Moving to LA. What do I need to know?

[wyatt_]

As someone who probably uses cycling to enable a little too much culinary indulgence, I'm definitely down with the thread drift here. Figure I'll be putting in some endurance rides with tacos as the support checkpoints.

Hit Jitlada and had the garlic chili crab on my last trip (the one that convinced me to make the jump). Will have to hit Ruen Pair and Pa Ord next.

[Spaghetti Legs]

OP congrats on the move! I’m a little jealous as I have a son in Santa Monica and, even though as a former SF resident, I looked down my nose at LA, I’ve come to really like it. I haven’t ridden much there but I like the “choose your difficulty” of the riding - from flat to steep climbs.

I like the food recs too. Us visitors need good chow as well!

[tctyres]

Originally Posted by wyatt_

Will have to hit Ruen Pair and Pa Ord next.

Anything cgolvin says is solid. Ruen Pair is a good spot.

[el cheapo]

I hope the air is better than when I lived there back in 88-92. Lived at the beach thinking the air would be cleaner. Not as bad as inland but it was amazing to watch the wind blowing west out of Santa Monica. Brown air is easy to see.

[Gummee]

yeah, it's better. Not nearly the smog as there used to be.

As much as I dislike CARB, it's done some good.

OP: if you see a hole in the wall place (Mexican or otherwise) eat there. Some of the best food ever! awaits you.

If you're into aquaria and reefs, there are some fantastic places to get coral in LA.

The indoor wooden track is there too, but it may take you a bit to get there. Encino is probably closer. Watching racing at Encino is a lot like watching skittles being flushed down the toilet cause the action's so fast and the track's so small

M

[Xrslug]

Originally Posted by el cheapo

I hope the air is better than when I lived there back in 88-92. Lived at the beach thinking the air would be cleaner. Not as bad as inland but it was amazing to watch the wind blowing west out of Santa Monica. Brown air is easy to see.

The air quality here has improved pretty dramatically since the 1980s (based on my childhood memories of brown skies, smog alerts, and burning lungs after elementary school recess). It’s probably still terrible in absolute terms, but seems to be a big improvement relative to 40 years ago.

[Mike V]

You’ll learn that the bad traffic is on the weekends.

[hummus_aquinas]

Adapt to the city, talk to your neighbors not cops. Prepare for fireworks in the weeks leading up to and after the fourth of july. Ride to the beach and actually get in the water. Mark your calendar for the next CICLAVIA, mt. baldy fourth of july. Learn the words to at least three Zapp and Roger songs.

104.7 KOCP
93.5 KDAY
101.1 KEARTH
88.9 KXLU

SO RUFF SO TUFF OUT HERE

BABY

[Spaghetti Legs]

^^^^^

That is effin’ sweet… groovin to it right now.

I sent those Thai recs above to my kid, he said “might as well be in Nevada but I’ll check ‘em out next time I go to a Dodgers game”

I had a great time at the Pasadena Velo Retro ride not long ago btw. Quadrupled my lifetime stop sign ride thru total.

http://www.velo-retro.com/roseBowlVintRide.html

[JasonF]

Originally Posted by Spaghetti Legs

even though as a former SF resident, I looked down my nose at LA, I’ve come to really like it.

Although a SoCal native I grew up elsewhere and moved back. What struck me was the disdain a lot of NorCal folks have for those in the south (Angelenos in particular).

A great summary was told to me by someone who lived extensively in both places: "Northern Californians hate Southern Californians and Southern Californians don't care."

[GOTHBROOKS]

its more like this

[Louis]

This is all I can think of when I hear "Southern California"

[Xrslug]

That’s pretty accurate — he was even rocking checkered Vans.

[J.kovak]

Don’t think anyone’s mentioned yet - but if you plan to ride trails here I highly recommend getting one of these https://awarenessbell.com/ or similar.

Hikers really appreciate the warning 😁

[tctyres]

Originally Posted by Spaghetti Legs

I sent those Thai recs above to my kid, he said “might as well be in Nevada but I’ll check ‘em out next time I go to a Dodgers game”

Where is he, Redondo Beach? That place sux in a different sort of way.