into town.

Also in the story was this fantastic photo (well, a photo of a photo):


Say what you want about graffiti or tagging, but I bet you can find other eye sores in this photo. I’d start with concrete banks lining every foot of the Los Angeles “river” (the tag is actually on the river banks, if you look close you can see the running water on the bottom of the letters). How about extremely poor use of space? Or the freeways. Those are quite an eyesore. How about the 4,000+ illegal billboards in our city?

I say that if one group of people think it’s okay to lay concrete anywhere and everywhere then they shouldn’t be surprised when (or have legal cases against) another group wants to paint it. What do you think?