# Rainy mini-ride report. Santa Monica/Venice -- 2/23/2008



## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

Looks like they're nailing down the new Terms of Use so I'm happy to be posting pix here again. Now whether you guys are, that's a different story. :cryin: 

Mixed weather in SoCal today, so I wasted literally hours today figuring out where I wanted to ride. Real ride on the IF? Didn't feel too motivated for that. Downtown on the Milwaukee with the camera? I want to go back but I want to go on a clearer day. Shorter ride to the Marina on the IF? Possible. But my procrastination took me right into lunch time. So now what? Eat and then go for a ride? Nah. Then it struck me ... a compromise. Take the Kona and the camera and go for a little mini-tour of Santa Monica and Venice.

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Santa Monica Pier. It was actually moderately crowded despite the rain. I just found the non-crowded part to give it that eerie, abandoned feeling.










One of many pit-stops on the day. Except my bike wouldn't fit in the stalls so I had to move on. For the record, at the next bathroom, a homeless guy was bent over, Jane Fonda Workout-style, hands on the ground in front of his feet, holding his arse up to the air dryer. Lovely.










The graffiti wall (and tree?) in Venice.










Ok, you punk motherf**kers. They give you both sides of two walls, some weird pylon/buoy things and trash cans. Do you have to desecrate the trees? If your mom was there, would you tag her ass, too? Just sayin' ...










More graffiti wall.










The jetty in Marina Del Rey.










A bagel with cream cheese.










The canals in Venice. I think if there's one place I would _love_ to live it would be here. Accepting donations now. Kthx.










Among other cool things at the canals, you hear constant duck quacking. These guys are way socialized.










One of the other cool things is seeing these little canoes docked up outside people's houses. How cool would be it to walk out your house, get into your dingy, and row over to your neighbor's house? No, really.










Bridge over the Venice Canal.










Dell Street. In case it's not obvious, each of those
little humps is a bridge.










My Kona. I don't ride it much, so I was happy to give it some lovin' today. That's my Carradice Bike Bureau (mentioned in another thread). Take a peek inside in the next picture.










I cut off the lid to the Crumpler camera bag I no longer use, and it slides right into the Bike Bureau. The lens on the top left is an 80-200mm, which is pretty damn big when you've got the lens hood attached (which it is here). This setup holds that, the D300 and three other lenses no problem. Bike weighed about 60 pounds like this, btw.










A basketball court. Just trying to milk that eerie,
abandoned theme for all I can.










"... Round his back, through the hoop, then you scream 'Touchdown!' You be illin'."
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## lx93 (Jun 14, 2007)

Beautiful color & creativity in those pix. 

I thought that it never rained in Southern California- isn't that the title of a song?


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

Nice pictures. I like the posting format. I plan on getting out today once it warms up. The Chilly Hilly is in progress over on Bainbridge Island but I have a hard time paying $25 to ride where I ride most weekends. That and 5000 cyclists, many for the first time this year.


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

bigbill said:


> Nice pictures. I like the posting format. I plan on getting out today once it warms up. The Chilly Hilly is in progress over on Bainbridge Island but I have a hard time paying $25 to ride where I ride most weekends. That and 5000 cyclists, many for the first time this year.


We have the Acura bike tour, which sounds comparable. A mass ride on the L.A. Marathon route. 10000 cyclists, most of whom have never ridden before. Oh, and there's a fee. No thanks.


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

Really nice. From 1979 to 1993 I lived "spitting distance" from the Canals with several friends right on them. They were beginning their "Renaissance" in the mid-80's and now it's some very pricey real estate.

Great pics. Growing up in Santa Monica, they bring back some nice memories.


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## 10ae1203 (Jan 14, 2007)

I like b-ball hoop #1.


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

Richard said:


> ... They were beginning their "Renaissance" in the mid-80's and now it's some very pricey real estate. ...


Hence my "accepting donations" line. There are some really, really nice houses along those canals. Some look new, some look old. It's such a cool area.


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## superjohnny (May 16, 2006)

A well placed verse from Run DMC as well. Nice work all around


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

****sigh****

I wish I were there. I have more fun riding that stretch of beach that just about anywhere... the combination of sun(usually), sand, water, babes, and bikes is great...


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## Hollywood (Jan 16, 2003)

the pics are ok I guess, but between your profanity, the gangster-rap lyrics and obscure deli references I have absolutely no idea what this thread is about, friendo.


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

Very nice.


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## meat tooth paste (Oct 6, 2004)

Good to see the Westside getting some love. Too many people love to make fun of us 

I think I used to play basketball there at the little park. Is that park between Olympic and Pico, near the Latana complex? I used to shoot over at Lantana.


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## meat tooth paste (Oct 6, 2004)

nice tip on carrying a camera on the bike. i've been thinking about ways to carry my gear without too much jostling, this might be the ticket.


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

Haulywild: Whatever.  Talk to me when you post some Balcom Canyon pics, fool.

Dave Hickey: Anytime. My strand is your strand.

Meat: What's up, Meat Tooth Paste?! Yeah, that's the park on Stewart, just south of Olympic. Nice rim shot, btw.

Meat, cont'd: I think the Crumpler worked out particularly well because it's tall and narrow. Tall enough to hold the 80-200mm no problem, and only two lenses deep. So it fit perfectly in the Bike Bureau. Halfway through cutting up that bag I was wondering what the hell I was doing, as Crumplers ain't cheap.


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## rideorglide (Dec 3, 2005)

Thanks for the post, this is a bonanza for those slowly emerging from hibernation.

Your camera seems to capture orange hues like no other.


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## meat tooth paste (Oct 6, 2004)

DrRoebuck said:


> Meat: What's up, Meat Tooth Paste?! Yeah, that's the park on Stewart, just south of Olympic.


Thought that was the park. Nice series of shots man.

I'm doing good. put up my site recently. Still needs alot more images, but it's enough for getting work for now. An ever growing process...

Not bike commuting as often as I want, too much gear to haul around and location shoots and long hours each day.

I sold my road bike, now commuting on a Specialized Tricross crosser, all black. So if you see me around 

the westside, shout out. Nice Kona Jake build.


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

Yeah, I checked out your website when you emailed me. Really nice stuff, hombre.

The Kona's all right. Turns out it doesn't fit me too well and it's heavy as f**k, so I use it sparingly. But I got it for when I want to "take a day off" and not commute on the fixie, and for that it serves its purpose well. Maybe one day I'll switch the frame out for a Cross Check frame (which also doesn't fit me too well).


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

rideorglide said:


> Thanks for the post, this is a bonanza for those slowly emerging from hibernation.
> 
> Your camera seems to capture orange hues like no other.


Thanks a lot.

I'm actually color-blind so I'll trust you on the orange. :wink:

I do jack up the saturation a bit in Capture NX ... I'm sure that helps bring out the orange.


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

Dave Hickey said:


> I wish I were there. I have more fun riding that stretch of beach that just about anywhere... the combination of sun(usually), sand, water, babes, and bikes is great...


Name the time and I'll be there - again.:thumbsup:


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## meat tooth paste (Oct 6, 2004)

Dave Hickey said:


> I wish I were there. I have more fun riding that stretch of beach that just about anywhere... the combination of sun(usually), sand, water, babes, and bikes is great...


True indeed. It's one of my joys living here. I usually take out of town visitors on that bike ride. They always seem to want to move after that


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## Len J (Jan 28, 2004)

Very, very nice.

Len


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

Len J said:


> Very, very nice.
> 
> Len


Thanks, Len. Didn't see this till now.


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## treebound (Oct 16, 2003)

> Looks like they're nailing down the new Terms of Use


Yep, nice ride report. I regret not getting up to ride around Venice when I lived in SoCal.

And I guess I missed whatever you're talking about with some new TOU agreement, not sure if I should even go look it up.


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

treebound said:


> And I guess I missed whatever you're talking about with some new TOU agreement, not sure if I should even go look it up.


Thanks.

There was a little dust-up regarding the terms of use at RBR. At issue was RBR's usage rights of anything we post here (text and pictures) and, more importantly to me and other photo geeks, the fact that they maintained the same usage rights to images to which we linked via the IMG tag.

However, they're working on revisions and have posted their progress. They haven't actually changed the terms yet, but the latest revision seems adequate.


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## treebound (Oct 16, 2003)

Thanks for the links to the discussions.

Something in that doesn't feel right to me, will have to give it some thought.


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

treebound said:


> Thanks for the links to the discussions.
> 
> Something in that doesn't feel right to me, will have to give it some thought.


Yeah, geez, which part ...

To their credit, once we brought this to their attention they've responded.


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