# Le Tour de Cramps (a ride report...)



## The Walrus (Apr 2, 2000)

I figured if I got an early start on Sunday I could avoid the worst of the heat. I knew I'd guessed wrong as I was pulling the bike down off the Yakima, but I needed to get some miles and see some new things.

I rode south out of L.A.'s Griffith Park on Riverside Dr., and was immediately drawn to the Mulholland Memorial Fountain. It's still pretty early, but as the sun gets higher, the jets of water and the cooling spray will prove irresistable, and any number of people will be splashing around in there.

Farther down Riverside, I pass one of the uncountable murals you can find all over L.A., this one at an elementary school. It looks like the students did a lot of the work; too bad they're not also studying concrete repair.


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## The Walrus (Apr 2, 2000)

*L.A.'s great Natural Wonder*

Down at the end of Riverside, where it curves north into Figueroa, is the southern terminus of the L.A. River Bikeway, with its own mini-park. There must be well over a dozen of these rest stops along the bike path, most of them nicely planned; it's too bad the bike path itself is pretty grim (which is why I opted to ride down Riverside)

Yes folks, that's an actual river....

Crossing the river and heading up to Avenue 26 leads me to the L.A. River Center, located at the old headquarters of Lawry Foods. It still has well-tended gardens with lots of shade, but dammit, the restaurant is gone.

Check out the bike parking area--yeah, it's outdoors and not secured, but dig the amenities. An honest-to-goodness Park shop workstand and pump. I think I could work at a place like that.


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## The Walrus (Apr 2, 2000)

*For you retro types*

A few miles up Figueroa and across the Pasadena Fwy is Heritage Square, a repository for a number of Victorian buildings from around L.A. that would otherwise have fallen to the bulldozers and wrecking balls in the name of progress. There are about 4 houses, in various states of repair, including this terrific green bit of lunacy, a church, a barn and the local train station from the Palms area.

How would you like to be the one to have to look after the painting on that place?


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## The Walrus (Apr 2, 2000)

*Odds & ends...*

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Mystic Dharma Buddhist Temple, if for no other reason than I love that name and the thumb-in-your-eye paint; if you are up on any of the surrounding hills, just idly scanning the neighborhood below, your eyes will be caught in a tractor beam and dragged to this place. The early morning light just didn't do this justice.

Only a couple blocks farther up Figueroa and it's another WTF moment. I have no idea what green lions have to do with selling glass and mirrors, but they added a certain _zing_ to my morning.


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## The Walrus (Apr 2, 2000)

*Movin' uptown...*

Turning off Figueroa and leaving the neighborhood-in-transition that is Highland Park, I head uphill into South Pasadena. Long considered the red-headed stepchild to the "real" Pasadena, the city's been gentrifying at an alarming pace in the past decade. It's quiet, with hundreds of great Craftsman-style houses on shaded streets, and a small central business district that's been spiffed up.

With civic improvements come the odd public art installations. Couldn't find a plaque that gave the title or any info for this, but it's been growing on me.

The hub of SoPas, the intersection of Mission and Meridian. On any other weekend, there'd be yuppies milling around and scores of roadies riding through; I think everyone stayed home and turned on the A/C.


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## The Walrus (Apr 2, 2000)

*Oh, the humidity...*

A straight shot up Fair Oaks Ave from SoPas through Pasadena gets me to the Arroyo Seco, which is a hugely popular starting point for training rides. I must have seen dozens of cyclists heading in or out of the Arroyo or making the circuit, and I could tell they were all serious riders because no one waved.

All morning the temperature (and humidity) have been rising; both are now in the mid-90s. I'm at my turnaround point now, and it's mostly downhill going back.

Thunderheads building over the San Gabriels, north of the (World Famous!) Rose Bowl. All during my ride I could hear constant thunder, an ongoing, incessant rumbling coming from the high desert country east and north of here--it just never stopped. Found out later that night that that area got pounded for hours by T-storms.

The famous/infamous Colorado Bl. Bridge over the Arroyo, with monsoonal clouds slipping into L.A.


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## The Walrus (Apr 2, 2000)

*More murals, and my childhood nightmare...*

The Southwest Museum sits on the side of Mt. Washington, overlooking Highland Park and the lower Arroyo Seco. (It was up there that I first experienced the visual jolt of the Mystic Dharma Buddhist Temple...) At the base of the hill, along Marmion Way below the tower, is a wall featuring a mural about 100 ft long, with about a dozen images of different Native American cultures through different eras. Here are a couple I especially liked.

You can reach the museum either by walking through a long tunnel, lined with dioramas, that runs into the hillside and then take an elevator up to the surface, or do what I did and go up the _long_, stupidly _steep_ driveway. The museum grounds are nice, and the views are great, but I will be paying for that climb.


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## The Walrus (Apr 2, 2000)

*Le denouement...*

After coming down from Mt. Washington, I'm on a pretty decent section of the river bike path. I lucked out when I bypassed the lower section, since the Dodgers didn't have a home game and Riverside Dr. wasn't like Animal House on wheels. There's almost no one out in the muggy heat, and I'm zipping along now, thinking about buying lots of cold drinks. I've got about 2 miles to go when, bam, it feels like someone sank a hook in my left calf and ripped upwards, while simultaneously a six-inch strip of quad pops out of the front of my right thigh. I'm glad there's no one around, since I don't have to worry about anyone hearing me scream. Massaging doesn't help. Resting doesn't help. Stretching doesn't help. Only thing to do is walk it off, and _that_ doesn't help. Absolutely can't get back on the bike, so I limp back to the car. 

Now, if you kinda squint and don't actually stare, this could be mistaken for a proper body of water. Hey, it's our river, and we're proud of it.

Thanks for stopping by!


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## KeeponTrekkin (Aug 29, 2002)

*Thanks for the tour...*

the pictures and descriptions... There are a lot of good rides in unlikely places; you just have to look for them and the things that make them good.

Any advice on preventing leg cramps now that you've recovered?


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*Now that is a great tour and report.*

It felt like I was there.

Thanks.


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## YuriB (Mar 24, 2005)

Nice!
I love posts like these and great pics to boot!


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## zeytin (May 15, 2004)

Good stuff, except the cramp. 1 request for clarification, what part was the childhood nightmare, the tunnel?


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## AIE (Feb 2, 2004)

*Great report*

Thanks Walrus, terrific pics. No Cameron Diaz shots, tho?


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## fastfullback (Feb 9, 2005)

*Great report, thank you.*

A "river" banked by concrete is just strange. But at least it's there.


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## The Walrus (Apr 2, 2000)

*Ahhh, yes--the nightmare*

Back in pre-politically correct days, the museum had the mummified body of an Indian on display. It had been found in a fetal position, the skin dried and stretched on the skeleton like parchment, sightless eyes turned toward oblivion, face contorted by a mirthless grin.. The entire burial site had been transported to the museum, and placed in a case, so you got the full, claustrophobic effect of the corpse being shoehorned in there. For years after, I'd have dreams of the Indian climbing out, dragging me back and forcing me to take his place.

You have no idea how relieved I was when the body was returned to one of the local tribes....


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## The Walrus (Apr 2, 2000)

_No Cameron Diaz shots, tho?_

For some reason, she doesn't seem to ever visit my part of town. I suspect we're mutually glad of that....


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## The Walrus (Apr 2, 2000)

*Uhhh, I don't think I'm the one to be giving cramp advice*

I think what happened was just a combination of things: dehydration due to heat/humidity, electrolyte loss, not enough recent time on the bike and several (mostly short) brutal climbs. I'm just glad that I wear MTB shoes, because I'd still be out there somewhere if I'd had to walk in geek shoes with those cramps. 

Massive amounts of aspirin and Salon Pas, and I'm all set to go out and do something stupid again!


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## The Walrus (Apr 2, 2000)

Thanks--glad you liked it.

Just wondering--who's the current avatar? Must be one of those D.C. statues, but I don't remember seeing it in any of your reports.


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## Dave_Stohler (Jan 22, 2004)

Got cramps? Drink tonic water.


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## The Walrus (Apr 2, 2000)

Is gin optional?


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Sigh.......


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## JoeDaddio (Sep 3, 2005)

MB1 said:


> Sigh.......



Thanks, MB.





joe


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

Another great Walrus report. Sigh indeed.


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## zeytin (May 15, 2004)

Thanks MB1, his dry humor only adds to the enjoyment. This is another RBR member that I would have loved to ride with. 
Cheers Walrus,


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## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

MB1 - Thanks for pulling up these threads. Great reports.

Walrus - keep on riding and wandering.


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## Hollywood (Jan 16, 2003)

late to the party... Thanks again MB.

us locals are putting an honorary Walrus ride together soon. Should be nice.


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