[This page is being updated regularly as reports arrive. Come back often to see what else happened over the weekend! Last edit, 2010 May 03 - ed.] Friday, April 09 The (Baton Rouge) Advocate, our local newspaper, prints a "FUN" section in its Friday edition. Velo Louisiane made the cover and the centerfold. Along with images of the pre-ride ride to check out the route, the paper also printed a great shot from a BROLO bike polo game featuring our own David Hays, Travis Hill, and Andy Larson. Also included in the piece were a map of Brooks Park and the entire schedule for Velo Louisiane. Our thanks to The Advocate for providing such great coverage! Saturday, April 10, 9.00 AM, City-Brooks Park
The 1st Annual Velo Louisiane Bicycle Festival, in conjunction with the Mayor's Office and Healthy BR, started with the Mayor's Family Fun Ride. The weather couldn't have been better, which certainly contributed to the turn-out. The crowd has been estimated to have been between 100 and 125 participants ranging in age from 6 months to over 70 years of age.
The bicycle units from the Baton Rouge Police Department, Sheriff's Department, Constable's Office, and the City-Parish Department of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) turned out in force. We invited them back on Sunday to participate in the cruiser drag races and bike polo.
As the crowd grew in BREC's City-Brooks Park (Eddie Robinson @ Louise across from McKinley Magnet Middle School) riders milled about chatting, some did a few warm-up laps on the basketball courts, and many checked out the other bikes being ridden. A particular hit was the Xtracycle ridden by the Mayor.
Following the opening comments riders saddled up and headed down the concrete path toward Dalrymple Drive. The 2.89 mile route took the riders across Dalrymple, along the new multi-use path next to the golf course to Lakeshore Drive, and around the University Lakes to May Street, all in the street. At May Street the bicyclists rejoined the Dalrymple Path north to rejoin Lakeshore and the new multi-use path back to City-Brooks Park.
Everyone returned happy and a little healthier for the effort. We suspect a number of attendees had come to Brooks Park for the first time that day but, now knowing where it is, it probably won't be the last time. Our thanks to BREC for providing an excellent, centrally located, and very bikable venue! Saturday, April 10, 3.00 PM, City-Brooks Park Having taken a few hours off following the Mayor's ride, we returned to City-Brooks Park to begin the Velo Verte ride. The purpose of the ride, other than simply enjoying a ride in the mild weather, was to follow as closely as possible the Downtown Development District's (DDD) proposed "greenway" route from City-Brooks Park to Memorial Stadium near the Governor's Mansion. As the proposed route runs under the elevated sections of Interstates 10 and 110 we couldn't actually ride on the proposed route. Instead, we rode on the surface streets paralleling the route.
Davis Rhorer, DDD Executive Director, and James Andermann, Development Project Director, came out to speak to the 64 riders who had assembled. After providing a little background on the proposed greenway, Rhorer asked for feedback from the riders at the end of the ride. This feedback is intended to help refine the route and illustrate any difficulties from the bicyclist's point of view.
Getting from City-Brooks Park to North Boulevard on the surface streets revealed the first problem - McCalop Street (who knew the frontage road along I-10 had a name? I certainly didn't) dead-ends at Terrace where 11th Street used to run; building the interstate destroyed that section of the street grid. The first available street heading into town is Thomas Delpit / East Boulevard some blocks west of the interstate. We turned east on South Boulevard to pull over under the massive I-10 / I-110 interchange in what is now BREC's Expressway Park to talk about what we had just done, to consider the noise level there under the interstate and how that would affect the experience of riding under all that motor traffic.
After a few minutes we remounted and headed back to East Boulevard and downtown. Because East Boulevard becomes a one-way street one block short of North Boulevard we crossed under the interstate again. It so happened that we were at the Baton Rouge Bike Polo (BROLO) Grounds and the site of the new Beauregard Town community garden, the first all-organic community garden in Louisiana. Matthew Bruno, Beauregard Town resident and bicyclist, also happened to be looking out his window as we rolled past so he came out to tell us about the garden. Unfortunately, the noise level created by the traffic overhead was so great that, even using the megaphone, it was hard to hear. We rolled on to North Boulevard to 7th Street, the proposed route north toward Spanish Town. In one short block we discovered another snag - the south side street grid is offset westward from the north side street grid by half a block with 7th street forming a T-intersection with Convention Street and Convention Street is one-way heading west. That meant we were on the wrong side of the north side 7th Street intersection; the shortest route to 7th Street would have bicyclists riding against traffic for half a block, a clearly illegal maneuver. The easy fix is turning north on 8th Street from North Boulevard. Unfortunately, we didn't know that and so had to ride down Convention to 5th Street before we could resume riding north. The next big problem arises at the end of Capitol Access Road. This segment runs through Arsenal Park, a very scenic part of the Capitol Complex, and along in front of the Governor's Mansion and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LaDOTD). In front of LaDOTD the Capitol Access Road right lane becomes an on / off ramp for north bound traffic on I-110 and the left lane is the off ramp for south bound I-110 traffic.
We turned into the LaDOTD parking lot, continued on into a more distant parking lot, and saw the last, essentially insurmountable, obstacle - the Kansas City Southern Railroad switching yard between us and Memorial Stadium. The current plan calls for building a path down the interstate embankment and along the south bound traffic lanes against traffic, an expensive and potentially dangerous proposal. One rider pointed out Spanish Town Road crosses I-110 to 19th Street, 19th Street crosses the interstate via an overpass, and then travels north directly to Memorial Stadium. Taking this route would be considerably less expensive than building an access from Capitol Access Road. We headed back to City-Brooks Park after taking a group photo on the steps of the Capitol and a break at Capitol Grocery in Spanish Town. When we arrived back at the starting point riders were provided paper and pens to write down their impressions of the ride and to make suggestions to the DDD. Those suggestions have been forwarded to the DDD. Saturday, April 10, 7 PM, Ephemeral Gallery, 19th Street and Main Street Arte Veloiste, the bicycle art, music, and goldsprint party celebrating all things bicycle, saw between 250 and 300 people at its peak. Nearly a dozen artists had their work - painting, photography, printing, fabric, and more - on display. Our thanks to Red Star Bar and North Gate Tavern for providing the beer.
One of the most unique artists was Brooke Cassady and her "COW: Clay on Wheels" set up. In a trailer pulled by bicycle, Brooke has all the materials needed to create a clay piece of one's own. Party people stepped up to the table, received an introduction to the concept, then had at it making their own personal art work in clay.
Russell from New Orleans brought up the goldsprints equipment ( thanks Russell!) for what was the most energetic part of the evening. For most of the night challenges went forth - man to man, man to woman, woman to man, and woman to woman. Most matches were real honest-to-god sprints but more than a few were more relaxed matches more like strolls than sprints. Everyone, sprinters and crowd alike, had a great time sprinting the 250 meters or encouraging the sprinters. Our own Mike Guy remains the winner and champion with 10.91 - the fastest time of the night. Yeah Mike!
Of course, no party is complete without music. We had the distinct pleasure of enjoying the spinning skills of Deezer & Speedo for the evening. They have such a wide-ranging, eclectic collection of vinyl that one never knew what was coming next. If you didn't like this song, wait for the next and you'll be happy again. Thanks Deezer and Speedo for a great night of earful music!
By midnight we'd picked up, packed up, and headed out. Sunday was to be a big day for all. Thanks to David Cano and Kathryn Hunter for donating the use of the Ephemeral Gallery!
Sunday, April 11, Noon, City-Brooks Park Volunteers working on Velo Louisiane were at City-Brooks Park well before noon. BREC brought the stage (thanks BREC!) and set it up on the basketball court facing the court and the grassy area beyond. BREC took a risk bringing out the stage, not to mention the expense, and we did our best to fully utilize it. Thanks again, Donna!
Ausi Design, Hot Garbage, Dirt Road Bicycles, Capitol Cyclery, and Bricks and Bombs set up along the edge of the court. It was good having vendors with a bicycle bent!
BRASS set up near the stage. We had voting machines from the Secretary of State's office to gather data for the Mayor's Bicycle Program, Phase 2 (more on that later) and a fair amount of information for the bicycle curious. With all of us setting up it seemed like the crowd was already there.
There were five action spots during the Festival - Bike polo court, BMX land, the Race Grounds, the Bike Toss Lawn, and the Main Court where the stage, vendors, and BRASS had set up tents. Bike polo went on all day and attracted quite an audience.
Here's a short (less than 2 minutes) video of one part of one match: The BMX riders had quite a time, even though the set up was make-shift, as they say. Thanks to Justin Weber, who rounded up the portable ramps, used his truck as an added feature, and generally kept an eye on things, the boys had a good time.
There will be a video soon of the truck jumping, but for now, let's move on . . . Meanwhile, over at the Race Grounds, the 50 pound cruisers were lined up and rarin' to go . . .
The Foot Down Contest drew many contestants into its whirling eddy of bikes and riders trying to be the last man NOT standing . . .
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2010 Velo Louisiane Baton Rouge Review |
