I never go on a bike ride without a camera. Call it what you will, but documenting the rides in the greater Los Angeles area is something I love to do. Add to the list, taking out of towners on rides they’ve never done before. Our good friend Erica is in town for a bit, on a riding holiday/work trip from Nevada City, California and expressed an interest in riding up Mount Lowe in Altadena. Now, for those of you who haven’t done this ride, it’s the hardest road ride in the LA area, ATMO, but you can choose to bite off as much as you wish, establishing the general ride vibes early on, or as the hours go by.

Last weekend, we opted for the full experience and it left me a bit vanquished for a few days, so Erica and I took the party train up to Inspiration Point for some reflection on what it means to be a cyclist in a city with so much car culture. Spoiler alert: bikes will always win… and yes, I got sunburnt. In winter.

Check out a few more below and see our route from the Cub House at my Strava.