So we Southern Californians are finally catching up to South America!
At 9:00a on Wed, Sep 22 on the South Steps of City Hall Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, along with some other city folk and cyclists, will announce the route for LAs first-ever CicLAvia.
The new CicLAvia is a temporary public space along 7.5 miles in LA, stretching from Heliotrope & Melrose in East Hollywood to 1st & St Louis in Boyle Heights, to promote cycling and walking in the fair city. A collaboration between the City of Los Angeles, CicLAvia, and the cycling community, this new facility hopes to encourage healthy, active transportation and connect communities.
CiclovÃas started over 30 yrs ago in Bogotá, Colombia, to answer the congestion and pollution of the city. And we’re just now getting our own..
The real fun stuff will take place on Sunday, October 10, 2010 from 10:00a to 3:00p when the CicLAvia opens to the public for actual use.
Hurray to a more bikeable Southern California!
photograph courtesy of La Vida Es Loca
travis, September 22nd 2010 |
Tags: annual event, cicLAvia, ciclovÃa, ride, routes
Posted in advocacy, event, ride
Run, walk or RIDE!
The 2010 Long Beach International City Bank Marathon is a month away, on October 17, 2010. Those of us who have walked and run the course know that it’s a really great marathon, with great volunteers and crowd support.
But did you know that you can also RIDE the marathon? Cyclists get to complete the same 26.2 mile course, but before everyone else. The Bike Tour starts at 6am, when it’s still dark. Imagine the thrill of crusing the closed-down streets of Long Beach and watching the sun rise over the city, one of a huge group of cyclists,  of all ages and all kinds of bikes. There are lots of families riding together, and roadies racing to new personal bests, and everything in between.
And if that isn’t enough, it’s a lot cheaper than footing the Marathon — you can register for the tour right now for $45. And you get a really cool medal, and there’s even a Finish Line Festival specifically for the Bike Tour.
Just remember – helmets are mandatory, and make sure you have lights on your bike– the sun doesn’t rise until an hour into the ride.
If this sounds good to you, get all the Bike Tour info here!
Lee, September 17th 2010 |
Tags: annual event, marathon, ride
Posted in Current News, event, ride
A morning of red white and blue flags, costumes and decorated bikes. If you want to accompany your young children out on their bikes or in the stroller or wagon and if you love the sight of hundreds of fluttering U.S. flags, scroll down the page a few posts to read the previously posted blurb about the Kid’s Bike Parade and go to bikeparade.com.
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.
MichaelB, July 4th 2010 |
Tags: annual event, children, Cyclone Coaster, family, fun, ride, vintage
Posted in event, ride
Fun, free, and lots of red white and blue! If you have young children, if you want them out on their bikes or in the stroller or wagon, and if you love the sight of hundreds of fluttering U.S. flags, this may be the ride for you.
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.
MichaelB, June 27th 2010 |
Tags: annual event, children, family, fun, ride
Posted in event, ride
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.
MichaelB, June 17th 2010 |
Tags: annual event, ride, river
Posted in ride
The Los Angeles River Ride on June 6th is really numerous great rides. Rides will range from easy, for kids and families… to very challenging, for lovers of distance and a pounding heart.
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.
MichaelB, June 5th 2010 |
Tags: annual event, ride, river
Posted in ride
The Los Angeles River Ride on June 6th is really numerous great rides. Rides will range from easy, for kids and families… to very challenging, for lovers of distance and a pounding heart.
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.
MichaelB, May 25th 2010 |
Tags: annual event, ride, river
Posted in event, ride
Join the celebration. The Green Long Beach Festival 2010 is about green events, green resources and green discussions. The East Village Arts District, one full day, 10:00 am to 10:00 pm.
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.Â
For more information, visit www.greenlb.org.
MichaelB, May 20th 2010 |
Tags: annual event, bicycle, bike valet, commuting, cycling, death to cars, eating, eco-friendly, economy, farmers market, fun, public transit, traffic
Posted in event
Scan the various postings below for an overview of the many activities taking place in Long Beach this week. Also, click EVENTS at the top of the page to check out calendar entries. What a great time of the year to enjoy the outdoors. Happy cycling!
LBCyclists, May 6th 2010 |
Tags: annual event, cycling, fun
Posted in Current News
