(Photos by Rebecca Baugh)

CicLAvia this Sunday was a chance to safely breathe L.A. in at my leisure. Except for a few intersections where traffic officers controlled car traffic, there were no cars or buses to intimidate any bikers.

I started off in Little Tokyo on First Street at the hub near the Los Angeles Department of Transportation building. I saw an entire grassy corner of a street filled with tents belonging to Occupy Los Angeles protestors. The firm positions of the protestors and constant flow of cyclists going through the hub both seemed to reinforce L.A.’s reputation of being a diverse, lively city.

The weather was a perfect 80 degrees with some light winds and businesses were still open as usual, so it was a great day for cyclists and pedestrians. In fact, there were people riding on skateboards, scooters and rollerblades.

Aside from freebies, first aid and bicycle check up tents, the best part about the ride was being able to appreciate the architecture and explore Los Angeles. I walked down streets I would normally never ever go because I am usually rushing through them to find parking and get to a predetermined destination.

I'm still unsure about how CicLAvia got started but whatever the reason, I hope the annual tradition stays because it is one of the welcoming ways L.A. can invite people into its diverse and cultured arms.

Reach reporter Rosa Trieu here. Follow her on Twitter.

Reach photographer Rebecca Baugh here.