Long Beach CA - The Life

ChrisLA · #1 Posted: **Jun 5, 2012, 5:00 AM**

The other day I took one of my typical bike rides from my place down to Naples Island and back. I decided to bring along the camera and take photos as I rode, so here is what I got to see.

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Our new court house just a few blocks from where I live, the old one is about two blocks south will be torn down once this opens in about a year

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whatsthepoint13 · #2 Posted: **Jun 5, 2012, 5:21 AM**

Wow, I never knew Long Beach had such cute residential areas. I wouldn't mind living there. With all the negative that is said about it, I can't help but love SoCal. Great thread, thanks!

LosAngelesSportsFan · #3 Posted: **Jun 5, 2012, 8:44 AM**

summertime in the LBC! good to see you back posting pics.

If Long Beach wasnt in LA's shadow, it would get much much more love.

STLgasm · #4 Posted: **Jun 5, 2012, 12:55 PM**

Wow, awesome tour! I remember my trips to Long Beach well. One time I rode the blue line MetroLink to downtown LA-- great trip. I could use a little beach time right about now. Love that tall round building!

peanut gallery · #5 Posted: **Jun 5, 2012, 5:37 PM**

Beautiful location for a long bike ride. Years ago, my wife and I did something similar from Santa Monica to Redondo Beach and back. Nothing quite like riding along those paths with beach and ocean on one side and dream houses on the other.

Great stuff! Thanks for the thread, Chris.

ColDayMan · #6 Posted: **Jun 5, 2012, 7:59 PM**

Beautiful!

KKDowning · #7 Posted: **Jun 5, 2012, 9:04 PM**

never thought that Long Beach would be so nice.

SLO · #8 Posted: **Jun 5, 2012, 9:49 PM**

Its come a long way. Thanks Chris enjoyed the tour....

LosAngelesSportsFan · #9 Posted: **Jun 5, 2012, 10:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by peanut gallery

Beautiful location for a long bike ride. Years ago, my wife and I did something similar from Santa Monica to Redondo Beach and back. Nothing quite like riding along those paths with beach and ocean on one side and dream houses on the other.

Great stuff! Thanks for the thread, Chris.

i love that bike ride! if you time it right, probably in early May, you get glimpses of the snow covered mountains while you are riding at the beach in 75 degree weather. its phenomenal.

pwright1 · #10 Posted: **Jun 9, 2012, 5:50 AM**

Wow Chris!! One of your best sets. Long Beach is so awesome and so underrated imo. Thanks for the great set Chris.

pEte fiSt iN Ur fAce · #11 Posted: **Jun 9, 2012, 8:10 AM**

I didn't know Long Beach was so sexy. Very nice.

Thanks for the tour.

mello · #12 Posted: **Jun 10, 2012, 6:53 AM**

Where did you take those shots from when you were looking back over the water? It looks like they were taken from a boat...

pip · #13 Posted: **Jun 10, 2012, 9:31 AM**

Great photos and nice looking city.

There is a long bike path through the beaches of Long Beach if I read things correctly? I would love to bike it!

mello · #14 Posted: **Jun 10, 2012, 5:08 PM**

Oh and Chris any news on them bringing down that pointless eastern end of the breakwater so some south swells can come in to LB? That is one thing that really annoys me about LB is that its a beach town but has absolutely no wave action due to that silly extended breakwater that serves no purpose

ChrisLA · #15 Posted: **Jun 10, 2012, 7:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mello

Where did you take those shots from when you were looking back over the water? It looks like they were taken from a boat...

Quote:

Originally Posted by mello

Oh and Chris any news on them bringing down that pointless eastern end of the breakwater so some south swells can come in to LB? That is one thing that really annoys me about LB is that its a beach town but has absolutely no wave action due to that silly extended breakwater that serves no purpose

Mello

Actually it was from the end of the pier in Long Beach (Belmont Pier) I have yet to visit it at night. But there is some great views of the skyline, and coast over the bay at a restaurant/bar called The Reef.
http://www.reefrestaurant.com/the_reef/

As far as the breakwater coming down, I haven't heard much in the news lately. It's going to be a hard fight by the opposers who swear it will cause flooding to their expensive housing, and erosion. I hate the fact we have no waves too, but I try to look at the positive site is we are the only city in California that is allowed to build high rise residential property along the beach front. I love those views as I ride my bike along the beach path.

ChrisLA · #16 Posted: **Jun 10, 2012, 7:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by pip

Great photos and nice looking city.

There is a long bike path through the beaches of Long Beach if I read things correctly? I would love to bike it!

Yes there is, and Long Beach is pushing hard to make it a bike friendly city. There are some dedicated lanes grade separated along the downtown streets, and in Belmont Shores along 2nd Street you notice in the photo the green strip
which suppose to give priority over to the bike. It's pretty heavy traffic on 2nd Street most of the time, so it's rather scary to me riding along that stretch. Sundays for some reason it's very busy with hundreds of cyclist strolling through with their families. For me I get off the bike and browse, stop at Peets Coffee along this very walkable neighborhood. I think the retain strip is about a mile long.

ChrisLA · #17 Posted: **Jun 10, 2012, 7:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SLO

Its come a long way. Thanks Chris enjoyed the tour....

True be told, the areas I rode through has always been nice. Most people don't realize that Long Beach is 50 square miles and as large as San Francisco in land, and about 2/3 of the population of about 500,000. It has many nice areas but as I was reflecting about all of the neighborhoods this city has, the majority of them are actually quite nice. It's more laid back than Los Angeles for sure, and as I get older I actually like it that way.

rockyi · #18 Posted: **Jun 10, 2012, 10:19 PM**

Very nice! Glad I stopped by.

mello · #19 Posted: **Jun 11, 2012, 4:05 AM**

Erosion... you have got to be kidding me Chris. That beach is so freaking wide and it would only get hit with decent swells 5 to 10 times a year tops because it is so extremely south facing. To give you the best comparison to that stretch of beach in SoCal: I was at the beach on North Island Naval base just NW of Coronado and that stretch of sand is almost directly south facing like LB. You look out directly to Mexico and it is a super wide beach. Probably even wider than LB so those people are idiots if they think any erosion will take place.

What about Huntington and Manhattan/Santa Monica? They get hit directly by big storms all the time and they are super wide beaches. Take that breakwater down

Expat · #20 Posted: **Jun 17, 2012, 3:12 AM**

I was just in Long Beach. And fell totally in love with it. I am dead serious. LOVE IT!