June 2025 – Uncommonly Silly

What happens when you’ve only got one day in Los Angeles, a conference that demands your physical presence, and a red-eye flight back home? You grab a Metrobike and explore, of course! On this edition, it’s a whirlwind bike share adventure from the hilly streets of Westwood to the iconic Venice Beach boardwalk and a race for that flight home.

The Pedalshift Project 401: LA Metrobike Adventure

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Los Angeles Metrobike Adventure

Intro:

•Location: Westwood, California

•Reason: Quick trip for an AI conference

•Game plan: Metrobike adventure from UCLA to Venice Beach and eventually towards LAX

The Plan:

•$5 Metrobike day pass – unlimited rides, 30-minute increments

•The challenge: avoid overage charges by dock hopping

•Route: UCLA → Santa Monica → Venice Beach → Marina Del Rey → Playa Vista

The Adventure:

•First leg: Downhill from UCLA, navigating LA traffic with Google Maps guidance

•Observations:

•Westwood’s hilly terrain

•Santa Monica’s tight bike dock situation

•Smooth greenways mixed with sketchy alley shortcuts

•A visit to the Bad News Bears park and some nostalgic nods

•Quick Trader Joe’s stop for hydration

Beach Time:

•Arrival in Venice Beach—Paddle Tennis, Muscle Beach, and all the usual suspects

•The surprising absence of a convenient bike dock near LAX

•Decision point: Walk or hop on the #3 bus?

•Marina Del Rey and the bougie vibes… plus the quest for fish tacos

The Wrap-Up:

•Arrival back at the Hyatt Regency by LAX

•Final thoughts: A grand adventure squeezed into a single LA day

•Reflections on the joy of exploring with a time crunch and a bike share pass

Statistics

Miles Traveled: 15

Metrobike Docks: 5

Elevation Change: 400 feet

Cost of the Entire Ride: $5

Flats: Zero

As always we like to close out the show with a special shoutout to the Pedalshift Society! Because of support from listeners like you, Pedalshift is a weekly bicycle touring podcast with a global community, expanding into live shows and covering new tours like this summer’s upcoming bike tour! If you like what you hear, you can support the show for 5 bucks, 2 bucks or even a buck a month. And there’s one-shot and annual options if you’re not into the small monthly thing. Check it all out at pedalshift.net/society.

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Jason has a new solo album available NOW. Go listen to JUKEBOX BOY wherever cool music is available!

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