Members of a bicycle group are putting the call out for all interested bike riders who would like to take 10-mile social rides across the area, and you don’t have to be an experienced rider to take part.
“We believe in no one left behind,” Zina Dorsey, president of Sisters on Wheels bicycle group, said. “We keep an eye out for all riders. We specify the distance of the rides and if it’s a fast pace or slow-paced ride.”
Dorsey, who was born and raised in New Orleans and lived in St. Rose, helped found Sisters on Wheels in 2020 and currently serves as the group’s president. She’s been riding bikes since she was 9 years old and hasn’t stopped yet.
“Bike riding makes us feel free,” Dorsey said. “It’s relaxing, clean fun, fellowship, a form of networking and most of all it’s exercise.”
Dorsey and Sisters on Wheels vice president Melanie Wilson have more than 20 years of experience in leading safe bicycle rides in neighboring communities. The two also ride in more than five Mardi Gras parades that take place in New Orleans, Metairie and Marrero. They are both heavily involved with major bicycle advocacy groups, like Bike Easy.
While trying to reignite social rides in the parish, she linked up with Steve Saragusa, who leads the St. Charles Parish riding group EZ Riders.
“They are excited and supportive,” Dorsey said of Saragusa and the EZ Riders. “When Steve saw our flyer about the ride on Facebook, he asked that we collaborate with him on the EZ Riders Facebook page which has over 400 members. We are excited and happy to have a strong foundation to revive social bike riding in SCP and look forward to working with all interested riders to form rides.
“We also plan to ride bicycles in the Luling Parade next year. We were the first group of bikers to ride bikes in the New Orleans and Metairie Mardi Gras parades.”
The group had their first ride on Friday, which took place in Luling through Lakewood and Willowdale subdivisions. Dorsey said she plans to work with Saragusa to start rides at Grand Ridge Golf Club, and rides at both the West and East Bank parks are also planned.
“The social rides are approximately 10 miles and we plan to have them at least once a month,” Dorsey said. “We are in the beginning phases of reviving the rides and hope to come up with a weekly ride as in times past like ‘Willowdale Wednesdays.’ We are also hoping other avid bike riders in the community would get involved to form a group of ride leaders and helpers on the rides.”
Dorsey, who is the director of employee engagement at Tulane, said there has already been a lot of interest from residents about the planned rides.
“We look forward to reviving bicycle rides in St. Charles Parish,” Dorsey said. “It’s a fun and great way to bring people in the community together.”
Dorsey is also looking for businesses to serve as sponsors or those where the bicyclists can meet at to safely start their rides.
“We also look forward to having bike safety workshops in the area,” she said. “We are very involved in various communities and look forward to doing a lot of community work in SCP.”
That work will include toy and bike giveaways and community service projects.
For more information or updates, visit EZ Riders SCP on Facebook.
