{"id":2210,"date":"2021-10-07T19:42:05","date_gmt":"2021-10-07T19:42:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyclingdestination.cc\/?p=2210"},"modified":"2023-09-04T20:31:26","modified_gmt":"2023-09-04T18:31:26","slug":"cycling-in-california-los-angeles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cyclingdestination.cc\/en\/verhalen\/usa\/fietsen-in-californie-los-angeles","title":{"rendered":"Cycling in California: Los Angeles is a wonderful base"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cycling in Los Angeles. That sounds almost like skiing in the sahara, or nowadays an Elfstedentocht in the Netherlands. When I settled in this metropolis 14 years ago, cycling was something for people with suicidal tendencies. Not for nothing was I part of a bicycle safety programme for primary school children. Oh how things have changed. Since 2010, the city has been building bike lanes. On my street, West 7th street, there are now beautiful paths and you can cycle more safely. There is also something else: the city of glitz and glamour is actually perfectly positioned in relation to the surrounding hills. With the bouncer of the day being the opportunity to take a lap at an iconic spot, the 'Hollywood Sign'. Who wouldn't want that? Cycling in California: Los Angeles is a wonderful base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Film set in your backyard<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you live in Los Angeles, you can't ignore it. This is the city of the film industry. In fact in all places you can see the Hollywood Sign in the hills. Sometimes you only have to look around the corner in 'DTLA' (downtown, the city centre) and you are literally in a film set. Spoiler alert: CSI:NY is not being filmed in New York, but simply on 7th street in LA. Many scenes from the popular series 24, starring Kiefer Sutherland, were also shot here. That makes a ride through the city centre kind of cool! Now riding a road bike during the day is not recommended, but every last Friday of the month you can join the Criticial Mass bike ride. You'll see people riding all over the city and it's an absolute happening. A great introduction to LA's 'bike culture'.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Griffith Park and Hollywood Sign<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Just north of the city is an immense park containing an observatory of the same name: Griffith Park. Not only can you overlook the whole city from there, the road leading to it is a challenging climb and it is also the entrance to the Hollywood Sign! To ride this route properly, it's best to start in the Los Feliz neighbourhood. On Hillhurst Avenue, you'll find some nice coffee shops. We liked to start at Blue Bottle Coffee<\/a>. A great starting point, then. From here, you can drive up Hillhurst Avenue. You climb here in several stages in seven kilometres to a height of 420 metres, having started at 140m. The first stretch to the Griffith Observatory is very steep! But the reward after about four kilometres is insane. If you look down, you can see the major thoroughfares Vermont Avenue and Western Avenue and follow them (especially in the evening) all the way to Long Beach. Bizarre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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(c)Discover Los Angeles<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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(c)Griffith Park Observatory<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mount Hollywood<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You actually ride up Mount Hollywood here, known for the Hollywood Sign. Many people know that you can walk behind it via a good hike, but it also gives cyclists that option! From Griffith Observatory you can go there directly, but for distance and challenge and the length of your route, it's more fun to ride to the 'back' of Mount Hollywood first, then west to ride via the Hollywood Basin back towards the famous sign. The view? Priceless. Just take note, you have to go through the white gate at the end of the road (just step off and then through the pedestrian gate) to then get to the sign. Not everything is closed in the US either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Route to the Hollywood sign from Los Feliz<\/h2>\n\n\n\n