Talking Heads frontman David Byrne said that riding a bicycle is the best way to see a city.
While on tour, he keeps a folding bike in tow to cruise around the neighborhood. He even wrote a book about it that inspired NYC to adopt its bike-share program.
Last week, L.A. got its first bicycle share program in Downtown; a membership gets you access to a 1,000-unit fleet spread out across 65 docking stations. Way easier than dealing with traffic and parking.
But we’d like to propose that you grab a Metro bike from the station in Chinatown and ride to the L.A. River bike path, and from there, go north as far as your legs will take you.
Ride the L.A. River
The newly reopened L.A. River Greenway Trail runs from just north of Chinatown to just north of Atwater Village. You’ll ride through a paved section that ought to look very familiar: Terminator II and Drive were both shot there. But then the river returns to its natural state, lush and flowing with swift moving water and wildlife like herons and native fish (here’s a map).
The City just approved an 11-mile, $1 billion makeover that aims to make the concrete part from Downtown to Griffith Park all natural. Frank Gehry is helping out, and the plan includes parks and native green spaces. You can help support the project by donating to the L.A. River Organization.
Stop for a Lazy Lunch and Drinks
Salazar is not far off the path in Frogtown, a sliver of a neighborhood that snakes along the river. Their tacos have Jonathan Gold coming back for more, and the patio is great spot for a little riverside lunch, all to be washed down with a cold El Sully’s, a tasty Mexican lager.
Don’t Forget to Wear Sunscreen
Seriously. If not for warding off skin cancer, then at least for preserving your mug and preventing it from looking like a worn-out baseball mit. Profile Defend is a silky broad spectrum lotion that hydrates your skin while protecting its integrity.
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