Saturday, June 3

RIDE-Arc Hits The Escape Key

Last night's RIDE-Arc ride was a departure from the norm in a couple different ways. Not only did it deviate from its usual stop-and-talk informational format, but man did we got the hell away from it all.

First off we took a wholly unique route outta Chinatown that involved spiraling access ramps to pedestrian walkways paralleling the 110 Freeway. Down a stinky staircase and over to Riverside Drive we next entered the L.A. River Bikeway from it's humble unlighted, dip-filled Frogtown endings north of Figueroa to its proud, well-paved and much more illuminated beginnings next to the 134 Freeway. After that it was up, up and away into the heart and height of Griffith Park (the route through the park is the same that I posted here back in February). After all that climbing up to the top we found the temps oddly warmer than down at street level and we were serenaded and scoped out by a pair of great horned owls before winding our way back down and through the tunnel under Mt. Hollywood...



...and past the Greek Theater on our way back to civilization. I didn't get a chance to nab a lot of snapshots, but I do want to give an appreciative photographic shout out to the kind riders who marvelously personified the No Rider Left Behind ethic in coming to the aid of my friend Alice in speedily patching her tube after she flatted on the river path just north of Fletcher:



UPDATE: Stephen Roullier's pix of us nightriders are available here.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Excellent account as usual, Will. My thanks also to the good samaritans, but my thanks to you too for your part in helping out. Some (mostly dark) pics are forthcoming.

Will Campbell said...

Thanks Steve and anytime Rich!

Anonymous said...

yeah, it doesn't take long to offer help anytime. it's good karma.

Anonymous said...

How do you get in on these rides? Anyone ride single speed? Are there any riders who are not all that powerful? Riders of all skill levels?
I heard a brief description today on KCRW about Ride-Arc and thought it sounded fun.

Thanks.

Mike D
email me