Ride the Rails: History, Architecture, and Hollywood Lore in Downtown L.A.

Ride the Rails: History, Architecture, and Hollywood Lore in Downtown L.A.

All Aboard!
A fantastic bicycle journey of the most landmark rail and trolley lines
throughout Downtown Los Angeles is traveling your way on Saturday, June
21, 2008 at 9:45am. Bicyclists of all ages and skill levels are invited
to join this leisurely paced ride as we tour legendary locations in
both Hollywood films and history books. The League Certified cycling
instructors of C.I.C.L.E. are partnering with M.T.A., Angels Flight
Railway Foundation, Angeleno Heights Trolley Line, and California State
Parks to bring riders an intriguing, one-of-a-kind ‘Urban Expeditions’
enjoyable to the historian, bicyclist and film critic alike.

Known
as the ‘Last of the Great Railway Stations’ and the backdrop to
hundreds of films, the architecturally ornate Los Angeles Union Station
will be the first stop on this bicycle trip. Next stop- Angels Flight.
Hailed as the ‘Shortest Railway in the World’, Angels Flight, built in
1901, has triumphed through redevelopment and tragedy for over a
century. Riders will also celebrate its re-opening this year with the
original cars, Sinai and Olivet, after a 12 year hiatus. Traveling
right along, we head to Angelino Heights for a look at the Victorian
Queen Anne architecture and oldest trolley line in Los Angeles. Second
to only Bunker Hill, Angelino Heights is the oldest district in Los
Angeles. Angelino Heights was connected to downtown L.A. along Temple
St. by a small cable car line and later an electric streetcar. Last
stop is the Los Angeles State Historic Park, home to many things
including the Southern Pacific Railroad’s River Station in 1875 which
packed a waterwheel, Pacific Hotel, freight yard, passenger station and
much more on the once river-front property.

This
ride is a recreational social event open to all skill levels. The ride
will begin at Union Station located at 800 N. Alameda St. and wind
through the streets of Downtown Los Angeles. The pace of the ride is
relaxed, and please take note that this ride does contain moderate
hills. The ride is lead by experienced cyclists. The ride will end at
Union Station. Riders are reminded to bring water and have their bikes
inspected for safety.

‘Ride the Rails’ is a part of Urban
Expeditions program, a monthly ride series of community-focused bicycle
rides aimed at getting people out of their cars and onto their bikes
for a cleaner, greener city. The Urban Expeditions series is made
possible, in part, with support REI.