LA river Ride – from Griffith park to Long Beach

perhaps a little crazy to all of a sudden ride 35 miles – all because I wanted to see the LA river in it’s entirety.  I signed up for the 14th annual river ride hosted by the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition. I am not a cyclist and I was probably the only one with a heavy mountain bike with a helmet that is not aero dynamic and carrying a sketchbook in a shoulder bag.  From the Autry to Long Beach – 34 miles.  I only did one way instead of round trip. 

  – we entered the bike path from zoo drive. a nice stretch through Glendale

  – unfortunately the bike path ends at the south end of frog town and we were on surface street through down town.  Good thing it was sunday morning with less traffic.

  – through China town, behind union station, over Cesar Chavez bridge,  and through Boyle heights

  – by boyle and olympic

  – heading down through industrial section of Downey,

  – and vernon,

  – and finally back on the bike path at Atlantic blvd.

  – from here, it’s straight onwards to Long Beach!

  – riding under rail road bridges which I find really cool

 – at imperial hwy ( 90) we switch over to the east side of the river and you see a whole lot of concrete that goes on and on..

  – there were lots of dips in the bike path going under the streets and the up hill part of it was quit a work out where I felt my physical limitations.

 – all of a sudden we see greenery and more water flow

  – long beach is in sight with the gerald desmond bridge to the far right

 – do I smell the ocean? not really but I am at the river mouth

 – sight of Queen Mary is an assurance that you are indeed in Long Beach!

 – at the aquarium, – Although I only did half, I tell myself it is ok.

Here is the route: