Fantasy Sports: Design Your Own Dream Bike Race for Los Angeles

Recently, Dodgers’ owner Frank McCourt told the Times that:

…he would soon unveil a Los Angeles bicycle race that he hopes can evolve
into a world-class event similar to the marathon. The inaugural bike
race is tentatively scheduled for November.

So while I’m waiting for Sam Worthington to write me back, I thought I would help out Mr. McCourt by designing my own "fantasy bike route" and encourage all of you to do the same and submit in the comments section.  Best route wins a free drink ticket at any Streetsblog fundraiser and a Streetfilms t-shirt.  I’ll consider theme and route in making a decision.

The Co-Op Challenge, 50 miles of L.A. Bike Culture:

Start:

The Valley Bikery

Stops:

The Bike Oven

The City of Bike Space at IDEPSCA

The Bike Kitchen

End:

The Bikerowave

3_25_10_bike_route.jpg

  • Start from downtown at the 10/110 interchange, head south on the 110 to the 105 west, 405 north, 10 east back to the starting point. Close the freeways down for a day for a massive block party and make national news. Well, it can’t happen unless somebody suggests it right?

    It’s fun, I walked on a section of freeway when a 210 extension opened a few years back.

  • Is this a bike race or a cycling celebration or both? Who is going to keep the greenwashers outta the mix?

  • It would have to include the San Gabriels, the Santa Monicas, Griffith Park, and Elysian park. Could be mountainous and fast. So epic!

  • John

    “Is this a bike race or a cycling celebration or both? Who is going to keep the greenwashers outta the mix?”

    Well, we aren’t all born green. Let’s keep it inclusive.

    Besides, cycling and livable streets are more than an environmental issue. There’s class, social cohesion, land-use, and safety as well.

  • Eric B

    If he’s looking to attract top pro talent to this race, then it ought to be a three-day stage race like San Dimas, which is currently SoCal’s premier cycling event. Let your imagination run wild since you can now plan three different courses within LA (time trial, road race, and criterium).

  • John: Inclusiveness is Job One, and I mean “Green” in the broadest, most comprehensive sense including all those issues, but while I am not sure about events in L.A., the Bay to Breakers in San Francisco IS both a serious running race and a fun and wacky slowly moving party, but it has been around for decades and as arguably done nothing to support permanent measures for middle-of-the-street life.

    So, if some private automobilism-entity co-brands this event, it is both greenwashing and a cynicism-generator for more conscious persons.

  • Done and done: WOLFPACK HUSTLE. That is all.

  • Mr Fink

    If Frank McCourt wants to encourage cycling in Los Angeles and help “solve traffic and transportation issues” he should start by installing bike racks at Dodger Stadium. After riding my my bike to a dodger game last year I was shocked to discover that aside from stairway handrails (which stadium security would not let me use) there was not a single place to securely lock my bike in the entire stadium complex.

  • Bob K

    Right on Chewie! A freeway tour would be awesome!!!

  • Carter R

    Start at the top of Mandeville Canyon Road and proceed 4 miles down the hill.

    Turn Right on Sunset Blvd and go approx. .5 miles.

    Turn Left on Allenford, proceeding up a short & steep climb, to San Vicente Blvd.

    Turn Left on San Viscente and continue west until it meets Wilshire.

    Take Wilshire all the way through the city to Vermont Ave.

    Left on Vermont Ave to Silver Lake Blvd.

    Continue on Silver Lake Blvd around the Lake.

    Finish Line at the Park.

    http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=112556409265413048500.000482ed038701f3d15e9

  • Carter R

    Oh yeah, and let’s call mine “The West-East Sprint,” clocking in at about 24 miles.

  • Carter R

    I’d also like to nominate a jaunt along Sunset Blvd from PCH to Union Station.

    You get the twists and hills and curves from the Beach to Beverly Hills, and then a straight shot through West Hollywood, Hollywood, cutting to Downtown through Silver Lake and Echo Park, and then continuing on to Cesar Chavez Blvd with the finish line, party, and photo opps in front of Union Station (Tony can make another 30/10 pitch there, with McCourt).

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