Griffith Park Bike Ride

Tom directs biking enthusiasts off the Los Angeles River Bike Path onto Riverside Drive at the halfway point of his second "Tour LaBonge" summer evening ride.

Councilmember Tom LaBonge continued “Tour LaBonge,” a series of summer evening bike rides by leading about 50 cyclists on a ten-mile route along the Los Angeles River Bike Path and through Griffith Park on July 30th. The Griffith Park Ride was the second in the Councilmember’s “Tour LaBonge,” a series of five Wednesday evening rides designed to instill strong personal health, promote non-polluting transportation and showcase some of his favorite spots in Los Angeles.

"We saw twelve herons and hundreds of ducks on the Los Angeles River," the councilmember marveled after the ride. "I encourage everyone to get out and see the city on a bike. You'll see so many wonderful things that you’ve never noticed before."

As part of his effort to promote biking, the councilmember also asked City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo for a legal opinion on including cyclists in a holiday light festival that had once been open only to automobile traffic. Last year, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Festival of Lights in Griffith Park allowed pedestrians and cyclist on specially designated evenings. The experiment was so successful, that the city is expanding the number of pedestrian evenings for the 2008 light display. In a letter dated July 28, 2008, the Councilmember said he wants to included cyclists on all evenings open to vehicles.

“I’d like to include bikes along with automobiles, but my first priority is to protect the safety of all who attend,” the councilmember’s letter said.

The councilmember’s next ride will tour downtown. It is another 10-mile ride that will leave City Hall on Wednesday, August 6 at 6:15p. It is open to the public and, like the others, will include a mid-way stop for ice cream.