There are pub crawls in this world -- think of revelers strolling from tavern to tavern, enjoying a brew at each -- and there are progressive dinner parties, where pals hop from one apartment to the next, in order to try a new course made by friends.
But cycle join-ups? You don't hear of this fun philosophy applying as much to the spokes scene, where it can be, at least in some minds, very "get on your bikes and ride" (with all due respect to Queen). That's changing, thanks to events like CicLAvia and LA River happenings, and thanks, in very large part, to the Santa Monica Museum of Art's annual Tour da Arts, which rolled past its half-decade anniversary in 2013.
This year? It happens on Sunday, Aug. 24. It's free but you need to register.
What is it, exactly? SMMoA describes it thusly: "Enjoy the creative side of bicycle culture on this casual, nine-mile ride filled with art, music, and theater."
So the afternoon basically looks like this: You start out at the museum, with your wheels, enjoy some theater, some bike tips, some art. Food and beverages are for sale.
Then at 2 p.m., you and your fellow cyclists pedal out into Santa Monica, visiting the Santa Monica Bay Women's Club for electronic music and Barnum Hall at Santa Monica High for a performance involving shadow, "fantastic dreamscapes," and more whimsical treats.
You'll pull back into the museum and its Bergamot Station location to behold a scene from Homer's "Odyssey," a bit that's "been adapted for contemporary Los Angeles." Intriguing.
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This is, as they say, or should, only the tip of the handlebars. General good vibes and lively actions shall flow from the bike-cultural confab, so bring your helmet, your curiosity, your cycle, and your desire to see events like pub crawls and progressive dinners rise, on the up-and-up, in the two-wheelin' world.
Because why not? There's no official document that says one must arrive to enjoy a play or concert by car, is there? (Answer: nope.)
