CicLAvia, or Claremont Cyclist visits the Big City...

But before I get to that I want to offer my own BIG THANKS to all the CicLAvia volunteers and organizers who got this thing off the drawing boards and onto the streets. It was awesome, and you did a helluva job.

The question I seemed to hear a lot was "did you ever think you would see the day?"

Mama's, one of the many  popular food joints along the route

With no cars, kids will be hoola-hooping in the streets

Hollywood end of the route, the Bicycle Kitchen, and across the street, Orange 20 (one cool bike shop)

High rider

CicLAvia volunteers

Green hair

Families were everywhere

Dia de los muertos float (click to enlarge)

Singing, guitar playing, biking angel

Crossing the 4th Street bridge

East end of the route, Hollenbeck Park

Greenpeace Quit Coal marchers

the Police seemed to be having a great time too. And why not?

How many songs can you think of about legs?

Another tall bike

Bike themed rack at the Geffen

It was just about everything you would expect, such a diversity of riders, of bikes, families, couples, friends, old and new, little kids, old folk, Dutch bikes, utility bikes, racing bikes, townies, cruisers, unicycles, fixies, mountain bikes. Was anyone not having a good time? Not that I observed. I was expecting more spontaneity along the way, more music, dancing in the street, breaking of pinatas maybe. People seemed to be content just riding around. I think that as the event grows each year, as more people hear about it, we will see more creativity. That is the good thing about this event, it is not so organized that there is no room for people to make of it what they will. The grassroots nature of CicLAvia will help it to grow in a way befitting the creative setting in which it takes place.

Link to the rest of the photos.