Up the Road: Party Like its 1890

 I know, you've already seen the announcement from the Local Bikestand about some of their upcoming events, but by sharing it I can throw a little more Los Angeles bicycle history stuff at you:

In March 1890 a story appeared in the Wheel and Cycling Trade Review describing the festivities of a banquet given by the Los Angeles Wheelmen on Saturday evening 15 February, at the "new and elegant" club quarters, no. 608 1/2 South Spring Street. Officiating as toastmaster was club president A. E. Little, and with J. W. A. Off responding. As the evening progressed, Messrs. Burke, Spier and Bradley belted out a few songs, including Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, and Forty-nine Blue Bottles. Visiting from Oakland, Fred Corey took up his guitar and mouth organ, and serenaded the assembled wheelmen with song, including the "latest Oakland version" of Down Went McGinty. A. A. Forbes of Hartford, Connecticut as an honored guest, with club members Little, Off, L. D. Sale, W. J. Allen, Sherman Pease, Emil Keechner, H. C. F. Smith, P. L. Abel, A. W. Helwig, S. G. Spier, D. L. Burke, W. C. Gordon, H. G. Stuart, E. C. Bickford, F. Pfaffinger, Charles Ruthard, C. E. Gale, R. J. Cope, W. S. Wing, Corey, N. R. Bradley and W. F. Stuart rounding out the assembled.

Los Angeles Wheelmen, c.1893

Anyway, you too can party with some very fine bicyclists, at a new(ish) but maybe not so elegant quarters, by heading over the the Local Bikestand Friday evening for their usual first Friday festivities. (It is also not too early to start thinking about the next swap meet at the shop - August 21). Then Saturday morning there will some Riding Around Pomona - the group will be riding some of the sharrows in the city.