Los Angeles is Los Angeles. You may have been there or you may have not, but either way you have heard the rumours. It’s hot, there are celebrities running around, and you can bet that pretty much everyone around you has more money than you do.
I decided this time around on my short stop to La La land, I would try something new. It was a beautiful 30 degrees and what does California have to offer better than so many other states? And lets face it, better then all of Canada? You got it, BEACHES!
Now you don’t know me very well, but when I do things, I do them right. So if I was going to explore the coastline of LA, I was going to do it up. Spare no expense. Hence why I got myself THE best temporary bike rental available this side of California. My wheels all sorted out, I packed a snack, map and a bottle of water and headed out, basket first.
I began just south of Redondo Beach and weaved my way through the bike paths that run parallel to the pacific ocean. The feeling I had as a peddled my way past endless beaches was something like euphoric. Well it was first a feeling of pulling from my calf muscles as continuous exercise really isn’t in my nature. But after I learned to tune that out, it was pure and true happiness. With the beach houses lining one side and the perfect sandy shore on the other I felt like I was in a continuous transitioning scene on Baywatch. Minus the bikini clad girls on rollerblades, because in all honest I did not see a single one of those.
Next stop was Hermosa Beach. Another stretch of beauty. At this time of the afternoon there were tons of kids camps going on, and I became the creepy person that chose to stop and hang out right beside them. If camps aren’t your thing, there are also tons of surfers catching waves and saying things like “gnarly” and “kowabunga”. Ok fine, that was only in my head, but it’s still cool to watch them do something so California-y.
Third stop going up the coast was Manhattan beach. At this point in my journey, I have already moved to California in my head. Biking down the pathways of one of the most expensive cities on the California coastline wasn’t getting rid of my delusion any time soon. I strayed the beach for awhile to explore the inner workings of the neighbourhood. My absolute favourite thing to do is simply get lost. I was able to stumble upon an amazing cafe called Marine Street Cafe. The iced mocha and avocado salad I had there were phenomenal.
Time ticking away, and a bike rental to return, I headed back south to my starting point of Redondo Beach. The whole way enjoying the sunshine, sights and an iced coffee conveniently placed in my front wicker basket. Near the end, I gave up all sense of embarrassment and just started belting out what I had been singing in my head all day long. “Heyyyyy hey baby ooh ah, I wanna know-o-o-o if you’ll be my girl”. I don’t think I will be invited back next year.