Griffith Park Closures and Cycling Muses

Rolling through Griffith Park is so much fun, it can easily fall under take it for granted status.

I ride through it an average of three times a week even though it doesn’t offer the most direct path to work.

The last couple of days I found time to ride through, but not the same way.

On Monday, I took my heavy commuter bike with a lot of crap limiting my willingness to climb, but at least I did something.

I came from Forest Lawn up Trash Truck in so much in my earlier morning haze, I had to check Strava at press time to remember which way I came.

It was just one of those fabulous mornings where everything was so clear, I had to question If I changed to the proper eye prescription.

I don’t like to stop to take pics because that’s time I could be riding, but I really needed to take a look around for this visual anomaly.

Griffith02

Why did I shoot this from an angle that made it look washed out?

 

For good measure, I decided to take the west approach to the Observatory to get an extra hundred feet of climbing in.

On my way up, I noticed something completely new.

The foundations for the parking kiosks were starting to be installed along the road at increments that would park about six cars in between.

This is all part of the Griffith Park Parking and Circulation Plan that’s supposed to be in place for Spring Break, so I was glad they were getting at it.

At the top, more work was being done in the normally partitioned off area to paint more parking spaces and adding bollards on the sidewalk since we’re finally coming to the conclusion that drivers can be crazy.

 

 

The roadway was closed off, but as I went along the sidewalk on the eastern half, the entire street was closed off forcing me to backtrack to get down Vermont Canyon.

That was a lot to see, but the next day, I decided to switch things up a bit.

I went on my rackless CX bike with my burrito and rear seat bag stuffed up with a lock, clothes and towel to take to work.

It’s just night and day how much lighter this bike feels next to the steel one.

I rolled up Fern Dell where there just seemed like an endless supply of cyclists coming down, including my friends from the IBP gang.

Was there some fondo I was missing?

Fern Dell friends.

 

Because I left early enough and was making good time, I headed up to take Vista del Valle east, which is the funner direction since it is mostly downhill.

A year ago, I was ready to get rid of this bike, but putting fatter 40mm’s has just made it so much fun.

No touching the brakes on the sight of dirt.

Just let the momentum of the bike power through and grind on.

Passing the helipad, there were a few cyclists hanging out, but it was tough to make them out rushing to work.

Unfortunately, as I was heading down the last big descent, the road was completely closed.

Vista del Valle victim.

 

As a cyclist, most of the times a crew will let you get by, but his area was totally fenced off, so I respected that.

On the reverse direction, I came back across that group, but this time I was able to recognize them from their hair.

It was Brad and Ester from Road Runner Bags (I’m proud to show I was riding with their product) hanging out with some friends because the helipad is just an awesome place to hang.

Ain’t the helipad sweet?

 

I asked how they got up here with the closure and answer under these circumstances is, it’s complicated.

After realizing my backtracking could make me late, I bid my adieu’s and made my way.

While the closures both days were discouraging, it still is amazing what an epicenter for cycling Griffith Park is.