By Terry Miller
Thousands of cyclists and pedestrians invaded Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena for the inaugural “CicLAvia” motor-traffic free festival in Pasadena Sunday.
The festival, which is held in different locations throughout the year, is intended to inspire people to ditch their cars for the day to reconnoiter with their local environment.
The event began at 9 a.m. and ended at 4 p.m. The 3.5-mile route ran along Colorado Boulevard, between Fair Oaks and Bonnie avenues, with links on Raymond Avenue and Lake Avenue that took participants to local parks and other city landmarks.
The Colorado Blvd was the place to be, however – and when you got thirsty – there was one watering-hole particularly popular with those semi-professional peddle-pushers who participated in the pandemonium. At 17
-Photos by Trevor Stamp
7o East Colorado, essentially the end of the car-free-road if you will, hundreds of thirsty two-wheelers found respite in the air-conditioning and “amber-nectar-of-the-gods” offerings at Lucky Baldwin’s Trappist, where a sea of bicycles of every conceivable shape and color jammed the thoroughfare but no doubt pleased the owner of said tavern.
The Columbian tradition to help cut down on pollution came to Los Angeles five years ago. According to most we spoke with on Sunday, the event was a huge success and participants hope that another car-free-day may happen soon.
“Even one day without the ‘horseless carriage’ helps clean the air and my mind,” said one guest at the Inn. Gordon Macintosh sipped his favorite Belgian brew and added, “My only concern is the name of the event… which sounds more like a disease…“cicLAvia” … how DO you pronounce it?”
