Tur audio Reflection Ride: Reflecting on the future with help from the past

This 22.6 mile ride visits four historic LA cemeteries and two landmarks that pay homage to those that have called this land home throughout the centuries. 
Starting at the East LA Civic Center, this route heads west along city streets and starts heading northwest along the LA River Bike Path until the turnaround point at Forest Lawn. This route is meant for riders who are comfortable riding without a bike lane, taking the lane when necessary, and staying vigilant on roads in need of maintenance.

The East LA sections of this route lie just beyond the 1.7 mile radius of contamination from the Exide Battery Recycling Plant. More than 100,000 people in this area have been exposed to lead and other contaminants, with far-reaching effects for generations to come. Although the plant closed in 2015, the soil in the area remains contaminated. What’s worse, in October 2020 a federal bankruptcy court released Exide from its responsibilities of cleaning up their former facility in Vernon. According to the LA Times, California taxpayers would be left with a bill of more than $270 million for the environmental cleanup. Community groups such as East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice have long been working to keep Exide accountable and improve the living conditions of people in the area.

This ride takes you to different parts of LA County - starting off in an area with a history of people that build a life in a place where they are discriminated against in a variety of ways. 

With this ride, we’d like to invite you to take some time to reflect on Life & Death, as we welcome the slowness of winter and approach a season when many cultures remember those who have passed on. 

If you’re looking for a long bike ride with some LA history sprinkled in, or an opportunity to do something special for someone you want to honor this season, this ride may be for you.