A Few Observations Resulting From Hosting Through Warmshowers, Part the First

There's nothing like having guests from out of town to let one see one's own town with fresh eyes. Guests have the knack of saying what they expected and whether or not those expectations were met, exceeded, or completely wrong. Having nothing to lose, guests are free to say what they think.

One of the most common statements is, "Where are the cars? Have we even SEEN a car today?" This is not what one would expect living in The Most Congested City in America for This Population Size.

 Greg Healey, a Welshman on a world tour by bicycle

who asked, "Where are all the cars?"

Granted, we're not riding out to the Maul of Looziana or Siegen Marketplace, but still, we're riding around in a city of slightly over a quarter-million people and a parish of nearly a half-million. I can't find the statistics for how many motor vehicles are registered in the parish (which, as an information professional, is embarrassing) but I seem to remember there are more vehicles registered than there are drivers licenses. Given the number of people driving without benefit of a license I suspect the ratio is higher, perhaps MUCH higher, than officially reported.

My first introduction to the disparity between the way local folk see things and how guests see them came a few years ago when I started hosting through Warmshowers, an international bicycle tourist hosting exchange. My first guest was traveling with Adventure Cycling Association maps for the Southern Tier, a route that links San Diego, CA, in the west to Saint Augustine, FL, in the east.

Carl Bradtmiller, whose Adventure Cycling maps 

started this whole thing.

I was curious about the maps, having never seen them before nor, for that matter, having heard of Adventure Cycling. At that time the St Francisville ferry was still operational and the route included crossing the Mississippi River on that ferry into St Francisville. The route continues east from there but there was a Baton Rouge Spur that took riders to the airport and stopped.

"Huh? The AIRPORT? What's that about?," sez I. Then I read the text, ". . . The 24 mile spur to Baton Rouge takes you to the airport in north Baton Rouge. Local bicyclists say you can't ride in Baton Rouge but you can rent a car at the airport and drive to New Orleans. [emphasis mine]"

What . . . the . . . ???? WHO would say something like that? Who was the "local bicyclist" who cared so little for their city that they would recommend everyone traveling by bicycle SKIP IT COMPLETELY in favor of New Orleans?

Of course, given where the airport is, anyone following those instructions would have no doubt that Baton Rouge was a Sump of Automotive Despair (granted, the event described after the jump was no where near the airport but, hey, who can resist a reference to carmageddon?)

Not only would the riders be essentially trapped at the airport with few route choices that weren't suicidal in nature they would also have no one with bicycling experience to ask about options for getting away. Trust me, the airport does not have a bunch of local cyclists lounging about waiting to dole out route advice.

Sure, the travelers might have phones and other access to information or might have simply ignored the "advice" in the first place but why offer bad advice in the first place?

Valeska and Phillip would NOT have accepted 

bad advice but, if they had, would NOT have

been adversely affected thereby.

The next day I was on the phone to Adventure Cycling insisting that they change that as soon as possible. Fortune was with me as they were about to update and reprint that map segment. I should have seen the next thing coming.

Cameron and Mason, who didn't really have anything

to do with this current thread but were fun to host.

"How do we know what you're saying is true?" they asked (or something to that effect). Ah . . . yes, how indeed? So, I sent them a new route to the Capitol and new text and then added three routes (with an alternative to the East Bank route) from Baton Rouge to New Orleans to my Warmshowers "About me" text as below:

For those of you traveling to New Orleans from Baton Rouge or from New Orleans to Baton Rouge, I invite you to see the 3 suggested routes (and 1 alternative) I have on MapMyRide:

East Bank NOLA to BRLA - http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/59631736


ALTERNATIVE TO THE ABOVE: Capitol to New Orleans - http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/fullscreen/312307467/

West bank NOLA to BRLA - http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/59771356

Fast and Furious - NOT RECOMMENDED - http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/59768888
If you REALLY have to take 61 be aware the shoulder is spotty (for 15 - 20 miles at one point) forcing you to ride, at times, in the lane with the trucks, tankers, and SUVs. There really isn't any camping between NOLA and BRLA on 61 but there are motels once you get past the Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Management Area (Western Tract).

* * *

My point being, it's fairly easy to get around and through Baton Rouge if you are willing to ride on routes that ARE NOT the usual driving routes. Whoever made that asinine comment to Adventure Cycling needs to stay in town and learn how to get around before offering advice again.