On my way home from Catalina Island, I stopped for a day in Santa Monica with one goal in mind: to bicycle up and down the beaches of Los Angeles.
For years I’ve known of the paved bicycle path along the coast of Los Angeles. When we lived in LA, I remember seeing it when we visited various coastal communities. I didn’t know much about the path but, seeing it typically on a weekend, I certainly didn’t like how crowded it was.
Little did I know how light the traffic would be along the path on a Monday! I started out at the Santa Monica Pier because I was staying two blocks away and because I knew I could rent a bike there. For only $15 I was provided a tall, well-fitting bicycle for the day and I started by heading south.
Down, down, down I went. Among the amazing sites were the Canals of Venice. Down I continued till there was no more. I then rode north up, up, and up till the opposite extreme before returning to the Santa Monica Pier.
After 5.5 hours I’d seen an abundance of beach beauty; After 46 miles I’d finished the ride of a lifetime. There was so much to see!
Check out this link to browse the entire path; it really does ride along the beach almost all the way!
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