Long Bike Ride

So, I went on a long bike ride yesterday, and depending how things go, it may show up here or not. I'll let you know how that works out when I find out. I'm trying to get LA Weekly interested.

In any case, I'll say a few things about it here, just so you know this is how I fill some of my days. I took my bike on the subway up to the Watts Towers, about ten stops away form where I picked the Blue Line up, and went to take some pictures. Feeling good and out of place, it was time to head home...on the bike.

The entire trip was just under 16 miles, and the majority of it was along the LA River bike path. Originally I wanted to avoid the river-way, but I changed my tune while riding through the neighborhoods.

Speaking of those neighborhoods, there are two ethnic groups living there, and while I obviously am not going to be mistaken for Torii or Tyreke, it was equally obvious that my pink and orange complexion, mixed with bushy red beard, I wasn't going to be mistaken for Candido or Rigoberto.

Every few minutes I'd pull this out of my pocket, just to take a look and catch my bearings, another giveaway I was, eh, different.

It chronicles my route through the Watts neighborhood of LA, then through Lynwood, and then through Compton to get to the river-way route at Somerset Blvd. That was all I brought with me, really. I mean, I brought water, and my ID, but I didn't bring any of my money cards (ATM or credit) or my phone, which on more than one occasion would have been helpful when a street sign was missing. I went unconnected and digitally naked, a contingency against the worst-case scenario.

I had a different plan for a long bike ride, and this was like a dry run, or practice run to test my legs and conditioning (not quite "woefully inadequate", but...well, I made it home). I have some pictures to prove I really did it, but they'll have to wait.

I still can't believe that was my only navigation tool, that crumpled slip of paper with street names and how to turn on each. I love "Pine, through the mall, continue on Pine". That was how Google maps set me up on the bike directions. Now, I've had issues with Google maps before, but that was mostly in Austin. Those bike directions though, were pretty awesome, and kept me off of major thoroughfares as much as possible, which was the entire trip until crossing the 710 and LA River on Somerset at the end.