This Weekend in South L.A.: Join in the Effort to Expand CicLAvia Southward or Learn to Garden

It's going to be hot this weekend.

If, like me, you live in an apartment, it is probably even hotter inside than outside. Which means you might as well get out and about.

Tonight, you could cool off with the Friday Night Ride to Hawthorne with the East Side Riders. Meet up with them around 6:30 pm at Ted Watkins Park (off Success St., near 102nd) in Watts, where they will be fixing up bikes for youth as part of the Parks After Dark program before they ride out.

Sunday, you have your choice of two events.

In the morning, join me and some of the South L.A. bike clubs as we support the push to bring CicLAvia to the Southeast Los Angeles area. The exploratory ride will begin from La Curacao Plaza, located at 5980 Pacific Blvd., Huntington Park, CA 90255. It's a short ride -- only about 5 miles to South Gate Park -- but the presence of cyclists in significant numbers along the route helps organizers determine the viability of route and generate excitement for the event within the community. And it's just plain fun. If you'd like to be part of that process, join us at La Curacao at 10 am. Want to go but not sure how to get there? I'll be riding to the site from the Los Feliz area around 9 am from the polka dot plaza thingy and always welcome company; let me know if you want to come along (sahra@streetsblog.org)! More about the event is here.

In the afternoon, stop by the California African American Museum (CAAM) to participate in a gardening workshop taught by Master Gardener Saat-Rai Amnwt. She will teach you how to take advantage of small spaces to create a luscious garden at home or in a window box that yields fresh and delicious produce. The workshop begins at 2 pm and, although it is free, the museum asks that you RSVP: (213) 744-2024. Should you be there early, or have time once the workshop finishes, check out the Gallery of Discovery to see installations depicting slave life in America and hear the recordings of slaves' stories, voiced by some of the slaves themselves. Both will offer you much food for thought. Admission is free, but parking is $10. Which is one more reason to ride your bike!