¡Viva Ciclavia!

What is a street? Is it simply an asphalt slab, carrying bulky cars to their destinations? Or is it a potential destination in itself? After decades of experiencing nothing but the former, yesterday Angelenos got a small taste of the latter. It was Ciclavia, where 7.5 miles of streets were closed to cars, and open to bikes, runners, skaters, walkers, anyone interested in a more pleasant afternoon.

How many people came? Was it a success? Did mayor Brokenarm make a cameo? I really don’t know, nor do I particularly care. Someone has probably already reported these matters on other more prestigious news sources. All I know was that it was a unique and wonderful experience, and one that surely has all its attendees wondering if open streets might be a good thing to have in our city.

Of course I have pictures, taken on a ride from Hollenbeck Park to the Bike Kitchen. Click below to see them; there are a lot so even those with a fast connection may have to wait a while.

Soto Station. A group of (I think) Occidental students finishing an extracurricular excursion.

Hollenbeck Park

A custom shopping cart kiddie ride, part of a larger rig calling for a “cyclist bill of rights.”

Even the freeway raps were closed!

West to Downtown

A winged guitarist in Little Tokyo sings a collection of songs, all of which foretell a massive earthquake on October 17th. Why October 17th? A friend of hers at the LAUSD is convinced that will be the day, and now this young woman is too. Oh well, at least we got to have a Ciclavia before then. She was generally cheerful about cycling, remarking about how riding a bike makes everyone’s physique look better. Turning to me, she then remarked, “Except yours.”

Civic Center

City Hall protest against Coal, Oil, and other things that go bump in the night.

South to the Bank District

You can’t tell from this picture, but this is a giant papier-mache horse that anyone could paint on.

A band was between sets in front of the Rowan building. The host was trading jokes with a homeless guy who insisted that it was his birthday.

The crowd goes wild.

Jewelry District

Spandexers were well represented, momentarily waving their asses in your face as they swooped by on their million dollar bikes. However, in this instance I wasn’t complaining.

A dad towing his two young daughters. Apparently he was from out of town, I later overheard him expressing generic anti-LA sentiments, though he did say that this event was helping him to change his mind.

Isn’t Ciclavia so much better than the 110?

Dodge my balls

To Westlake

MacArthur Park, looking back to Downtown

Around the park

DJ Chicken Leather, doing one of his many interviews

Nice ride

Solar powered bike/car

North to the Bike Kitchen

Party at the west end of the route

Shopping girl rides again

Wrapping up

They say this may happen again, and it may even become a weekly event. Let’s hope it does. Go to the official site to find out how to make Ciclavia a prt of LA life.