BikinginLA

After five solid days of lifting and moving boxes bigger than I am, I keep looking in the mirror expecting to see the Hulk looking back.

Instead, I just see a skinny ass cyclist — okay, maybe not so skinny these days — who’s black and blue just about everywhere.

The good news is, we’ve got one last day of at least semi-good biking weather (update: or not) before a storm front is supposed to blow in for the rest of the week. So get out there and enjoy it.

And don’t even think about me stuck inside cleaning our old apartment instead of out riding my bike.

And trust me, after 17 years in the same place, there’s a lot to clean.

Meanwhile, when things settle down a little, I’ve been having some interesting thoughts about what happens when the world does not conform to our expectations, and why bikes shouldn’t considered alternative transportation.

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In case you missed it while I’ve been otherwise occupied, the latest draft of the proposed L.A. bike plan dropped last week, and for the first time in a long, complicated and drawn out process, everyone seems okay with it. The next step is a return engagement before the city Planning Commission on Thursday.

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Another story I missed over the weekend, Yelena Krupen, the driver who fled the scene after injuring cyclist Brandon Chau in Beverly Hills last year, has been sentenced to 25 days in jail, along with a $1200 fine and $350 restitution to the victim. It may not seem like much — and chances are, she’ll actually serve a lot less — but any jail time at all is a victory in any hit-and-run case, let alone one that doesn’t result in major trauma to the victim. Cyclist and attorney DjWheels says she’s due to surrender to the Century Regional Detention Center two days after Christmas.

Anyone want to bet she’ll be back on the streets by New Years?

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The next fundraiser for L.A. Streetsblog takes place this Saturday. LACBC sponsors their 2nd Annual Family Holiday Bike Ride featuring CD4 Council Member Tom LaBonge, aka the guy who’s running against Stephen Box. Examined Spoke looks at strict liability laws that would require drivers to prove their usual SMIDSY and SWSS — Sorry Mate I Didn’t See You and Single Witness Suicide Swerve, aka “honest officer, the bike just swerved out in front of me” — excuses; speaking of which, a 73-year old former pro cyclist is recovering from a SMIDSY of his own. The LAPD’s Bike Task Force releases advice on preventing bike theft; hats off to Jeremy Grant for taking the lead on its creation. Ride the Divide plays Downtown this weekend; the acclaimed film follows an off-road race 2,700 miles along the Continental Divide. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re missing on the monthly Spoke(n) Art ride, Flying Pigeon shows you. Will offers a look at last weekend’s All-City Toy Ride sponsored by Midnight Ridazz. UC Berkeley authorities crack down on cyclists, including a $220 fine for chaining a bike to a railing; the Bay Area’s Guardian politely points out that bikes aren’t cars. Sometimes, you just want to hang out with other cyclists and feel normal for a change. A Rutgers University student from Concorde, CA was killed while riding her bike over the weekend. The biggest thing keeping people from cycling in England is the perceived danger on the roads. If you’re expecting a Christmas card from London’s mayor, look for one with three wise men on the city’s bike share bikes.

Finally, Town Mouse travels from Scotland to the southern half of my old Colorado stomping grounds, and discovers that uniquely American phenomenon of missionaries on bikes.