It not only is awkward, but probably unfair to allude to Jim B. Clarke as the oldest member of the City Council.
Ambitious, ubiquitous and visionary, Mr. Clarke, The Kid, mounted his favorite two-wheeler yesterday morning and lined up with some of the coolest bicyclists in Southern California. Some said 20,000. Persons whose eyes may have been bigger than their tummies guessed 70,000 participants.
Time for the first genuinely Culver City version of CicLAvia.
Dating back to the first CicLAvia that kissed the perimeter lips of Culver City on Venice Boulevard four years ago, Mr. Clarke, sporting enthusiast, has been an eager fan of the bicycle event CicLAvia sponsors refer to as “an experience rather than a competition.”
Therefore, out of respect for two-wheeling record-holders, Mr. Clarke pointedly was not asked how long it took time to wheel 1½ circuits of the Culver City-to-Venice Beach course. Of course.
Downtown at the Expo Station ignition point, the proper number of dignitaries assembled – four wings of the City Council, County Supervisors Mark Ridley-Thomas and freshman Hilda Solis, and state Assemblywoman Autumn (Sometimes She Is Shy About Interviews) Burke.
During the early portion of CicLAvia, Mr. Clarke, a middle range bicyclist, and Ms. Burke rode side-by-side and schmoozed about politics.
Even with the help of flashlights in the daylight, no other member of the City Council was spotted on wheels.
Mr. Clarke, The Kid, rode the whole 6.22-mile course “one and a half times because I wanted to come back into Culver City and see how business was doing.
“Everywhere I looked,” said the one-man chamber of commerce, “I saw crowds, big crowds everywhere. All of our restaurants, all of them, down Culver and Washington (boulevards) were filled.
“All of our restaurants Downtown were fully packed. Big crowds at the Expo Station, the Farmers Market, at Venice Beach.
“All of the reports we will get,” said Mr. Clarke, “will say that Sunday was a great day for businesses, all local establishments.”
I recall the Tito’s owner posting here that they would have to close on CicLAvia day, because no customers would be able to access ’em. Did Tito’s not close? They were still open for business and serving customers? What happened?