Forty-five bike trails in 36 months. That's the goal for New Orleans bicyclist Larry Lagarde.
Lagarde plans to ride these bicycle trails, review them and tell about his adventures at his website RideThisBike.com.
Right now, Lagarde has links to more than 40 bike trails worldwide at his website. His personal bike tours will enable him to add his own perspectives on the bike trails and routes.
In an email, Lagarde says he's going to start in August in the northwestern US where he'll ride the Spokane River Centennial, North Idaho Centennial, the Coeur d'Alene and the Route of the Hiawatha trails.
After that trip, he's not sure what trails he plans to take. He says there's been an explosive growth in bike trails in the past two decades and there are many from which to choose.
“I'll be riding trails in the Northern USA through mid October, transitioning South as the temperatures cool. Besides rail trails, I'll also be riding road routes & canal trails too (like the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Trail in Maryland).”
The articles on his adventures will include maps, photos, links to nearby lodging, attractions and cycling services. A prototype of a map can be seen here.
Lagarde is a life-long resident of New Orleans, and suffered the destruction of Hurricane Katrina with the rest of that city's population. “I see this tour series as something I can do to inspire others to live with optimism, be healthy and enjoy the scenic wonders of the USA,” he says.
At his blog, Great Bicycle Trails & City Rides Worldwide, Lagarde lists 6 reasons for undertaking his 45 Great Places to Go Bicycling project:
1. Inspire more Americans to go bicycling – for recreation, commuting, health and a better future.
2. Inspire people to do something “big” with their lives even in the face of adversity.
3. Maintain national attention on the Hurricane Katrina recovery.
4. Identify great bike trails, bike routes and bike lanes.
5. Create a series of nuts & bolts ride profiles so others can plan similar tours (including “If You Go” type info, trail photos, interactive maps and useful links).
6. Write a book about places I discovered & people I met through the tour series
Lagarde has plenty of experience bicycling in the US and abroad, according to his email. He says:
“Of the trails that I've done, the Inn River trail in Austria was a favorite as was cycling in the fiord country between Bergen & Oslo, Norway and among the chateaux of the Loire Valley in France. Another favorite was riding from Niagara Falls to Lake Ontario (scenic & downhill to the lake).
“By far, the greatest challenge was my 3 week trip from Yellowstone to Las Vegas (2 weeks cycling/1 week river rafting). The worst day was the last; my airline ticket was stolen, my body was exhausted & I had heat stroke in the middle of the desert – not fun. As for the trip itself – AWESOME.”
I certainly wish Larry good luck in his project, which should be as awesome as his ride from Yellowstone to Las Vegas. I'm looking forward to seeing his first reports appear this August.
By the way, he's inviting any cycling advocates to accompany him on any of his bike trips. He can be reached at RideThisBike.com.
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