In 2021 and ’22, some representatives of H-Town’s WNBR community traveled to Austin to participate in two superb nights of Ciclonudismo. We love our ATX comrades. This year, however, there is a move afoot to try something different: New Orleans! It’s an opportunity to ride through the Crescent City during daylight hours.
The New Orleans WNBR organizers have set Saturday 10 June as their ride date for this year. As of this writing there is no official Facebook event. Austin’s group has not yet set a date, but it will likely also happen on the 10th.
Things to know about WNBR NOLA:
- The ride begins and ends at Mickey Markey Park in the Bywater district.
- The usual launch time is 4 pm.
- It is shorter than H-Town’s ride, with maybe one pub stop and an after party.
- The ride hires a police escort, which eliminates a lot of the fear-of-being-arrested factor. This is not cheap, so the organizers are asking for donations to defray the cost. (Riders can still be arrested if they do something blatantly illegal, such as public lewdness or vandalism.)
In order to make the journey as fuel-efficient as possible without actually biking to NOLA, the plan is to travel via Amtrak’s Sunset Limited line. This is a chance for an additional adventure, especially if you’ve never traveled by train in the United States.
Here is what you need to know about the trip there and back:
- The Sunset Limited runs three times a week in each direction between New Orleans and Los Angeles, unlike almost all other Amtrak long-distance lines with trains running daily.
- The Houston to New Orleans train is scheduled for departure Friday 9 June at 12:10 pm, arriving at 9:40 that night.
- The return train leaves New Orleans Monday 12 June at 9:00 am, reaching Houston at 6:18 pm.
- As of this writing, coach seats cost $46 each direction. These seats offer far greater comfort and legroom than coach seats on most airlines, as do the on-board lavatories.
- Sunset Limited trains have (limited) bicycle storage in the baggage car. There is a small fee for trainside bicycle check-in. Other restrictions apply, such as maximum weight of 50 pounds, so please read and digest Amtrak’s rules thoroughly.
- Lodging accommodations for three nights in Greater New Orleans will depend on the number of travelers.
Any additional information will appear in a follow-up post.
If you plan to join this trip, please let us know in the Comments; if you don’t, please don’t.