The Radavist

LA has a bad rep for cycling. Just the other day I got in a debate with someone at a bar because they literally said “LA sucks for cycling”. I laughed, thinking they were referring to the hashtag (right?), only to find a solid 10 minute debate followed. Basically, any city is what you make of it. It’s your attitude and approach that changes your outlook.

I went through so much film during my last stay in Los Angeles and that’s probably because we rode every single day. Some of the rides I had done before, but having Andy along brought a new perspective. We rode mostly cross bikes and even the “road rides” had a fair amount of dirt thrown in.

Here’s a collection of a few rides, in a playful Photoset. See more in the Gallery!

Tools of the trade:
Yashica T4 / Fuji Pro400H

So there we were, planning our drive to Las Vegas for Interbike when Andy throws out the idea “mates, let’s go to the Grand Canyon”, like it’s on the way or something. Personally, I’d rather spend a day or two riding in LA than on the road, so I schemed with Kyle on how to convince the Aussie that there are perfectly fine parks not as far out of the way.

Solution: Zion National Park. We’d drive straight through Vegas and head two hours east. Get there in time to swim and then go on a hike before camping that night. Simple enough. So we drove and landed in Zion with two hours of sunlight remaining. Our agenda: Angel’s Landing.

I had one roll of film left.

See more in the Gallery!

Tools of the trade:
Leica M7 / Zeiss 28mm / Fuji Pro400H

It’s the end of Summer. That means my busiest time of year is finally over. After finally combing through all my random film scans, I’ve pulled together a big photoset filled with shots from all over the globe. From Zurich to Columbus, there are some gems in this one. See for yourself in the Gallery!

Tools of the trade:
Yashica T4 / Leica M7 28mm / Neopan 400

For some self-deprecating reason, we decided to go ride mountain bikes in Topanga, the day after we climbed Mt. Gleason. Nothing like getting out of bed at the crack of dawn the morning after a 100 mile, 10,000′ ride. Was it worth it? Hell yes.

Topanga Creek Bicycles supplied Andy and me with rentals and Sean from Team Dream Bicycling Team was our guide. On the agenda for the day: Backbone, J-Drop, Sullivan, Snake Stick, Squirrel Cage and other trails, but first, we’d start the day climbing all of Cheney into the trail system.

Basically, we had a cold start and climbed around 1,200′ in two miles. It sucked and the climbing didn’t stop there, because to go down, first you must go up. We totaled our day with 30 miles and 4,500′. The only thing that kept me from cracking at the end of the ride was the delicious banana bread the guys at Topanga Creek Bicycles had cooked up!

See more in the Gallery!

Tools of the trade:
Yashica T4
Neopan 400

Locals Only isn’t about exclusivity when used in this context, because truth be told, each time I’ve been on this ride, there are usually more out of towners than locals. It’s more of a way that Kyle and Ty like to throw visitors into the proverbial fire. The first time I did this ride, it was at night, in the rain, during goat head season and with no lights. It sucked. This time, it was rad. I won’t post the route (locals only, breh), but we did about 25 miles and 3,000′.

Check out more in the Gallery!

Like many cyclists who have spent time in the Angeles Forest, I know that the roads and ranges can be very unforgiving, especially during the hottest time of the year. Over the years, I’ve been up a number of the area’s HC climbs and every time, I’m reminded of the massive undertaking a 100 mile ride is in these parts.

Mt. Gleason is no exception. In fact, I’d argue it’s harder than Cloud Burst and Baldy. The difficulty lies in the shear steepness of the climbs and the full exposure from the sun. If you’re going to go, go early! Had it not been for the two fire stations and the spigots, we all would have cracked…

Our ride began heading out with the sunrise, en route to Big T. From there, we spiked off up this little prick of a peak known as Mt. Gleason. Come mile 50, we’d already hit over 8,000′ in elevation. We climbed for 30 miles straight, got to the top and then had to climb out of Clear Creek. If you’re familiar with that area, you know what kind of an undertaking that is.

Totals for the day were 100 miles and 10,000′. Nice and even. If you feel so inclined, here’s our route.

One of the main reasons for taking on this ride is the exceptional views over the fire-torn mountain tops. It’s truly breathtaking. See more in the Gallery!

Tools of the trade:
Yashica T4
Fuji Pro400H

Ever have one of those rides where a crazed redneck kicks you off “his mountain” and you end up somewhat lost, having to re-route yourself? Yeah. This was one of those rides. Not that I’m complaining. If Santa Cruz is dirt heaven, then surely the roads are worth a mention.

During the ATOC this year, a few of us got together and rode from Santa Cruz to San Jose. Leading the way was Garrett Chow on his FEA Venge. He promised a big climb, some poaching, a little dirt and heat, heat, heat. All of which were delivered. Then our route was truncated short by the above-mentioned, real king of the mountain…

60 miles and 4,000′ later and we were in San Jose, just in time to watch the last TT and drink a few beers. It’s a bummer we missed the stage, but so it goes. Check out some narrated photos in the Gallery!

Tools of the trade:
Yashica T4
Fuji Pro400H