Eric Richardson [Flickr]

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — I've mentioned before that I'm really enjoying the group bike rides that are popping up around LA. Last night I went on RIDE-Arc, a loosely architecture-themed ride put together by some students from Downtown's SCI-Arc. It wasn't a Downtown ride, meeting at La Brea and Sunset and heading west to UCLA, but I started from Downtown so I think that qualifies it for mention here. I plotted my route on GMap Pedometer. The actual ride part of that is the round-trip from and to the start point. My night was about 33 miles, which was about 50/50 ride vs. riding to and from the ride. In retrospect I might have taken the subway over there were I to do it again and be out of shape like I am.

All that to say, if you live Downtown and own a bike you should really start coming on some of these rides. First Friday is RIDE-Arc, second Thursday is Downtown Art Ride, second Friday is Midnight Ridazz, and there are more popping up all the time. I'm planning to at least do RIDE-Arc and Ridazz, so if you're planning on going drop me an email and we can get a group going from Downtown.