Notes from Los Angeles

Los Angeles is for bicycles. Or maybe it's not for bicycles, but in a metropolis of thirteen million people, there's something for everyone. It's a rare night when there's only one bicycle-related event; two or three is more typical. There is Critical Mass at the traditional time, of course, but then because Los Angeles is an amalgamation of cities, there are littler Masses on other days in all the subcities of Los Angeles. There's a San Fernando Valley mass, there's a Northeast LA ride. There's one in Santa Monica, and in Pasadena, and in Long Beach. There is the Bicycle Kitchen, a bike workshop held at a co-op by Los Angeles City College where you can go and learn to wrench on your bike. There is the Bike Oven, too, which is in some guy's front yard. And so many rides! This month there is the Give Blood Ride, the Midnight Ridazz' UFO Ride (for those who'd like to embark on a 30-mile nocturnal trek following critical mass), the Food of the Boulevard ride, the Tour de Tacos ride ("We will ride to a variety of Taco joints and return to Division 9 Gallery to watch bike films."), the Downtown Art Ride, and so many more, all catalogued on the BikeBoom web calendar. In February is Bike Winter Los Angeles. Last night was the last friday of the month, the traditional Critical Mass date, and we took our bicycles on the subway from Pasadena to the city, emerged from the underground at Western/Wilshire and joined a huge throng of people for the parade through the streets.