Coates Bluff Trail now has a parallel path for hiking and biking on the East side of the old Bayou Pierre slough

Coates Bluff Trail, Shreveport , a photo by trudeau on Flickr.

"The Bike trail is now connected from River Oaks Meadow to the Red River Link. Loren, Feico and I," says Maurice Loridans, "recently worked to finish the connection with the work done by Centenary Volunteers led by Katherine Brandl and Robert Trudeau."

Having traversed the new East Side Coates Bluff Trail by bicycle, a slow and chunky experience, I can testify that it is appropriate for advanced riders.

While the new trail is intended to give bikers their own territory, I highly recommend it to hikers.

Loridans also reported, "Feico and I walked and groomed the East-West part and swing bladed the knee-waist high growth that was already clogging the Link from the wide gate at Valencia's Urban Farm. Heading East from there, the trail is clear to a point on the North side of a very high steep bank of the old river bed. Beyond that point are many deadfall trees and more work."

"To hold what we have done," warns Loridans, "it is imperative that this trail gets traffic by walking or bikes."

The entrance to the new trail is somewhat hidden. It begins at the place where the walking trail opens up in the direction of the neighborhood housing area called River Oaks.

Once found, this trail takes you much deeper into the riverine woods.

Poison ivy is sprouting vigorously this time of year. But on last week's sortie I wore long sleeves and long pants and have yet to feel any itching or rash.

If you walk it this weekend, please send me a brief report and photo: trudeau11@gmail.com.

Regular Meetings on Summer Hiatus; Radio Show Will Continue

Due to the fact many of us will be out of town here and there through out the summer, we've agreed to take a break from our regular weekly meetings until August 27th.  In the meantime, we'll be  pushing forward on our various projects throughout the summer, using this blog and facebook to announce events, work sessions, social bike rides, etc., or just to post thoughts on quality of life improvements for the city.

In the immediate future, Loren Demerath, Maurice Loridans, Feico Kempff, and Kevin Kennedy recently completed clearing a way for the new mountain bike to parallel the nature trail on the Bossier Parish side.  Plans are to meet Monday at 6:15 to ride back and forth into shape.  All are welcome.  We'll be meet at the Montessori parking lot on Valencia with our mountain bikes, then plunge into the woods.

Loren will also be reporting on his six day paddle trip down Bayou Teche, from upwards of Lafayette down to Morgan City.  It's the site of a relatively new but now nationally known race for flat water paddling.  Could there be a complementary race organized upstate to take advantage of the paddlers who'll be in our state?  The Tour du Teche takes place in October, by the way.

New Bike Paths in South Louisiana Funded by Federal Highway Administration

I just ran across this article while planning a canoe trip down Bayou Teche from Lafayette to Morgan City.  It's about a new set of bike paths linking paddling trails funded mostly by Federal Highway Administration dollars.  That's our money too, y'all!  We might as well ask for some up here!