3940dxer

Anyone else here into late night / overnight L.A. rides? I got into this last year after following the space shuttle and "the rock" (that mammoth boulder now at the County Museum) across town last year. Both trips were great fun and gave me a new appreciation of L.A. by night. Since then my wife and I have done several long late night rides -- Huntington Beach to our home in Burbank, Chinatown to the Santa Monica pier and back, etc. The next one I want to do is Burbank to DTLA to Hollywood and home. (We'll avoid the horrible Cahuenga Pass frontage roads by going over Beechwood or Outpost/Pacific View to get back to Barham, to Burbank.)

We've really enjoyed the wide open roads and cool temps. Our friends worry that we are are more vulnerable to the crazies at such odd hours but I actually feel safer. I've researched this using crime maps and time of day crime statistic sites, and am convinced that, after 3 AM at least, there's not much crime or risk of trouble out there. For these rides I always do a lot of planning to find the safest, least traffic-y routes.

Just wonder if anyone is like minded, has any route ideas, or any comments pro or con.

John R

I live in Orange County and commute to work every night. I leave to come home at 12am. I love it, no cars, no problems. I have a great lighting system and carry pepper spray. So far problems to report.

rooftest

A few years back, I used to do tons of riding around Griffith Park, up Las Tunas Canyon, etc. at night. Lots of fun - not much traffic. We've ridden through some rough neighborhoods, too, without a problem. (Don't make the mistake that the Midnight Riders did a while back - if a bunch of gang member-looking guys start yelling insults at you; don't stop!)

I always made sure that I had a really bright tail-light. I've seen a lot of cyclists recently riding at night with no lights, dressed in all black, etc. (even a hand-powered recumbent that was about a foot high - for minimum visibility.) Don't be one of those guys.