April CicLAvia: Heart of the Foothills

Heading down Mills in the morning air I could tell the day was going to be good, but when a momma duck and her brood of ducklings waddled across my path right upon entering the campus of Harvey Mudd College, a mere good day suddenly began to look as if it might become an extraordinary day - I mean how often in the middle of the city is that going to happen? Arriving in the Village not long after the official start to this day's CicLAvia: Heart of the Foothills, First Street, Second Street, Harvard, and Yale Avenues were already packed for the festive occasion. With the knowledge I would be back at the end of the day I speed-walked through, stopping only briefly to talk with a neighbor, with Professor Paul Steinberg who, with some of this years students were greeting passers-by at their Bicycle Revolution tent, buy a few raffle tickets from the high school Interact Club, and then settle in and wait for the mrs. to finish her own socializing and sightseeing.

Finally given the okay to begin the journey to San Dimas we headed down to Arrow Highway, swept around the turn and headed west. Interesting thing about this phase of the journey, the ride into Pomona seemed to take less time by bike than when I drive the route. Coincidence? Only partly - today I could interact directly with the people around me, the steel and glass separation was gone, as were those various driving hang-ups we are all too familiar with, such as the "gotta get to the next light before anyone else," and because of that the time passed quickly. Reaching the Pomona hub, it was clear that it would be hopping all day long; the Pomona Valley Bike Coalition was doing a bang up job of bike repair with a lengthening line of people needing a little assistance. Next door, the California Highway Patrol was giving out free (and quite stylish) helmets to kids, down at the end of Palomares Park a band finished playing, kids got their faces painted, hula hooped, challenged themselves on the climbing wall, visited the LA County Fair in miniature, or climbed into those giant plastic balls to battle one another in fun free-for-all. Other people took advantage of the open day at the Palomares Adobe, or the special exhibition hours at the courts of the Pomona Lawn Bowling Club. I've got to tell you, when I first saw the route for this cicLAvia I was a little apprehensive for the Pomona section - Arrow Highway is not the city's most attractive, or interesting, side, but there is no question that they made a good showing at the Pomona hub.

Saying goodbye to Pomona the route next went up to Bonita Avenue and into the city of La Verne. The La Verne hub was directly on the route, and because of that looked to be the busiest of all; when we returned later in the afternoon, all the restaurants in the little downtown appeared to be experiencing their biggest sales day of the year, which is saying something because I have been to many of them and they are often doing exceptionally well. Regrettably we decided not to add our name to the waiting list of any one and, after stopping to say hello to the folks at the La Verne Bicycle Coalition, we moved on again. Somewhere in La Verne we passed a bunch of Psycho-lists, found the family Tannenbaum and their quad (bicycle built for four), and began to notice a greater number of Damien High School riders (the high school really got into the cycLAvia spirit, and had a virtual mini-hub of their own going on). The cool thing about the La Verne section of the route, Bonita Avenue is residential and, like Damien High, the residents got into the spirit as well, setting up tables and chair, barbecuing, watched the parade pass by, kids sold lemonade from stands, and at the hottest part of the day set hoses in trees to create a mist for passing riders. Very cool.

Out in San Dimas we reached the western end of the line. This final hub had two stages set up for music, with everyone's favorite the Ravelers playing their classic rock at one. Out front of the stage a lone dancer did her best, while a painter set up an easel to capture the festive scene. While waiting for the mrs. to finish up some more sightseeing I spotted Demi a couple seconds after he spotted me - good to see him, it has been awhile since I last did. Heading back through San Dimas and La Verne hunger pangs were beginning to make themselves known and well, since there was a thirst to be slaked too it was a good thing there was an Old Stump right off the route; like the restaurants in downtown La Verne, the Old Stump was having their best Sunday of sales as well - economic power of the bicycle and cicLAvia. Refreshed and ready to roll for home we stopped once more at Palomares Park where John was shin deep in old inner tubes but was still at the job. When I remarked that some people were paid good money for doing what he was doing for free, he laughed and said there were tips of the beverage kind coming later which would make it all okay. The mrs. added some paint to the front side of the Pomona sign, we spun a quick tour of the adobe grounds, spotting Ken in the process, and then spun a slow dash back to Claremont, rode a bit with Michael Flemming (always good to talk to him), listened to a last set by the high school jazz ensemble, and then relaxed in the shade with a Podge's smoothie. Whew (wiping the sweat from my forehead) what a full day. 

Claremont in the morning, full swing already

where will the Bicycle Revolution roll next

kudos to the CHP for handing out those helmets

pointing out the blue sky just seemed so unnecessary

wooden bikes just look so cool

found them

I always believed that if I had been born latino I would have made a good lowrider

the father / daughter race goes to the... daughter

cruising in style

the San Dimas end was pretty darn packed as well

the one hill of little significance along the route

I am led to believe that the success of this cicLAvia made a big impression on the little city of LaVerne - and why not, the power of the bike

if you are going to get a flat there could be far worse places to have to change it

arrival of the bmx brigade

arriving back in Claremont we found Peddlers Creamery, out front of SoCal Edison, and handing out free samples

I like this one for the composition, but do you know the song Girl from Ipanema?

look at that face

The post is a bit more pic-heavy than normal, but if you want more there is the Flickr album as well.