Walking in LA

I've been following this series at Good magazine, Walking in LA, by Ryan Bradley. It's terrific. From there Sasha found a link to a story about our friend Dan Koeppel's The Big Parade called Walking for Walking in Los Angeles. On the top photo our Swarm! socks make a center stage appearance. Anyway, in the most recent post he discusses parking and how it affects the 'feel' and layout of downtown:

If you took all of the parking spaces in Los Angeles's central business district and spread them horizontally in a surface lot, they would cover 81 percent of downtown. I know this because of a paper called "People, Parking, and Cities" by Michael Manville and Donald Shoup at UCLA's Department of Urban Planning [pdf here]. This “parking coverage rate,” they write, is "higher in downtown L.A. than in any other downtown on earth. In San Francisco, for instance, the coverage rate is 31 percent, and in New York it is only 18 percent." Their paper goes on to show how this glut of parking keeps downtown from having a vibrant city center, because downtowns in general "thrive on high density ... the prime advantage they offer over other parts of a metropolitan area is proximity—the immediate availability of a wide variety of activities.... So long as its zoning assumes that almost every new person will also bring a car—and requires parking for that car," they conclude "[downtown Los Angeles] will never develop the sort of vital core we associate with older urban centers."

I read it this like this: You can't have both. Either give up your car and work toward compacting DTLA or keep your car and your parking and don't complain! But it's never quite that simple. As I say over and over, most people cannot or will not believe that their individual actions matter and can change the environment and culture we live in. Oh, but they do!

And Hope Dies a Little Bit

Thanks to Joe Linton from LA Creek Freak for the share on this.

Avoiding Overexposure

Today was overcast and unseasonably not warm; a great day for a 2.5
hour run in Griffith Park. It's no secret that I live in LA primarily
for the sun, but I miss weather changes. Too much sun is monotonous!
I'm sure those of you in less awesome climates (anywhere not here I
imagine) have no pity for 'too much sun'. It's like photography,
everything gets washed out.
Anyway, this is a sketchy ladder that leads to a technical scrammble
on one of my favorite routes in the park. This still counts as
running, right?

Night Riding in the Verdugos

The Verdugo Mountains are so close to urban LA, I cannot believe how infrequently I've been. They are a decent sized range that sits just 10 miles from East Hollywood, behind Griffith Park. From a distance they look to be part of the San Gabriels, but they are a distinct range and a valley exists between the two, home to Tujunga and Sunland. I was up here a few months ago on my cross bike and wrote a short post about it. Here is a more detailed description of the area, with photos: www.mtbguru.com.

The other night four of us headed out, hitting the trailhead about 9pm. It's good practice as we've been racing at night, but not really riding at night. Which is sort of the Swarm! way. Also true of my swimming...
Halfway through the single-track back down to La Tuna Canyon is a sketchy, hip-high seesaw with missing boards. I love to play on stuff when riding, so really there was no question about trying it. Can I point out that we live in the future? The lights on our bikes are bright enough for Max to film with his phone! Then uploaded to the internet...

Weekend nights in Los Angeles are so exciting!

Giant Squash!

This is at a Korean market a few blocks away. Note the bell pepper for
size reference. We could eat for a week! Well, at least a day. Or a
big meal.

Scott Jurek

In case you have not seen it, 'the Times' has an article up about vegan ultra-runner Scott Jurek called, Diet and Exercise to the Extremes.

I met Scott Jurek in 2006 when I was helping at the 135-mile Badwater Ultramarathon, which he won. A super nice guy, I chatted with him and his crew about his vegan diet and his training. I wanted to get an interview, but it just didn't work out.

The article mentions the 24 hour championships in France and I've found the live feed showing results. Looks to finish up at 1am, California time. Running in circles sounds absolutely miserable to me, but I imagine it is meditative in its repetitiveness. And it's not like he only does these races; quite the opposite. The Western States 100 and other 100 milers are trail runs, getting out in nature way more than most runners ever do.

In this terrific ESPN article he says, in regards to coming across a bear during a race,

"That was scary, but it's also part of why I prefer trail running...nature reminds us that there's a greater force out there, and you have to respect that. It makes you feel pretty small."

Awesome. I agree.

there's nothing like bike commuting

The other day I had to make a long commute to the South Bay and I didn't have time to take the more pleasant coastal route, but I did take the road bike. From East Hollywood to the South Bay is through the urban sprawlish LA that I can avoid on 90% of my commutes. I took my road bike cause I can easily hold 20 MPH, take the lane and not worry too much about busy roads.

On the way back I was on a wide, fast road and had to make a turn that is always tough for cyclists: when the left lane (of four) splits off. I took the lane and made the light, but sure enough someone is on their horn behind me. Keep in mind I'm hauling ass. They drive by and yell indiscernible obscenities and I respond with some. As is often the case, I catch them at the next light. I calm down (a little) and roll up to the drivers side window and before I could say anything she says, 'This isn't a bike lane, get out of my way!!' I tell her I know there's no bike lane, maybe there should be and I had no where else to go. And I add, 'but see, I didn't even slow you down. We are at the light at the same time.' We have the slightly heated exchange any urban cyclist is familiar with. I don't need to give the back and forth. The passenger even jumps in.

Then she says, 'Are you married?' I answer no and keep ranting to her about cycling, safety, etc, not quite processing the question. Then I look at her and she smiles and winks. What? The passenger laughs and say, 'No you just didn't!' The light changes and as they roll away the driver says, 'See you around.'

WTF. It's not often I get totally thrown off by someone! It made me smile that the interaction completely changed. Maybe she'll be nicer to cyclists in the future?

Then back in my neighborhood a woman in a car throws a half-full plastic fast-food soda container out of her window. I catch her at the next stop sign (of course) and tell her not to litter in my neighborhood.
-Mind your own business!
-It is my business, don't throw your trash in my neighborhood.
-Fuck you, honky!

You can't win them all.

Bring May Powers

And just like that Saturday is May 1st. The crew from September's
Bromamce Slaycation has piled into the Adventure Van (at 31 yrs old
I've no qualm that the vehicle I've spent the most time in in the
previous five yrs is my friend's mom's minivan) and is heading north
to Cool, CA. Married couple brodozer vehicle left the South Bay
earlier and this afternoon we'll combine forces. 24 hours of Cool
Saturday noon to Sunday noon.
We've got:
4-person Swarm! team- Max, Brian (both Bonobo team veterans), Mike Sz
(raced Tucson 24hr) and Nicolas (from the HooDoo 500 team in 07)
Jenny and McCall on support and hang-out duty.
They should kill it. Podium?

I'm racing solo single-speed. No crazy expectations as my fitness is
still meh. Also had hoped to have my new (custom!) bike w an actual
shock fork, but alas it wasn't done in time. Because there's no better
first ride for a new bike than a 24 hour one.

While Swarm! team M is in the woods off-roading in the north, Swarm!
team F will be in central coast at the Wildflower 'woodstock of
triathlons' triathlon. Molly (vegan baker extraordinaire) is racing
her first Olympic distance and Sasha (508 documentarian) is doing the
same, her very first tri. I've been working closely with her on
nutrition/training so I'll be thinking about her while I'm racing.

Keep up with the races at http://www.twitter.com/bikeswarm if that
sort of thing interests you.

Playlist thus far:
Propagandhi Less Talk More Rock
Integrity Systems Overloaded
Converge Petitioning the Empty Sky

And if you're in LA for May Day check this out:
http://la.metblogs.com/2010/04/30/may-1st-rally-march-its-time-to-stir-that-melting-pot/

Demand the impossible! Of yourself and the world.

http://la.metblogs.com/2010/04/30/may-1st-rally-march-its-time-to-stir-that-melting-pot/

SNOB BOOK

Someone likes me! Just got this in the mail. Stoked. Reading material
for the 7-hr drive in the Adventure van tomorrow.
READ FAST

You Can't Be Neutral

Dropping serious knowledge. Watch this and send to 24 people.

Instead of preparing for my 24 hour mountain bike race this weekend, I'm writing about veganism and getting worked up over bike/pedestrian policy here in Los Angeles and nationwide. Six and seven years ago when I first got involved in bike advocacy in Los Angeles the bar was low, as were my expectations. Any improvement or mere mention of bikes outside of our circles was reason for excitement. Fast forward to 2010 and I'm almost overwhelmed with the progress. Almost. We are making gains, but now I want more. It makes so much sense in our unique position today with the economy, environmental concern and a renewed interest in urbanity to shift resources to promote bicycling and walking. But then LA Dept of Transportation General Manager Rita Robinson says stuff like I wish we were New York and could magically make things happen. Argh.

It's up to us to show her it is not magic. To start here is a post by the US Dept of Transportation in support: What we know about bike infrastructure: people want it. This is the freakin US DOT!! I never could imagine seeing this just a few years ago. And here we are. But, and this is a big but, too many people are not seeing this. Or understanding it if they are. Too few people get this:

from here: www.johnnyandstacie.com

As anarchist academic and hero-to-many Howard Zinn says, 'You can't be neutral on a moving train.' Everything is political. Your actions do matter. If you ride a bike, exclusively or occasionally, it's up to you to share the statement above. AND its political importance. Bicycle infrastructure is good for everyone. Fewer people in fewer cars has social, environmental, health and personal benefits. So study up and share with others. We cannot wait for policy change to come from people like Rita Robinson. We need to change ourselves and to share these benefits with our circles.

Sites like
www.la.streetsblog.org
www.streetfilms.org
www.howwedrive.com
Donald Shoup's page at UCLA
are a good start.

Here's a challenge. While I am riding my single-speed mountain bike for 24 hours this weekend, can you send one of the links above to 24 people?

the future

Yo! Wow. Epic month. You'd think that the more epic = more posts, but unfortunately often that's not the case.
We've had parties, picnics, races, travels and other stuff I can't remember. The best stuff often doesn't make it to my blog, like my New Zealand trip and riding the Great Divide. So while I sort these old events, here are some events in the future.



Bake Me Up! vegan bake sale in Echo Park at Mooi Foods from 11-5. This is a benefit for PAWS LA and Kitten Rescue. Other vegan events on www.quarrygirl.com.

My friend Deanna Adams is racing the inaugural Arizona Trail 750, which starts today at the Mexico/US border. It's self-support style like the 2700 mile Tour Divide race along the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route from Banff to Mexico. What does this mean? No entry fee, no support, no checkpoints. Very awesome. The first part is along the Arizona Trail 300 which has been raced the last few years. The AZTR 750 requires a 22-mile bike portage through the Grand Canyon. Seriously. No bikes allowed. No rolling, pushing, pulling. It must be dismantled and carried on one's back. Sound miserable? I wish I was racing. I'd love to be out there on this epic journey of desert, mountains, heat, snow, pedaling, hiking....gawd. Beautiful way to spend one's days. Anyhow, you can follow Deanna's progress here: http://trackleaders.com/aztr. Oh yeah, she's on a fixed gear.

Lastly, the Swarm! twitter is active. Great links related to veganism, bikes, racing, streets, the environment, etc posted throughout the day. Check it out.

Bike Night at the Hammer April 8

My good friend Lisa, with whom I share a love for bikes, vegan food and mayhem, not to mention a willingness to wait over an hour for two tacos, has made Bike Night at the Hammer happen for the second year in a row. Last year Breaking Away on the big screen was fantastic and I'm sure Pee Wee's Big Adventure will be just as fun. All of this at a freakin museum.

I helped create the menu for the vegan dinner, too. What more could you ask for? Oh yeah, bike valet and it's all free.
Keep your eyes on www.midnightridazz.com for group rides to the museum.

1897 Newspaper article

From http://www.bicyclephilosophy.com/

Feel My Legs, I'm a Racer 2010

Feel My Legs, I'm a Racer hill race (5th year anniversary!) Sunday March 28th, 8am
Meet at Sunset Blvd / Griffith Park Ave (where Silver Lake Farmers Market is)

background and FAQ from 2009

More soon, but wanted to get the hills up so people know! This so exciting. The Finishers patch is so dope. Come get it! The race will be followed by the Crucial Vegan Friendship picnic (Brian Farhy Commemorative edition) where your friends can meet you and you can grub hard. The picnic starts at 1pm and hopefully we'll be done by then.

1. Mt Washington drive / Self-realization (Mt. Washington)
2. Eldred st (Highland Park)
3. Amethyst st (El Sereno)
4. Thomas st (Lincoln Heights)
5. White Knoll/Marview (Echo Park)
6. Echo Park ave/Baxter (Echo Park)
7. Micheletorena (Silver Lake)
8. Silver Lake blvd/Duane (Silver Lake)
9. Fargo st (Echo Park)
10. Stadium way/Academy/Boylston (Elysian Park)


View Feel My Legs, I'm a Racer 2010 in a larger map



[Update]

Patch for all finishers!

Spoke card by Creative Thing

200 patches

So rad! Thanks Bird Apartment Printing!
See you tonight at Party Summit: www.bit.ly/partysummit

Stuff I Eat

Vegan spot in Inglewood. And that's really the name. This is a
quesadilla. So so delicious. Almost (almost) more food than I could
eat after a Black Eyed Pea soup and cornbread.
Check it out.
Unrelated: did a sweet 100 miles today. Felt like the first non-winter
ride of the year. So stoked.

Swarm! Party Summit after Street/Bike Summit

More on
LA Street/Bike Summit
Chef Joshua Ploeg
WolfPack Hustle Marathon Crash race

Purple (continued)

If you are going to obsess, buying purple produce at the farmers
market probably has the least detrimental (and most delicious) results.

On my commute

On a quiet residential street in south central Los Angeles.
What could this thing possibly be used for?

Thus Climbed Zarathustra

From our good friend Stephen, the organizer of this and previous versions:

An urban cyclocross ride/race through the Eastside of Los Angeles where participants pedal to stairways, portage their bike and climb 'em, before heading to the next one. It's fun, challenging (but do-able) and eye-opening: you'll probably see parts of LA you haven't. And if you don't want to race, no problem. During the inaugural event a few folks stopped at a garage sale and picked up a messenger bag for cheap!

Fast folks should finish in 60 to 75 minutes and more leisurely riders can complete it in about 90 minutes or so. I think. Haven't nailed down the course yet.

This is a Swarm! event.
The name? The first event was held on Nietzsche's b-day.
The flier? Courtesy of Chris. He rules.

On the facebook at bit.ly/thusclimbed


History:
2008
2006