Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Velo Dendro Shreveport, 2010: liesurely tour by some 75 riders across 15 miles of tree-lined East Shreveport streets

Over 75 riders pedaled a route that stretched for 15 miles across East Shreveport in the second annual Velo Dendro, a tour of significant trees.

Hallie Dozier, prof of forestry at LSUBR and former Shreveporter, led the tour. She was aided in the event planning by Matthew Linn and founder of Baton Rouge Advocates for Safe Streets (BRASS) founder Mark Martin.

The route went from Columbia Cafe to Betty Virginia Park, where Shreveport Green's Donna Curtis and Chapellie Henderson presided over a tree planting. At the public gardens in front of First Baptist School the group looked at the crepe myrtles planted along Bayou Pierre. The route went across Broadmoor with stops at the Akers house to see the magnolia above and at AC Steere Park for a look at a champion sycamore.

The group pedaled past the river along Fant Parkway while taking care to avoid nests of tiny, tire-puncturing thorns in grassy areas.

Downtown, the path led to the great oaks surrounding the Courthouse.

In the grove beside Columbia Cafe riders enjoyed jambalaya and a discussion of plans for the next Velo Dendro, to be planned and coordinated by A Better Shreveport with tour founders Linn and Dozier.

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