Connecting the Soil Towers: A Meandros Bike Ride

Most art you go to see sits still. This one rolls. On Friday, November 13, 18th Street Arts Center in Santa Monica hosts a group bike ride that links a chain of "soil towers" across the Ballona watershed, tying neighborhoods together through ecology, water and dirt. It is an unusual entry on the list of things to do in Los Angeles this month, and it costs nothing.

When: Friday, November 13, 2026, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM Where: 18th Street Arts Center, 1639 18th St, Santa Monica, CA 90404 Price: Free and open to the public

What the ride is about

The towers belong to Meandros, a project imagined by Lauren Bon and Metabolic Studio. The columns of soil are meant to get people thinking about how the rainwater cycle, so often cut off by pavement and pipes, could work again as a living part of the city. The project looks at the real consequences of development, including landslides and flooding, while pointing toward creative, ecological fixes.

The organizers see a link to bike culture: both are ways of picturing a city that lives closer to its surroundings. The ride starts at the Meandros towers at 18th Street Arts Center, then visits sister towers at Crenshaw Dairy Mart and LA EcoVillage before ending at the site of the original tower, Metabolic Studio.

The schedule

• 10:00 AM: meet at 18th Street Arts Center
• 11:30 AM: arrive at Crenshaw Dairy Mart
• 1:00 PM: arrive at LA EcoVillage
• 2:00 PM: Optimist Day at Metabolic Studio

The ride is built in segments, so you can join or drop out at whichever stop suits you. If you want the whole thing, the full route is about 30 miles. It wraps up at Metabolic Studio's Optimist Day celebration in Chinatown, so even a partial rider can finish at a party.

Planning your day

Bring a bike you trust, a helmet, water, sun protection and a lock for the stops. Because the group spreads across a full day, check your pace against the schedule above and decide in advance which segment you will join. Partner organizations include Metabolic Studio, Crenshaw Dairy Mart and LA EcoVillage, so each stop is a chance to see a different corner of the city's creative and environmental scene.

The arts center is on a residential stretch of 18th Street in Santa Monica, so plan your route in ahead of time. If you are looking up upcoming events in Los Angeles that get you outdoors, or LA events this weekend that you can actually take part in, this ride is a rare mix of art, exercise and civic curiosity. Details and updates live on the 18th Street Arts Center event page. For more local picks, browse the arts and culture listings and the Santa Monica page.