Each month, Long Beach Cyclists organizes or participates in a ride worth highlighting. You will want to join us on an upcoming ride.
Recently, Long Beach Cyclists and students from CSULB toured Compton Creek. There is much to discover and learn about the local watershed. Urban drains and curbs channel water towards the Los Angeles River. Water that first trickles into curb drains in the city ultimately finds its way to the bay at Long Beach.
Light rail Metro trains (the Blue Line) connecting Long Beach to Los Angeles pass over Compton Creek many times each hour. It’s a pretty sight. How many of us have explored Compton Creek up close?
Alex Kenefick is passionate about the L.A. River watershed. Kenefick is the Lower Los Angeles River and Compton Creek Watershed Coordinator—an expert about local watershed issues. And he is an avid cyclist as well. What a great combination! Here, Kenefick describes how river water that flows into Long Beach Harbor starts upstream as mere puddles… trickles… rain run off. Upstream Compton Creek has been boxed into a concrete channel for many decades.
To get to the general area where Compton Creek has its humble origins, a group of Long Beach Cyclists and CSULB students took the Metro Blue Line light rail to 103rd Street Station. Bicycle travel on the Metro is fast, inexpensive, trouble free.
We have already acknowledged that Alex Kenefick knows a lot about the watershed that feeds the L.A. River. And we already said he is an avid cyclist. In truth… he is even more than that. Alex Kenefick used to serve as president of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition.
Alex Kenefick pointed out interesting aspects of the creek and surrounding neighborhoods. Each quarter mile has its own, distinctive character. Upstream, the creek is tucked behind houses and buildings. Kenefick is knowledgeable and enthusiastic; he cycled with us to various places where we could view the creek and learn more about the watershed.
A bit downstream, there is a bike trail adjacent to the creek. The area is pleasant and quiet. There’s a pocket park and other surprises. Here, a grandfather strolls with his grandchildren.
Following a creek downstream makes for cycling at an easy, downstream pace. Life is good.
Lunch break at at 408 W. Alondra Blvd. Cliff’s is “home of the original twenty-two inch Texas-style cliff-hanger burrito”… which means… a meal as big as Texas!
Is it humanely possible for one man to eat a Cliff’s twenty-two inch burrito in one sitting?
Compton Creek at Artesia Blvd. begins to open up wide. There are ducks and much vegetation. We had seen earlier that the creek upstream is squeezed tightly between tall, concrete walls. Here the creek seems to want to break free.
Someday, a continuous bike trail along Compton Creek may run its entire distance without gaps. For now, the cyclist has to connect a few dots. It is likely this stretch will be improved for cyclists in the future. On the other hand, years from now we’ll probably cherish the memory of cycling along these railroad tracks!
There is a wide, smooth, signed bike route that runs adjacent to Compton Creek south of Artesia Blvd. Who else already knows about this lovely stretch? We observed that with minimal infrastructure adaptation, the Del Amo station of the Metro could someday become a stop that includes a nature center, walking paths, easy access to tumbling creek water and a good view of egrets and other river birds.
The bike route ends. What might we discover if we walk our bicycles beneath the 710 overpass and cycle beyond that?
This is great fun! Compton Creek now feeds into the L.A. River. We’re close to Long Beach… and we can enjoy it from a new perspective.
Now we have reached the L.A. River. From here we can cycle home. We extend thanks to Alex Kenefick and Kevin Flaherty for organizing this enjoyable, educational cycling excursion.
Slideshow by Michael Bos. There are more photos on Flickr at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/46493017@N04/sets/72157623199255828/
Contact us at lbcyclists@gmail.com. Keep your eye on longbeachcyclists.com for announcements of upcoming rides in and around Long Beach, California.
