Fargo Street is the steepest street in Los Angeles. It's just a 1/10 of a mile long, but with a steady 33% grade (and slightly more inclined near the top), Fargo is steeper than any street in San Francisco.

Each year the Los Angeles Wheelmen bike club sponsors the loosely organized "Fargo Street Hill Climb." Riders from all over the Los Angeles area try to climb the hill just once. (I held the record for most times up the hill for 14 years, until someone broke it last year.)

It's difficult to show how steep the hill is in a photograph, but the rider pictured here is nearing the top. He's strong enough to do it straight up on a road bike - most people now, if they make the top, do it on mountain bikes and they tack back and forth across the narrow street.

Those who make it to the top without stopping earn a commemorative patch from the club, a pat on the back, great views of the Hollywood Hills to the northwest, and the downtown skyline of Los Angeles to the southeast. Fargo Street itself is in the interesting Echo Park district of the city, which has an ethnically diverse population and a variety of residential architectural styles.