This Sunday, October 10th, ten miles of streets in and near downtown Los Angeles will be closed to car traffic and opened to cyclists, joggers, pedestrians, dog-walkers, and anyone else who wants to leave their car at home for a bit in an event called CicLAvia.

This will be the third event for Los Angeles, and roads from Melrose / Heliotrope to the Pueblo of Los Angeles, East LA, and beyond will be closed off from 10AM to 3PM. Not only will you be able to do a bit of urban hiking or cycling without the usual fear of being run off the road by drivers reading spec scripts and putting on makeup, but the route is also packed with art installations, activities, and urban walks through different neighborhoods. The walks begin and end at set times, and you can find more information about them at the CicLAvia web site here.

If you do want to bike in but you’re not used to street riding, the festival has also listed numerous feeder rides, where groups of cyclists will meet up and ride to the event together.

I’ve never been, myself, but if I can convince my still slightly achey wrist to calm down for a few hours, I’ll be riding around enjoying the sights and sounds of a car-free L.A. – which is probably worth the trek in and of itself.

Hope to see you there!

Tags: biking, ciclavia, downtown los angeles, Los Angeles, urban hikes