Join Dr. A. Eugene Washington and a contingent of UCLA medical students riding their bikes on May 4 in support of the UCLA Blood and Platelet Center. The vice chancellor for health sciences and dean of the David Geffen School of Medicine and many other participants in this event will be helping to raise funds for the center while enjoying a fresh-air tour of more than 65 scenic, cultural and historic landmarks throughout Los Angeles during the 17th annual City of Angels Fun Ride presented by Volkswagen.
Riders may choose from a 62-mile advanced race with a challenging new route or a 31-mile recreational ride. Los Angeles Police Department motorcycle officers will escort riders and arrange rolling closures of city streets for traffic-free cycling. The registration fee is $70, and participants may register in advance at imAthlete.com.
Both rides will begin and end at the Los Angeles Police Academy in Elysian Park, located at 1880 Academy Drive. Check-in will take place at 6 a.m. at Dodger Stadium's north parking lot, which will open at 5:45 a.m. The advanced ride begins at 7 a.m., and the recreational ride will start at 8:15 a.m. A blood drive will start at 9:30 a.m. Call 310-825-0888, ext. 2, to make an appointment.
The event will conclude with a finish-line festival featuring a catered lunch and raffles for six bicycles, including a KHS Bicycles Flite 780 (retail value: $3,800) and other prizes. Last year’s ride raised more than $30,000, which the UCLA Blood and Platelet Center used to purchase a new truck to support blood drives at schools and in the community.
