return trip

Monday, April 05, 2004, at 02:53PM

By Eric Richardson

I love getting to work on my bike, because it means that I have to ride back, and the ride back's all downhill. I actually followed the bikemetro directions this time, and they led me on Arroyo above the golf course, park, and a view of the Rose Bowl.

The train was cool, even though I forgot to bring anything to read today. On the Gold Line there was a dad and his son, probably about 7, sitting nearby. They were talking and joking the whole time and one time the kid said something and the dad just cracked up. I enjoyed that. On the Red Line there was a little kid who kept falling over when the train made a stop. The last time he was so convinced he was going to prove he could do it without holding on, and then he got that little jolt when the train comes to a complete stop and his mom/older sister had to catch him.

Riding down Vermont on the way back, negotiating the game that is riding in lanes in LA, I managed to beat the rapid. He passed me first, then I passed him on the right and he honked at me. I don't think I did anything wrong so I ignored him. He passed me again, but then I passed him at a stop around James M Woods or something like that and never saw him again.

My bike was having fun changing gears on me, so getting back I dropped it at Lions Bike Shop, the same place I got my tire put on this morning. An hour and a half or so and $10 later my bike was all tuned up. Little bike shops right near by are very cool.

I need to get some padded shorts. My saddle's definitely a little hard, and I'm feeling it right now. I can't bring myself to wear just bike shorts on the train, but I'd wear 'em under a pair of board shorts.