50 Cyclists Take to Ballona Creek . . . for Tacos
October 16th, 2008 
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Recently, bloggers Damien Newton and Will Campbell have headed an effort get cyclists to take greater ownership of the Ballona Creek Bike Path. Recently, the LA City Council closed a gate to the bike path on the basis that gangs are using it to perpetrate crimes. So, in order to foster a sense of ownership of the path, and inform cyclists about the political battle around the gate the Concerned Bicyclists of the Ballona Creek have planned a ride for next Saturday.
But the truth is, a group of cyclists already has been taking CEREAL (translation: serious) ownership of the path. This Tuesday I went to my first Taco Tuesdays, an awesome nighttime social ride on the Westside that ends in a taco gorgy at Cinco de Mayo. The Ballona Creek Bike Path has been the site of several muggings and, according to residents, rampant gang activity. So, I was a suprised and nervous when the ride turned onto the path and all 50 of us took the path 5 1/2 miles from Duquesne Ave in Culver City to Mustache Bridge at it’s end.
This was right at the beginning of Taco Tuesdays, and as the ride got warmed up and we passed under the 405, a small group up front started to hustle. When a gap between the hustlers and the main group developed, Ryan Ashford and I double hustled up to the front to slow them down. But we like to hustle to. So, when we got there, we were all “slow down”, and then we jumped out front, and laid down a 4 mile sprint. Pacelining Ballona Creek in the dark at 26 mph, rooting it good, I was unable to spot any gang activity. Except of course the gang of 50 cyclists massaging the path with the rubber side down.
(L to R: Chloe, Vlad, Alex T, and Sara, looking like doofuses on Mustache Bridge after the hustle. Photo by Sean M.)
After we hustled we cooled it for a while and then watched the main group come in. Imagine 35 blinking lights coming out of complete darness, along a path that is feared by residents and cyclists alike. It was a strong visual demonstrating that more use, not less, is the solution to the path’s problem. If only a fraction as many cyclists used the path on a regular basis, the ability of people to misuse the path for crime would be substantially reduced.
Taco Tuesdays has been doing just that. In it’s 18 ride history, “X-Large”, who organizes the ride along with Richie and Ceasar, estimates that nine Taco Tuesdays rides of twenty or more cyclists have travelled the length of the path. “Even before Taco Tuesday’s, Richie and Ceasar and I were riding it together at night for practice,” he said. Twenty cyclists to the end and then back to boathouse is 20 x 6.1 = 122 rider miles. If attendance is 50 like this last ride, that’s more than 300 rider miles. That’s some CEREAL riding!
Now, I know that the Concerned Bicyclists of the Ballona Creek have more in mind for their Saturday ride, but I think some recognition is in order for what Taco Tuesdays is doing. Taco Tuesdays didn’t set out to “retake the path”, but simply by providing a fun reason to ride, by being an awesome biking event, they’ve inadvertently taken a strong ownership of the path at a time when even Will Campbell is fearful of riding it (but he did ride it at night.) That is the beauty of Midnight Ridazz – by using public places for what they were meant for – public enjoyment – we’re transforming LA. And it’s all fun.
Come on Concerned Bicyclists – I dare you to check out Taco Tuesdays and give them some CEREAL face to face props! Tuesdays, leaving CRANK MOB PARK (aka Media Park at Venice & Canfield) at 8 pm.
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Retake the path? Nah, that’s more political than what these cyclists are trying to do. Recognizing that the way to make the path as safe as possible is to increase the amount of people that use it, we’re just trying to promote the path to new users. Seriously?
We’re handing out literature on other trail rides next Saturday…you want me to print up this article?
Yeah – it is difficult for me to wrap my head around the proper language for what Concerned Bicyclists are trying to do.
Ummm – would that mean more Westside Bikeside readers? Then yes!
I am happy that you are a force for good. However, your midnight screaming wakes those of us that live along the Ballona Creek.
How would you feel if I went to your Moms house with 50 people and had them scream at midnight as they passed by.
Also, as you entered Centinela Ave., you blocked traffic and did not let cars pass. You have become (to a lesser extent) they very people you are trying to deter. (This happened several times.)
Put that in your pipe!
AK
Well,
1) My Mom is a heavy sleeper, so she’d be fine.
2) Perhaps you should have picked my Dad, who is a light sleeper . . . but
3) My Dad would totally get a kick out of it.
4) Even if he did not, I would not empathize – people need a little excitement now and then.
5) Moreover, when did the need for perfect uninterrupted sleep become a reason to deploy the fun police?
6) And there is no way that Ridazz were able, or chose to, scream for more than 4 miles so it is impossible to wake all of you that live on Ballona – you exaggerate your “injury”.
7) Finally, that ride did not go on Centinela – you’re thinking of a different ride and time.
8) And we didn’t block traffic – we are traffic! Do you berate a traffic jam for blocking traffic?
For your pipe I recommend 1 part introspection and self criticism, 1 part education about traffic laws, and 2 parts analysis of the trade off between your sleep, and our right to use public space.
Alex:
If it was not your group then I apologize.
Please let me say this. Any group that uses their size to bully others around them are nothing more then mere thugs. Just because you are part of a large group does not give you the right to violate laws.
All have the right to the free, peaceful use of public lands, but this right does not extend to the detriment of others.
I appreciate the fact that you heard me and only removed my post once. After all, the market place of speech should be open to all buyers and sellers.
AK
“Your group” only reflects your vast ignorance of the situation that you direct your NIMBY outrage at. I am not involved in anyway with the organization of Taco Tuesdays. Further, the use of public lands extends exactly as far as the law allows, and these people were in no way breaking the law by lawfully riding Ballona Creek.
If individuals or groups engage in protest actions, they are engaging in a practice endorsed by the framers of the constitution, and long held to be a human right. The degradation of the first amendment by varying forms of NIMBY outrage notwithstanding, most of us still value the right to make noise. Protest is a greater right than the right to quiet nights, if such a right exists. A harder concept – protest must not always be solemn, but can be in parallel with fun and have a party atmosphere.
Now surely there are some people who participate in rides who do not consider their action protest, but I maintain that the great elation of many is of more importance than convenience of a handful of motorists. There is no human right to convenient travel in a gas powered vehicle, and certainly none which puts the internal combustion engine above the bicycle. Freedom of movement yes, but freedom of movement to the exclusion of others rights and movement? No.
I delete your comments if and when I feel they add nothing, and merely rub salt in the wounds of LA cyclists. There is no guarantee to free speech for you on MY blog. If you want protected speech I recommend that you Get A Blog. I only let your comment remain as a means for sharpening my talons.