Hustle

Last night, for the first time in a few months, I participated in the Wolfpack Hustle Monday Night Ride. For those of you not familiar with this institution, it was birthed by one of the founding members of Midnight Ridazz. For better or worse, it's a true hustle ride, "not a race but a hustle." In practical terms, that means it's a surging, chaotic, run reds urban adventure. Or something close. Anyway, last night, there was a big group and it was pretty orderly. What's interesting about these night roadie rides is that they have the reputation of being, to some degree, party rides (which they're not- think mindless hard training ride). So they end up becoming a good introduction to roadie culture as kids from more blighted LA neighborhoods become familiar with the exploits of the ride and decide that they can come out to earn their stripes. They quickly realize that riding a fixie, wearing jean cut offs and no helmet will quickly get them dropped, at best, or injured at worst. Most never come back, but those who do graduate to road bikes and lycra. Anyway, it's a great mix of dudes, young and old, pro and street, sophisticated and gritty. 

Last night it was the ride's 5th annniversary, and we rode from Silver Lake (Hollywood) to Disney Hall (Downtown) to Dodger Stadium up to Griffith Park (1000 ft of sketchy climbing and descending) back to Hollywood. Good times.

 

-Albert