End Pavement

Cyclelicious has a post today pointing to The annual car vs bike vs transit challenge. I wonder if anybody’s done the equivalent in LA recently. Of course, this was on a nice, sunny day in NYC — their strange weather season named, if I recall correctly, “winter,” might make the outcome a bit different. ;)

“Transportation Alternatives in New York City held its 7th annual Commuter Challenge yesterday. Streetfilms had cameras on each of the car driver, cyclist and public transit user and Elizabeth Press stayed up all night to create the video of the challenge in less than 24 hours!

More here.”

(Via Cyclelicious.)

The Daily Bulletin is reporting on a ceremony earlier today, recognizing the closing of five miles of gaps in the Santa Ana River Trail (SART): “New segments of Santa Ana River Trail finished”. Now the trail is complete between Waterman Avenue in San Bernardino and Norco city limits.

Work on the new portions of the trail began in late 2006, with construction getting under way in 2007. All the work was completed in December, but rains forced organizers to reschedule the grand opening to May.

Friday’s ceremony at Hidden Valley included a “ride-through” by members of the Riverside Bicycle Club and several equestrians from throughout the three participating counties.

It sounds pretty spiffy:

[The Hidden Valley Wildlife Area] portion of the trail required work on two parallel trails, one horse trail and an asphalt trail for cyclists, joggers and hikers. Both are about 10 feet wide, [Patricia Lock-Dawson, project strategist] said.

“It’s a beautiful section of trail, it’s really the jewel of the whole Santa Ana River Trail,” she said. “The experience is enhanced by the neighboring wetland complex and the views of the mountains. And it’s got no development.”

Thanks to a post over at Dodger Thoughts, “Cycling for the Hit”, I can combine two of my passions in one post — cycling and the Dodgers.

If you’re game enough to navigate the streets of Los Angeles and the hills of Chavez Ravine, well then yes, there is a parking spot at the end of your pedaling rainbow.

A Dodger Thoughts commenter Tuesday passed along this post from StreetsBlog Los Angeles wondering where you could safely lock your bicycle at Dodger Stadium. I asked Josh Rawitch of the Dodgers, and he replied that “Indeed, we allow bicycles to park at the top of lot P to the left of the gates.”

Naturally, there is some concern about whether or not your bike is safe during the game, and whether you’re safe after, but nevertheless, this is a cool thing. Now they just need to get some sort of tram to Union Station, and we’ll be in business.

I’m finally getting around to posting photos from the February 3rd cycling excursion that ended up rather badly. You can read about that in the February 2007 archive. If you’d like to know more about the beautiful San Timoteo Canyon and its history, check out Images of America: San Timoteo Canyon Road from Arcadia Publishing. The canyon runs mostly between Redlands and Moreno Valley in Southern California.

Part of the flood control section of the river, with a multi-use trail on the side, looking east.

The trail next to the river, with the Sunset Drive hills to the left/north.

Buffalo Meadows Ranch’s cool sign.

At the intersection of San Timoteo and Redlands Boulevard, which actually goes to Moreno Valley.

Also at that intersection, with the arrows pointing to my starting point and current target.

Just in case you need a domesticated pack animal of the camel family found in the Andes, valued for its soft woolly fleece. Of course, every time I see a llama, a voice in my head yells, “¡Cuidado! ¡Las Llamas!”

Typical view in the rural parts of the canyon — it was a gorgeous afternoon, with very little traffic once I got past the Redlands Blvd turnoff.

Some scouts created a display on a wall they built (IIRC), including some historical tidbits about the area. The one above describes the “Old Salt Road” that ran through the canyon in the 1800s.

The historical, one-room San Timoteo Canyon Schoolhouse, at 31985 San Timoteo Canyon Road.

Not just a portrait of the cyclist as a young man — also a harbinger, thanks to lengthening shadows.

You’re cycling along, minding your own business in a rural landscape, when all of a sudden a featureless wall and radio tower appear out of nowhere. Spooky. Never did figure out what was going on here. A religious cult was my first guess. ;D

They were working on widening the road near its eastern end, probably due to all the development, so I went off-road for a spell and enjoyed several trains for company.

Waving to the engineers always solicits a return wave. Sometimes I think trainspotting would be a fun diversion.

Ah yes, the wild golfer in its natural environment. I don’t think golfcartspotting would be nearly as interesting.

The road ends finally at the 10 Freeway. I’ll be taking a left on the frontage road to head back to Redlands. Note longer cyclist shadow.

This little guy and the darkening sky behind provided a last moment of beauty.

Finally! A convenience store meal. Heavy on the carbs and fluids. It was sunset by this time.

The setting sun and its dramatic exit as I hurried towards home.

The next photo on my camera was almost exactly 4 hours later, sitting in the emergency room with my arm in a sling.

Jim Langley has cleaned up and posted some great vintage bicycle adverts from the turn of the century before last:

Through the magic of scanning and Photoshop though, perhaps for the first time, I’m able to present these ads the way the artist intended them: big, bold and bright (and far, far more impressive than the tattered and tarnished originals).

And be sure to check out his other materials, with

…great examples from my bicycle collectables, nameplates and ads, which I’ve accumulated over a twenty-year period.

Thanks so much for sharing!