And another option, because it’s fun to be two places at once:

Each first Sunday of the month, friends riding vintage bikes and other bikes with character meet up at Portfolio Coffeehouse (Junipero at Fourth). At 10:30 a.m., the HUGE Cyclone Coaster group will depart from Portfolio for an easy-paced local ride, all wearing Cyclone Coaster t-shirts.

Click www.cyclonecoaster.com for more information, including details about the July 4th Cyclone Coaster BBQ at Bixby Park.

On the morning of the 4th, meet in Belmont Shore along Ocean Blvd. at the corner of Granada Avenue (close to the Long Beach Dog Zone and not far from the peninsula). Registration begins at 9:15 am. It’s free. You will be asked to sign a liability waiver form. The bike parade begins at 10:00 am. Two miles (total) of easy riding, as well as a ‘patriotic costume’ contest and free face painting.

Children are required to wear helmets, and must be escorted by a parent or guardian during the bike ride (along the beach bike path and up and down Bay Shore Avenue south of Second Street).

This event is sponsored by Justin Rudd, Community Action Team (CAT) and Gazette Newspapers. Special parade guests will include Long Beach City Manager Pat West, as well as Councilmembers Suja Lowenthal and Gary DeLong. Long Beach Bicycle Ambassador Tony Cruz will be there, too. For more information, including car parking information, go to www.bikeparade.com.

Kevin Flaherty—in the orange shirt—shares this snapshot with us.

In Kevin’s photo we see a group of cyclists from the Long Beach area who did the recent L.A. River Ride in reverse. That is, instead of cycling south from Griffith Park to Long Beach and then back to Griffith Park, these “Reverse Riders” cycled north from Long Beach to Griffith Park and then back to Long Beach.

By cycling the L.A. River Ride in “reverse,” one cycles downhill in BOTH directions. Also, one’s water bottle holds MORE water. Some of our readers may think we are just kidding. Indeed we are. Nonetheless, next year we urge you to cycle with the “Reverse Riders” so you can see for yourself.

Check out the la-bike.org web site for an overview of LACBC’s many activities.

Participants in six rides organized by the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (LACBC) will start in Griffith Park. The easy rides will stay close to Griffith Park, but the two main rides will direct cyclists south along the L.A. River bike path to Long Beach, and then return north to Griffith Park. Click on the poster icon below right for an overview.

And… some of us living in the Long Beach area plan a ‘Reverse Ride’ that will start in Long Beach, heading north up the Los Angeles River bike path, cycling all the way to Griffith Park, and then cycling back to Long Beach.

To be sure, on Sunday the 6th, the Los Angeles River bike path, and the local pit stop (Shoreline Aquatic Park near the Aquarium) will be lively with bicycles, laughter, fast cycling, slow cycling, and people to meet of all ages.

Ride registration is no longer open, so if you didn’t sign up for the LACBC’s ride by now it’s too late for that, yet you are still welcome to come on down, to cheer riders and in other ways enjoy some cycling fun.

The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, like Long Beach Cyclists, embraces advocacy and education. The L.A. River Ride is the LACBC’s largest annual event.

Check out the la-bike.org web site for an overview of LACBC’s many activities.

Participants in six rides organized by the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (LACBC) will start in Griffith Park. The easy rides will stay close to Griffith Park, but the two main rides will direct cyclists south along the L.A. River bike path to Long Beach, and then return north to Griffith Park. Click on the poster icon for an overview.

And… some of us living in the Long Beach area plan a ‘Reverse Ride’ that will start in Long Beach, heading north up the Los Angeles River bike path. Some may head as far as Compton, and others will cycle all the way to Griffith Park, and then cycle back to Long Beach. Contact Long Beach Cyclists about accompanying a ‘Reverse Ride’ group. Either direction, the Los Angeles River bike path will be lively with bicycles, laughter, fast cycling, slow cycling, and people to meet of all ages.

Are you planning to ride? Would you like to cheer riders or in other ways enjoy the fun?

The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, like Long Beach Cyclists, embraces advocacy and education.

The L.A. River Ride is the LACBC’s largest annual event.

Check out the la-bike.org web site for an overview of LACBC’s many activities.

There will be live entertainment, solar-powered stages, a green fashion show, educational workshops, food, eco-friendly booths, art, the community garden, an opportunity to see electric vehicles, and the Saturday morning organic farmers market on First at Linden.

Events take place in the East Village—in lots adjacent to the old Acres of Books (Long Beach Blvd. between Broadway and Third), also at East Village Arts Park (Elm near Broadway), and along First between Elm and Linden).

Long Beach Cyclists will provide free bike valet near the old Acres of Books building between 10:00 am and 5:30 pm—happily monitoring your bicycle during those hours. Or… you may chose to show up on foot, or… you may get to the Green Long Beach Festival by taking any bus heading downtown, or… by traveling on the southbound Metro Blue Line.

Car parking near the old Acres of Books lot will be available as well… although some of us who live ‘car free’ secretly might rather see the parking lot for cars nearly empty. Let’s hope that many folks arrive in car pools, and that zillions of folks enjoy the free bike valet. 

For more information, visit www.greenlb.org.

Roller derby! Vintage bicycles! Live music! Bike films at the Art Theater! Kids activities, including a cycling safety course! Vendors! All of Long Beach celebrates bicycle life throughout the month of May. The 9th will be a special day spotlighting Retro Row!

Of course, Long Beach Cyclists volunteers will be there to offer free bike valet.

Cycling to this kind of event is exactly what makes living in Long Beach so special. We’ll be happy to watch your bicycle while you enjoy the fun.

While you talk with us, ask about other upcoming events and activities. We’ve got much of the month of May, and a whole summer ahead of us!

And May 8th will be a day for cycling races—the Tour of Long Beach—for those who love adrenalin. Click on the photos to get a taste of what’s in store.

Saturday afternoon and evening, downtown Long Beach will be alive with a family-friendly Kids’ Fun Zone, and with push-pull competitions, with Bike Polo, BMX and Flatland demonstrations, bicycle art… and a ‘Cyclestyle’ fashion show.

Long Beach Cyclists volunteers will be downtown to provide free bike valet service. We’ll watch after your bicycle while you stroll among the crowds and celebrate the magic of our Long Beach filled with people who love cycling and healthy living.

Fixed gear cyclists will do tricks, freestyle fun, skid competitions and more. And you might meet Josh, who is organizing the Gold Sprints, which are mad, brief races on stationary bikes where nobody goes anywhere, yet hearts throb to the moon and back! And for gentle fun, some members of the City Council will race down First on tricycles.

May 7th, cycle on down to the East Village.