BRASS Bike Month Rides! May 2008 - Velo! Velo!

Velo! Velo! Velo!
Come ride with us!

The Baton Rouge Advocates for Safe Streets, a 501 (c) 3 community-based bicycle and pedestrian advocacy group, kick off our 2nd anniversary with a series of three different themed and guided bicycle tours:

To download a PDF registration form, click here. Mail-in instructions below, or you may bring the form with you and register the morning of the ride.

To register online, click here and a new window will open. Online registration requires an additional fee ($2.40—2.60, depending on total registration fee) for credit card payment.

For those who like to live on the edge, we will be accepting registrations on the morning of the ride as well. But, to ensure there will be room for you to ride, please register early!

Downtown Baton Rouge as it appeared circa 1910
looking toward the Mississippi down Main Street.
photo courtesy of LSU Libraries - Special Collections
John B. Heroman Photograph Collection
Hill Memorial Library.

Velo Clio, Sunday, May 18
Registration and prep for ride, 8.30-9.30 AM
Ride from 9.30 AM-1.30 PM
will lead riders through the early history of Baton Rouge, concentrating on the downtown area. Local historian and author, Mark E. Martin, will discuss the development of the city from its inception to the early 20th century. Part of this ride will also discuss urban planning and how the introduction of the automobile affected the physical space of the city. This ride starts and ends at David Cano's space on 19th and Main, and;

Velo Muerto, Sunday, May 25
Registration and prep for ride, 8.30-9.30 AM
Ride from 9.30 AM-1.30 PM
will lead riders on a tour of historical cemeteries. Starting at the Highland Cemetery the ride will stop at Magnolia Mound where a docent will talk about the tie between the plantation and the Highland Cemetery then we’ll ride to the capitol to visit Huey P. Long’s grave. Other stops include the Jewish Cemetery, Magnolia Cemetery, the National Cemetery, and Sweet Olive Cemetery. Guest speakers will tell us about the history of graveyards, the development and evolution of mortuary science, and the symbolism of funerary markers. This ride starts at LSU and ends at David Cano’s space on 19th and Main.

The rain date for each ride is the Saturday following the scheduled Sunday ride, i. e. Saturday May 17, 24, 31.

The longest route is a little over 12 miles but no one segment of the ride will exceed 2 miles, which should be easily accomplished by almost anyone. The rides will be limited to 40 riders and require a $10.00 donation per rider (this is a fund raising event).

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 14 and under to wear a helmet. No one 14 and under will be allowed to ride without a helmet. Adults are free to crack their skulls if they wish.

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

Each ride will end with food, music, and beverages. Riders will receive “gimme” bags containing a commemorative t-shirt and other materials relevant to their ride. A registration fee of $10.00 per ride per rider is required.

To download a PDF registration form, click here. Once you have it in hand, you may bring the form with you to register on-site the morning of the ride or mail it to:

B.R.A.S.S. Velo! Velo!
PO Box 19403
Baton Rouge, LA 70893-0403

As it happened . . .

Velo Dendro, Sunday, May 11

We rode from 9.30 AM-1.30 PM, as advertised, and all 31 of the riders, plus support staff, passed a good time. The weather was beautiful, the ride entertaining, relaxing, and informative, and the speakers well spoken. A big thank you to the Fugitive Poets for pickin' and grinnin' under the oak tree while we sat around and had our fill of Mike's most excellent BBQ veggies and chicken, Hallie's famous pasta salad, and our favorite beverages.

Click here to view a few pictures of the ride that will open in a new window. They were taken by Chris W. Thanks Chris!

photo courtesy of Mark E. Martin

Thanks to all the Volunteers for Fest For All Bike Corral!!!

We had at least 91 riders enjoy the valet bicycle parking service provided at Fest For All! That's nearly 40 more than last year. It just keeps getting better.

We quite literally couldn't have done it without the volunteers who came out to enjoy the fine weather, assist riders park, and pass a good time at the festival. Our thanks to Andy, Blythe, Chris, Daniel, Fareed, JB, Joshua, Katie, Laurel, Matt, and Michael. You'll be receiving some kind of snazzy "I volunteered at the Fest For All Bike Corral" spoke cards soon.

League of American Bicyclists Road 1 class

Chris Daigle, LCI #331, and BREC, we will be offering the League of American Bicyclists Road 1 course Friday, May 23, 6 - 10 PM, and Saturday, May 24, 2008, 8.30 AM road ride followed by class from 10 AM - 2 PM, at the Independence Park rec center. The course costs $90.00 + $10.00 for the course book ($100.00 total).

In order to ensure the class will take place we need to have at least 10 people preregistered by Friday, May 9. There is an upper limit of 28 participants. For a registration form, click here, fill it out, and mail with your check to:

Eagle School of Cycling
208 Bismark Drive
Broussard, LA 70518.

B.R.A.S.S. WORKS Bicycle Maintenance and Repair Classes

We have established a regular schedule for these classes - the third Tuesday and Wednesday of the month, every month. The next classes will be held Tuesday and Wednesday, May 20 - 21, 6.30 - 8 PM, The Bicycle Shop, 3315 Highland Road. Please e-mail brsafestreets@hotmail.com to register.

The follwing PDF files will open in a new window when you click on the link:

You may click here, to download a PDF of the class agendas.

You may click here, to download a PDF of the bicycle anatomy handout.

You may click here, to download a PDF of the bicycle tools handout.

BRASS thanks Peter Markos for volunteering to lead these classes. Thanks Peter! And, Thanks to everyone who attended!

See you in class!

Page updated 2008 May 05