Either Los Angeles doesn’t like bikes, or the Adventure Cycling Association isn’t very diligent about picking safe routes. Both can be true, I suppose.
The first sixteen miles were kind of unpleasant, and the roads were pretty cyclist-hostile. I got to practice many “Cycling Savvy” techniques. But I didn’t have any close calls and only one driver honked at me!
As I got further from the city center, things got better. I ended up spending many miles on the peaceful Pacific Electric Trail.
Normally I don’t love touring on multiuse trails, but it was such a relief after the tense vigilance of city riding.
My favorite thing today was a pair of peacocks wandering around on the street in Arcadia. They didn’t look very traffic-aware, so I tried to shoo them out of the road.
I am staying in a Motel 6 in San Bernardino that requires a $60 cash deposit and they inspect your room when you check out. Sounds sketchy to me, but at least the air conditioner works!
Update on the Motel 6: It was terrible! Especially because they jacked up the cost to OVER TWO-HUNDRED DOLLARS because there was some sort of event.
* The elevator was out of order, so I had to carry my absurdly heavy bike up and down the stairs (I was on the third floor).
* The air conditioner did not, in fact, work. The thermostat was stuck on 60F, so it was either freezing or off. I chose freezing, because I can’t sleep when it is hot, and it was 55F in the morning.
* I didn’t use it, but each room didn’t have a microwave – it was in an outdoor cage on the first floor.
* I did have to wait while the clerk inspected my room so I could get my $60 deposit back.
Leave a Reply