For those of you who don’t know, I have a home in California with my girlfriend, Rosa, where I spend most of the winter and as much time as I can during the summer. We’ve got a little apartment in Glendale, a cozy little town of 200,000 people on the northeast border of the Los Angeles City Limits.
No really, it is cozy, I swear. It’s a common misconception that Los Angeles is an overpopulated, overpriced cesspool of softie, liberal, mega-consumers… oh wait, ummm. Anyway, when it comes to riding your bike around here, folks are understanding and respectful, which is greatly appreciated. Plus, there are lots of bike lanes and mountains just about everywhere, and it’s amazing how quickly you can literally climb out of the city’s grasp.
Today was a day when the rains had just came through, the temps stayed down around 50, and the winds were blowing. In the LA area that means gorgeous, clear skies. I felt like a low-stress ride with some climbing -- so naturally I headed towards downtown LA. No really, I swear!
“My little secret” ride here in LA is on the unmaintained roads in Griffith Park, the largest municipal park in the United States with over 53 miles of fire roads and hiking trails. You know when you see the “Hollywood” sign in pictures and movies? Yeah, that’s Griffith Park.
The roads up and around the sign have been blocked off to traffic but they don’t seem to mind riders and hikers on them. In 90 minutes I get 2,000 feet of climbing, a breathtaking view of downtown, the Pacific Ocean and snowcapped mountains all at once, and no traffic except for the occasional wild coyote crossing.
LA ain’t so bad.
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