Tomorrow, on Saturday, May 14, Streetsblog will host our first “Westside Ride to the Venice Pier.”  Our vision for the ride was a slow paced family ride with a stop along the way for a regroup, so come on out, bring the kids, and lets go for a ride.

We’ll start at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church at 11555 National Boulevard and ride down Barrington to Venice Boulevard. From there, we’ll head east and do a quick stop at the hub of the Westside bike scene, the Bikerowave.  Bikerowave volunteer Mihai Peteu will give us a quick intro to the co-op and to cyclists only local 501c(4), Bikeside.  After a brief rest, we’ll keep heading west to Abbot Kinney and turn left down to Washington Boulevard. From there it’s a straight shot to the ocean.

We’ll meet at 10:30 at St. Andrews. Anyone who is interested in returning back to the Westside instead of hanging out at the beach, there will be a return ride that leaves about a half hour after we arrive at the Pier. At the start of the ride, we’ll have some goodies from Clif Bar and Luna Bar.  There’s no charge for the ride, but I certainly won’t stop someone from donating for Streetsblog.

All participants should be able to ride a bike safely with the ability to brake, change gears, and balance while stopping and starting. All participants under 18 must wear a helmet and be escorted by a parent or guardian. Children under age 8 should be on a tag-a-long, bike trailer, tandem, or other safe child-carrying device to participate in the ride.  Also, bring your own water.