Tour de LA

Jun 30, 2021

There’s this common belief that Los Angeles and cycling don’t mix. We thought we’d buck that trend and have partnered up with ‘HEDO’, a cool local cycling apparel brand to help run a series of fun, far from serious cycling events, we have rather aptly called… “Tour de LA"

Once a month we will be riding with friends, old and new, around different areas of Los Angeles, visiting places that one would never normally go to other than say…on the bike. We will be showing you some of the “locals only” secret roads as well as some of the locations where Pro riders from around secret themselves off to holding their winter training camps in readiness for their upcoming Grand Tours.

When it came to mapping out our inaugural ride, something special was required. Something that you don’t do too often. In fact, it turned out that quite a few participants of the inaugural pack, people who have been living and cycling around LA for years, had never done it before.

For our initial urban adventure, we were going to join the dots of all the iconic landmarks on the West Side. A grand slam of TV show destinations. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves, before we did anything, we needed coffee and the Emporium in Venice has the best beans around, so we started from there.

Once we were sufficiently caffeinated, we saddled up and rolled through Venice then into Santa Monica, where we were beset by an ocular feast of funky fun street art punctuated by picturesque ocean views. Dot number three was Beverly Hills and her unique blend of Art Deco and modern architecture giving rise to much oohing and ahhing. We continued our climb our way out through the Hollywood Hills until we reached the uber iconic Mulholland Drive with its remarkable outlook over the San Fernando Valley and Downtown LA.

Next on our itinerary was Griffith Park, and after enjoying a pleasurable loop around it, we stopped at the Griffith Observatory. This is perhaps the premier perv spot if you want to gawk at LA, you can literally see the entire city from up here. A super nice bonus is that you get this wonderful unobstructed view of the Hollywood sign.

After we’d had our fill of the view and a short water break, we rode out of the park and headed towards our main goal, the Urban Jungle aka Downtown LA. Normally cyclists don’t ride there, whether you are solo or in small groups it’s just not safe to do so. Needless to say, the traffic is pretty hairy and drivers aren't not known for their patience. But when you are rolling fifty deep - you set the rules! Just to be on the safe side we did some regrouping, took up one whole lane wide, and rolled through with ease.

It was simply amazing!

Pictures can paint a thousand words, but still, they don’t do it justice. Talk about feeling puny, you literally are as you ride around the toes of these sixty-plus story high giants of buildings, whether you like it or not! One of the best parts had to be the fact that only a few of us had ever ridden there before, making it for most, a completely new and eye popping experience. A few people wanted to turn around and do another loop, that’s how special it was!

The entire group was pretty tired and more than a little peckish at that point. With over 3000ft vertical and almost 50 miles in our legs, and still a ways away from the Emporium - we’d need to commence the final leg of this ride, the straight shot to Venice from downtown.

Fate even threw her hand in to keep us from finishing. We encountered some serious headwinds that seemed to magically appear, then being thwarted by a bunch of extremely annoying, un-strategically positioned traffic lights directly in our path. But that unshakable thought of ice-cold beers and warm burritos that awaited the crew spurred us to persevere.

After countless hours and 6,000 burnt calories later, we finally arrived back at home. The perfect finish to an awesome day was had here at the Emporium. Sharing stories, drinking beers, and having a truckload of fun, this is what its all about! Oh, and taking some well-deserved rest after our first seriously unserious ride...

We'd like to thank to our wonderful friends from the Firestone Walker Brewing Company and Better Booch who’d stocked the iceboxes while we were on the road making triply sure plenty of beverages were available for the participants.

Stay tuned for the next ride in Malibu! See you then

ENGLISH TEXT BELOW

Setiap tahun, teman-teman kita Tasix Adventure—penyelenggara petualangan ban berlumpur dan adrenalin berbahan bakar terbaik di Bali—mengadakan acara akhir pekan berkemah yang sangat dinanti-nantikan. Mereka menamakannya “ The Wild,” dan jujur saja, tidak ada kata yang lebih pas dari itu.

Ini bukan sekadar acara; ini adalah petualangan wajib bagi siapa saja yang mencintai tanah, tantangan, dan persahabatan yang hanya bisa terjalin saat tertawa melihat teman lain terjatuh.

Hal tentang The Wild adalah misterinya. Kamu tidak tahu ke mana akan pergi, bagaimana sampai di sana, atau apa yang akan kamu temui—seperti hidup, tapi dengan lebih banyak asap knalpot.

Tahun ini, The Wild yang berlangsung pada 7 Desember 2024, mengumpulkan 135 pecinta motor enduro, trail, dan cross di Desa Kopi, Tabanan. Tepat pukul 9 pagi, kami berangkat menuju Desa Gesing, Singaraja. Rute tetap dirahasiakan hingga hari acara, meningkatkan sensasi penasaran dan antusiasme. Dengan dibagi menjadi beberapa kelompok kecil, kami melengkapi diri dengan perlengkapan motocross lengkap untuk menghadapi tantangan musim hujan.

Perjalanan? Murni magis. Jalur berkelok melalui permata tersembunyi Bali, di mana setiap tikungan menawarkan pemandangan yang memukau atau hampir membuat jantung berhenti. Rute tahun ini menghadirkan medan tanah liat merah—dijuluki tanah "keramik" karena teksturnya yang licin dan keras saat basah. Untuk melintasinya, diperlukan teknik khusus yang disebut “paddling the throttle,” sebuah manuver yang mendebarkan dengan motor yang sering bergoyang liar. Dari kejauhan, mungkin terlihat lucu, tetapi saat di atas motor? Ceritanya berbeda.

Setelah menempuh 68 kilometer petualangan liar, kami tiba di perkemahan di puncak bukit yang sudah dipenuhi tenda-tenda peserta lain dan deru knalpot. Destinasi selalu mencuri perhatian, dan yang satu ini tidak terkecuali—tempat tinggi dengan pemandangan 360 derajat yang menakjubkan dari laut, gunung, hingga kota.

Saat hujan turun, tenda-tenda didirikan, dan malam itu diisi dengan berbagi cerita tentang penyelamatan heroik dan kecelakaan yang menggelikan. Dan tentu saja, ada balapan. Bayangkan sekelompok pengendara penuh semangat meluncur di perbukitan dalam kekacauan yang terkontrol. Balapan tahun ini termasuk duel 1 lawan 1 yang seru di sekitar puncak bukit, dengan peserta menyelesaikan dua putaran penuh adrenalin.

Bukan soal menang; ini tentang hadir, tertawa, dan menikmati momen. Para pemenang dan peserta tercepat yang mencapai puncak bukit dirayakan dengan hadiah, tetapi senyuman, persahabatan, dan kebersamaan membuat semua orang merasa seperti juara.

The Wild tahun ini benar-benar sesuai namanya, bahkan lebih. Petualangan, tawa, dan cukup banyak tanah di gigi untuk menyebutnya otentik—kami tidak akan menginginkannya dengan cara lain. Terima kasih yang sebesar-besarnya kepada semua peserta yang menjadikannya pengalaman tak terlupakan. Sampai jumpa di petualangan berikutnya!

Every year, our mates over at Tasix Adventure—Bali’s finest purveyors of muddy tyres and fuel-driven adrenaline—host their much-anticipated camp-out weekend. They’ve named it “Wild,” and honestly, there’s no better word for it.

It’s not just an event; it’s a pilgrimage for anyone who loves dirt, daring, and the kind of camaraderie you can only forge while laughing at someone else’s wipeout.

The thing about Wild is that it’s shrouded in mystery. You don’t know where you’re going, how you’ll get there, or what you’ll find—kind of like life, but with more exhaust fumes.

This year’s Wild, held on Saturday, December 7, 2024, brought together 135 enthusiasts of enduro, trail, and cross motorcycles at Desa Kopi, Tabanan. The route was kept a secret until the event day, heightening the thrill of the unknown. At exactly 9 am, they shared the destination, Desa Gesing, Singaraja, Divided into small groups, we geared up with full motocross kits to tackle the rainy season’s challenges.

The ride? Pure magic. Twisting trails through Bali’s hidden gems, where every turn promised either breathtaking views or breathtaking near-misses. This year’s route featured red clay terrain—nicknamed "ceramic" soil for its slick, hard texture when wet. Navigating it required a special technique called “paddling the throttle,” a nerve-wracking maneuver that had bikes swaying wildly. From a distance, it might have looked hilarious, but on the bike? It was a whole other story.

After 68 kilometres of this wild adventure, we arrived at the hilltop campsite already alive with the buzz of activity and the roar of exhausts. The destination always steals the spotlight, and this one was no exception—a high-altitude perch offering stunning 360-degree views of the sea, mountains, and city.

As the rain came down, tents went up, and the evening was all about swapping stories of heroic saves and laughable crashes. And then there were the races. Picture a pack of overexcited riders tearing up the hillside in what can only be described as controlled chaos. This year’s races included thrilling 1-on-1 duels around the hilltop, with participants pushing through two laps of sheer adrenaline.

It wasn’t just about winning; it was about showing up, laughing, and embracing the moment. The race winners and the fastest hilltop arrivals were celebrated with prizes, but the smiles, the camaraderie, and the shared triumphs made everyone feel like champions.

This year’s Wild lived up to its name and then some. Adventure, laughter, and just enough dirt in your teeth to call it authentic—we wouldn’t have it any other way. A massive thank you to all the participants who made it unforgettable. See you on the next adventure!