Bicycle Fever Reshapes California’s Urban Landscapes

South L.A. II
A relatively shorter CicLAvia event was staged on July 10, 2022. This South L.A. route followed along Western Avenue between Exposition and Florence. You are right if you guessed that the weather was perfect… again.

CicLAvia participants were greeted with the familiar booths highlighting local government efforts to educate and engage community members. Local organizations and businesses were also present.

Abundant liquor stores are often considered a menace in these working-class communities. Many residents are working to attract larger grocery stores that might otherwise offer healthier and more affordable fresh food choices. Here, you are encouraged to toss your money into a lottery ticket as you pick up your packaged snacks.

Each CicLAvia requires a lot of careful long-term planning. Participants usually help by following some basic rules of the road, which include recognizing and respecting dismount zones.

This CicLAvia event was shorter than most, but it passed by another South L.A. route and event we had explored just last December, 2021.

You will find a variety of food trucks clustered and waiting for you at each CicLAvia dismount zone.

Some of the businesses along these routes take advantage of these events. This market attracts passersby looking to choose healthy OR junk food.

CicLAvia routes sometimes pass by bike shops, offering serendipitous convenience for riders and savvy small businesses.

Participants get a chance to help plan L.A.’s future.

This is one of many artists who use CicLAvia to show their bizarre bicycle creations.

Many businesses are blowing away stereotypes about these neighborhoods, proving that working-class families are also searching for healthier and more responsible food options.

These events offer local groups a chance to gather to share bicycle art and innovations.

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William Selby

William Selby is a native Californian who has explored, researched, and worked in every corner of the Golden State. William has accumulated over 3 decades of experience teaching Geography and Earth Science at Santa Monica College. Since retiring from teaching, his lifelong love and extensive knowledge of the Golden State is reflected in the book as well as in his continued service to academia, geography and the State of California.

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