Archive for the Ride Reports Category

Why there are more bicycles in LA than motorcycles

By on December 31, 2011
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I was really shocked when I saw this GOOD infographic, which states that 0.9% of LA commuters go via bicycle, and so few commute via motorcycle that we’re lumped in with “other”. But when I looked around, I realized I do indeed see way more bicycles on the streets of LA than motorcycles. And now I’m becoming one of the 0.9%. I got a new bike on Black Friday, a Fuji Absolute hybrid. I call her Miss Absolute. It’s immensely more comfortable and faster than the vintage bike I was on before.

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Fastest | TT3D Double Feature

By on November 14, 2011
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I was so excited about seeing these films, I thought today would be the greatest day ever. Well, maybe not as good as a track day at Laguna Seca, but still good. Being in a theater packed with race fans was awesome, as was Fastest. But the most exciting part of TT3D was the ride home from the theater…

Fastest

Fastest showed two sold-out screenings at the Downtown Independent, a theater I can walk to, always a plus. It was a great movie, as I’ve come to expect from director Mark Neale. He did an excellent job of showcasing Rossi’s talent, going into detail about certain accomplishments the American announcers on Speed TV really hadn’t conveyed. But it was also a sad film. Not just for all the interviews with Marco Simonicelli, but for what felt like the end of Rossi’s career. 2011 has been the worst year of his career, and when they showed him announcing his plans to move to Ducati, I screamed “Don’t Do it!” and the whole theater laughed. Yes, I love being with my people. We understand each other. I cried openly when they read a few lines from the goodbye letter he wrote to his Yamaha, just as I cried when I first read the translation.

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The motorcycles I have owned

By on November 6, 2011
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1985: 1981 Vespa P200E

Greatest Memory? Every ride with Cheri (memorialized here), especially the ones where we snuck out at night and rode to the city 20 miles away.

The first time I went for a ride, on the back of Rob Bond’s Suzuki GS550, I knew I had to have one for myself. Sharing was simply not an option. So I spent the next year (until I was 15 1/2) working my parents over. By the time I was old enough to get my motorcycle permit, they relented. Because people (mistakenly) perceive scooters as being safer than motorcycles (it’s the other way around, actually), my parents let me buy a Vespa. I worked all summer in a paint factory to pay for it, but still only had about 50%. So my super awesome dad came up with the other half. The day I turned 15 1/2 I went straight to the DMV to get my motorcycle permit. I passed the test. Back then, you didn’t have to get a car permit in order to get a motorcycle permit. And I hadn’t heard about the MSF, as it was just starting up in 1985. Too bad, it would’ve saved me launching that 1981 Vespa P200E into the bushes across the street in front of my parents and the guy selling it to me.

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Is LA Suffering an Outbreak of the Crazies?

By on August 20, 2011
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I’ve lived and ridden in LA for over a decade. In that time, I’ve seen some messed up driving and survived plenty of threats on my life.  (some perceived and some real). I’ve even grown pretty confident on my bicycle in the 5 months I’ve been riding. But the past couple days I’ve seen some seriously crazy shit. And it’s not even a full moon. What is going on?

Last night I rode my bicycle from downtown to Hollywood and back. I had 2 cars almost run stop signs into me. Then a minivan pulled into the oncoming lane to pick his friend up at the corner just as I was turning the same corner. I discovered I can lock the wheels on my bicycle very easily without crashing. two wheel slide! wootwoot! But just the same it scared the hell out of me.  That kid’s parents will be getting a nasty letter from me courtesy of the DMV’s letter forwarding system if I can find the link on their new website. Although I fear that budget cuts may have led them to discontinue that service. Continue reading Is LA Suffering an Outbreak of the Crazies?

Chasin’ the Dream

By on July 5, 2011
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So I started this whole cycling adventure with a few goals-

1. get in shape. as in, be more strong, energetic, toned.

2. have fun getting from point a-b.

3. laugh at cops and gas stations.

All of these are happening, so I am raising the bar, as one must do with goals. Now that I feel a little stronger, I wanted to see if I’ve made any progress. Because with the way I get passed (like I’m standing still) by guys on fixies going uphill, I clearly am not ready for the Tour De France. Or even Malibu, for that matter. Malibu is the goal.

One day, I will be fit enough to huff it up those hills with the best of them. Until then, here is my progress so far. (click to embiggen) I think the gps got a little high on the 25th, as it’s the same route I’ve taken on other days and there weren’t any unusual hills involved. Sometimes the gps on my iphone likes to wander off.

It’s kind of annoying that we’re not seeing a general upward curve here. I know those calories burned are cumulative, and that I get stronger with each ride, but I’d like to also get faster…

Living My Childhood Nightmares | Bicycling in LA

By on June 6, 2011
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A tranquil Saturday ride from Brentwood to Venice & back. Much more pleasant than riding DTLA to Mid-City!

Recently I rebuilt my dad’s old (as in, 40ish years old) 10-speed, with the help of Jim and others at the Bicycle Kitchen. It’s been great to have a fun way to get some exercise and I can tell immediately that cycling builds all the muscles I most need to endure a full day on the track. Because I’m not one to set aside time to exercise, I’m also using the bike as a regular form of transport at least a couple days a week.

Continue reading Living My Childhood Nightmares | Bicycling in LA

Memorial Day, May 30th 2011. Almost my own memorial…

By on May 30, 2011
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After 25 years on 2 wheels, your perception of danger changes. What would have terrified me years ago often presents nothing more than a minor annoyance. Just as it’s rare for me to actually crash nowadays (usually in the rain on a bike I hate.) It takes a LOT for me to feel like I narrowly escaped death. Today it happened.

Continue reading Memorial Day, May 30th 2011. Almost my own memorial…

Friday May 13th 2011. Is there such a thing as 200mph headlights?*

By on May 30, 2011
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Oh yay! A herd of bright-eyed buffalo are coming to play with meeee!

I was grumpy, cold, tired and generally annoyed that I’d had to leave LA so late. I don’t like finishing a long ride after dark, it’s harder to focus when you’re tired. But there it was. I wasn’t going to rush up to SF the fast way, because there really is no “fast way” when you have to stop every five minutes for gas anyway.

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Day in the Life…

By on November 4, 2010
This entry is filed under Ride Reports, Travel and tagged , .

Or rather, days. Just to clarify, here’s what I’ve been up to…

The Fog

By on October 21, 2010
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The Fog, originally uploaded by pinkyracer.

When I was a kid, there was a horror movie about this fog that enveloped some town and scared the shit out of everyone. I only recall the bit about the people trapped in the grocery store, wishing they could go home, but The Fog would git them if they tried to leave.

Continue reading The Fog

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