Metro Art Journeys by Bike: Community Ride from East Hollywood

Image above: East Hollywood by Ana Serrano, Journeys Continued

Image above: Untitled by May Sun, as featured in Hollywood/Western Station

Join Metro Art and Metro Bike Share for a special multimodal community ride celebrating Bike Month through art! This multimodal ride will include walking, biking, and riding the train as a group. You won't want to miss out.

Walk: The day begins on foot with a walking tour of Hollywood/Western Station which includes an immersive artwork by May Sun.

Roll: From there, we will venture by bike to see East Hollywood, the neighborhood that inspired one of the artworks included in the Journeys Continued exhibition at Union Station - Ana Serrano's interpretation of East Hollywood (shown above). The exhibition weaves together decades of artists' visisions of neighborhoods across LA County - all accessible by Metro - and the ride connects two rail stations by bike!

Ride: After the bike ride, we will then return to Hollywood/Western Station from Union Station via the Metro B (Red) Line. Personal bikes welcome on the train!

EVENT INFO

Start and End: Hollywood/Western Station

Biking to: Union Station

Returning via: Metro B (Red) Line

Sights:

• Hollywood/Western Station
• Hollywood Boulevard
• East Hollywood
• Sunset Boulevard
• Union Station

Length: 8-mile one-way bike ride through Hollywood, East Hollywood, Silverlake, Echo Park, Chinatown, and DTLA and stopping at Union Station, where we will take Metro rail back to the Hollywood/Western Station as a group.

Conditions: Rolling hills, low elevation. Participants must be 16+ to ride a Metro Bike. Children in trailers/child bike seats welcome on personal bikes.

Experience Level: Intermediate (must be able to ride 8 miles on a bicycle). You must be 16+ to ride a Metro Bike. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times, no training wheels allowed.

Getting There:

Public Transit: This ride is accessible via the Metro B (Red) Line to Hollywood/Western Station as well as by bus. For assistance in planning your route, please visit https://trips.metro.net/

Parking: Paid parking and metered parking may be available nearby on a first-come, first-served basis!

Personal bikes are allowed on Metro Rail! Metro Bikes will be docked prior to boarding our return trip.

What to Bring:

• Participants 16 years and older can reserve a Metro Bike at no-cost to attend this event
• A functional bicycle or wheeled device (highly recommended with gears)
• Hand sanitizer
• TAP card or money for fare if you plan to use the Metro bus or train ($1.75 per ride)
• A helmet (If you do not have one, one will be provided free-of-charge)
• Water bottle

Safety Protocols:

We will be observing strict protocols during the ride to ensure safety and comfort for all participants. Please keep in mind the following rules while attending the ride:

• If you are feeling sick or unwell, please stay home.
• Metro Bike Share will provide helmets, water, and ride marshals.
• Participants are required to sign a release of liability.

About the Artwork:

Image above: Untitled by May Sun, as featured in Hollywood/Western Station

About May Sun's Untitled: The artwork for Hollywood/Western Station attempts to reclaim the past for the future. The artwork design pays homage to the native Mestizo heritage and original European settlement as well as to the panethnic backgrounds of more recent immigrants who constitute a large portion of Metro Rail users.

Artist May Sun created copper, granite and porcelain enamel panels with text and photographs set in a field of randomly-colored wall tiles. The panels depict bones of early camel, horse, and bison from excavations at the site, statements about Gabrielino life in the area, images of workers building the station and their counterparts on the old Red Car system, and images of the adjacent neighborhood. As a tribute to the Red Car system that ended its service to Hollywood in the early 1940s, two replicas of the old Pacific Electric Red Cars protrude from the mezzanine wall, allowing passengers to reminisce about the past while contemplating what the future may hold. Passengers will also find a station floor enhanced with bright granite pavers, some with small Mayan, Chinese, and Armenian symbols, and others formed into pictograms of the four natural elements (fire, earth, air, and water). Learn more here.

About Ana Serrano's East Hollywood: A bustling community, vibrant architectural façades and lush flora harmonize with the Hollywood landmarks dotting this cityscape’s mountainous backdrop. Celebrating the vitality and diversity of East Hollywood, a flagpole at the heart of this snapshot of daily life proudly reflects the neighborhood’s Armenian, Mexican, Salvadoran and Thai heritage. Learn more here.

About Journeys Continued: Journeys Continued… LA Communities Through the Eyes of Artists builds on an exhibition presented in 2017 and focuses on neighborhoods within Los Angeles County “through the eyes of artists.” Local artists capture the look and feel of each community from a personal perspective, highlighting special, surprising and/or lesser-known facets of that place. Neighborhood parks, street food vendors, family bicycle rides and local landmarks along daily commutes are among the subjects for these distinctive works of art. Learn more here.

About Metro Art:

Metro Art enhances the customer experience with innovative, award-winning visual and performing arts programming that encourages ridership and connects people, sites, and neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles County. A diverse range of site-specific artworks is integrated into the growing Metro system, improving the visual quality of transit environments and creating a sense of place. From photography installations to onboard posters, art tours, and live performances, our multi-faceted arts programs add vibrancy and engage communities throughout Los Angeles.

For future adventures and to learn about other artworks in the Metro system, visit metro.net/art

About Metro Bike Share:

Metro Bike Share makes bikes available 24/7, 365 days a year in Downtown LA, Central LA, Hollywood, North Hollywood, and on the Westside. Metro Bike Share offers convenient round-the-clock access to a fleet of bicycles for short trips. Metro Bike Share is one of LA Metro's multiple public transportation options for Angelenos and visitors to get around. Metro Bike Share is a fast, easy, and fun way to ride, anytime. Get a bike from any Metro Bike Share station, go for a ride, and properly return it. It’s easy — just like riding a bike!