Like all the other cyclists I saw yesterday, as I rode to Santa Monica and back for a meeting—and there were plenty of us out there—I rode under a vast looming dark-gray thunderstorm that squatted over most of the city in the afternoon. Just after I passed the 405 freeway on my passage home, lighting flickered over the distant hills, and it started to rain. But, unlike every other cyclist I saw, I didn't get wet.

After all, the day had dawned rainy, and more rain was predicted. So I had packed my rain cape in the pannier, figuring that I probably wouldn't need it.

When I did, I was plenty glad it was there.

One fellow who was riding along with me in the Santa Monica Boulevard bike lanes for a while asked where I had gotten it. He was a middle-aged man in a t-shirt and shorts. I told him the brand—it's a Carradice Pro Route—and I hope he loked it up and ordered one. Shops in LA don't carry much in the way of rain gear. And people here dont seem to buy it. Hell, I've seen folks walking down my block in absolute downpours, in a suit, without even an umbrella! This doesn't make sense. We're talking about fairly simple technologies here: even an expensive rain cape costs less than most shoes, and umbrellas are almost free.

Well, maybe the smiles, nods, and thumbs-up I got from almost every single other cyclist I came across will translate into some internet searching for rain gear.

They say it may be a wet winter here in Southern California. But that's no reason to show up soaking wet just because you pedaled somewhere. (I do keep a handkerchief in my pocket for dabbing my face before I go into a building on rainy days, and a comb for my beard.)

When I stopped at the trader Joe's on my way home, after eight miles of delightful rain riding, the clerk asked me if I needed to validate parking for my car. I said no. My bike was waiting outside in the rain, with a showercap on the saddle. I got home dry.

Richard Risemberg on Sat, 31 Jan 2015 18:56:32 -0800 [link]  

January Sunshine brightens up Orange 20's blog with a roundup of good bike news for the week, while at Flying Pigeon LA, it's time to explore Conflict Zones and how to avoid them…if only our city really wanted to.

Richard Risemberg on Wed, 28 Jan 2015 20:45:55 -0800 [link]  

This week's Flying Pigeon LA column looks at the sudden movement towards a safer and more community-friendly North Figueroa Street in Los Angeles, which took place only after a year of failed negotiations finally inspired residents to take to the street in protests—which were dismissed by a local NGO as "less than productive." But then, They Always Say that.

Meanwhile, on Orange 20 Bikes, I take a moment to announce that OMG, for Sure? A CicLAvia in the Valley? Which I look forward to riding in a few short weeks!

Richard Risemberg on Wed, 21 Jan 2015 19:28:49 -0800 [link]  

Several years ago, I bought the URL "velo-la.com," thinking to use it for a series of expos in the Los Angeles area. I never gathered the resources necessary to carry out that plan, so now I'd like to sell the URL for any reasonable offer. It could work for someone else's expo, a bike shop, an online community, an advocacy group, a magazine, or whatever else your entrepreneurial imagination might come up with.

If you are interested, email me via this site's comments page, and maybe we can make a deal.

This domain name is paid up through the middle of May, 2015.

Richard Risemberg on Sat, 17 Jan 2015 20:53:23 -0800 [link]  

We have "hope"-themed posts today for both Orange 20 Bikes and Flying Pigeon LA, with the former seeing Shadows of Hope in both Northeast Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, and the latter detailing what the Five Blocks of Hope in that neighborhood may entail.

These might be turning points for the region…or not. We'll have to wait and see, so don't retire your banners and keyboards yet…. It ain't over till it's over.

Richard Risemberg on Wed, 14 Jan 2015 19:31:11 -0800 [link]  

Couple more posts for you this week, probably to no one's surprise…

On Orange 20 Bikes' website, I sing, Don't Cry for Me, Infrastructure, as I examine why it took a year and a half for LADOT to replace a damaged bike rack at a popular café.

And over on Flying Pigeon LA, I call out Northeast LA's rogue council member Gil Cedillo as A Tyrant and a Bully…despite his application of those very terms to his beleaguered constituents.

Richard Risemberg on Wed, 07 Jan 2015 21:37:48 -0800 [link]  

Here we are at the very end of the year, and Im still inflicting posts on you!

On Orange 20's site, this week, I offer Fixing Flats: a Primer, and follow up with a plug for my recent book, which is full of urbanist Rants & Raves.

The on Flying Pigeon LA's blog, I delve into the Shadows of the Past, especially some startling confessions from shadowy Gil Cedillo, council member for much of Northeast Los Angeles, and staunch bike lane opponent today…but not during his campaign….

Richard Risemberg on Thu, 01 Jan 2015 02:24:57 -0800 [link]  

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