B.R.A.S.S. Rides!

October & November

2009—Velo! Velo!

The Baton Rouge Advocates for Safe Streets (BRASS), your 501 (c) 3 community-based bicycling and walking advocacy group, enter our 4th year with a series of four different themed and guided bicycle tours, including Shreveport for the first time:

 

Velo Clio deux—biking tour covering the history of Baton Rouge
Sunday, October 11

Registration and prep for ride, 8.30—9.30 AM

Ride from 9.30 AM – 1.00 PM

will begin at Lafayette Park from which we'll set off for points in downtown and beyond. Riders will follow a more-or-less chronological route to see the various stages of Baton Rouge development from the 1600s to the present. This whirlwind tour of time and space will end at  Lafayette Park to enjoy music, food, and drink.

Velo del Palillo Rojo Viejo—biking tour of Beauregard Town followed by a walking tour of Spanish Town

Sunday, October 25

Registration and prep for ride, 8.30—9.30 AM

Ride and walk from 9.30 AM — 1.00 PM

will begin at Lafayette Park and head off for Beauregard Town, the 2nd oldest neighborhood in Baton Rouge. We'll ride the European-style street grid and talk about the once and future Beauregard Town. We'll then ride over to Spanish Town where we'll park our bikes and take a guided walking tour of the neighborhood. We'll end up in Lafayette Park to enjoy music, food, and drink.

 

Velo Dentro Shreveport—biking Tour of significant trees in Shreveport, led by Dr. Hallie Dozier

Saturday, November 7 (PDF of route available below)

Registration and prep for ride, 8.30—9.30 AM

Ride and walk from 9.30 AM — 1.00 PM

The Velo Dendro S is a tour of significant trees in Shreveport. This ride, almost 250 miles away from typical B.R.A.S.S. stomping grounds, will take riders around Shreveport to look at and learn about this beautiful city’s significant trees. We will begin at the Columbia Café at Creswell and Kings Highway and head north to downtown. Along the way we will visit examples of good and poor pruning practices and take part in a tree planting at a local church. Once downtown, we will visit the historic court house on Texas Street, and discuss modern trends in urban forest planting. After a short break for refreshments we will head over to the Clyde Fant Parkway, Shreveport’s premier and oldest cycling facility. Cutting back away from the River after a few miles, we will mosey over to see a demonstration of tree/utility conflicts with SWEPCO and then on to take a look at the Louisiana State Champion Sycamore tree on the A.C. Steere playground. Other stops as we make our way back to Columbia Café will include Betty Virginia Park and the Slattery Oak. Following the ride we will be treated to the sweet sounds of A Fine Romance Trio at the Columbia Café and enjoy post-ride refreshments. The entire route is approximately 17 easy miles. No single section of the ride with be longer than two miles and we will supply refreshments, bathroom breaks and mechanical support (if needed) all along the route.

 

Velo del Camino—biking ecological architecture ride of Florida Boulevard

Sunday, December 13

Registration and prep for ride, 8.30—9.30 AM

Ride from 9.30– 1.00 PM

will begin in Broadmoor subdivision and head down to the River via neighborhoods behind and along Florida Boulevard. Our guide will discuss the architecture facing the Boulevard, its relationship to the communities behind it, and the ecology of the area - an ecological architecture ride, if you will. We'll bounce back from the River and end in Broadmoor for music, food, and drink.

 

The longest route is a little over 15 miles; no one segment of the ride will exceed 4 miles, which should be easily accomplished by almost anyone. The rides are open to anyone. Children 5 and under ride free and are welcome as long as they ride on their parent’s bicycle; no tricycles or other children’s bicycles will be allowed due to safety concerns.

 

Children between 6 and 14 may be too large to ride on their parents bicycle and the distance may be too great for them if they ride their own bicycle. “Trail-a-bike” attachments allowing older children to ride behind a larger bike are welcome. The tour will stop only at preplanned sites. Please consider your child’s riding ability before registering for the tour.

 

The law requires all children 12 and under to wear a helmet. No one 12 and under will be allowed to ride without a helmet. Helmets are recommended for adults.

 

Water will be provided as will a mid-ride snack. Tourists are free to bring their own snacks if they wish.

 

Each ride will end with food, music, and beverages. Riders will also receive a commemorative t-shirt. A registration fee of $10.00 per ride per rider is required.

 

A PDF registration form is attached below. Online registration at

http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=9401

 

requires an additional fee ($2.40—2.60, depending on total registration fee) for credit card payment.

 

We look forward to seeing y'all on the Velo! Velo! rides for Fall 2009! Ride on!

Watch for our first midwinter Velo ride coming in January . . . Velo des Oiseaux - The Migratory Birds!