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The Stories
There's a bit of an educational component to this ride. Ride leader Samantha Morgan, a former journalist, researches the history of a building, a time period, or a business and shares that story during relevant stops on the ride.
Over the years, a good bit of history has been written and this section is the archive of that data. The little guy next to this text is Bike Bot! He's the AI bot that will answer the questions you have about either the ride or the stories that have been told.
If you have a story to tell or a correction to make related to one of the stories posted here, send a message to downtowneastsocialride@gmail.com.
mike The Tiger
On any given day in Baton Rouge, you can walk across Louisiana State University’s campus, pass Tiger Stadium, and find yourself standing face to face with a tiger. For nearly ninety years, LSU has maintained one of the most unusual traditions in college athletics, a live Bengal tiger mascot known simply as Mike. Generations of students, football fans, and visitors have gathered along North Stadium Drive to watch him pace through his habitat. For many people, it is their first
2025 Year in review
It was an incredible year! Take a look back at all of our adventures and wins for bikes in Baton Rouge.
Hundred Oaks
Hundred Oaks is known for its charming homes, tree-lined streets, and strong civic identity. But the story of Hundred Oaks stretches back more than a century, from its beginnings as a plantation and dairy farm to its transformation during the city’s real-estate boom of the 1920s.
Critical Mass
Critical Mass Baton Rouge began in the early 2000s with rides starting from LSU, growing from 7 to over 200 participants, and was led by local cyclists like Tina Ufford, with its last official ride held in 2018. The movement, inspired by global Critical Mass traditions, returned briefly in May 2025 thanks to BMX rider Nino and is featured in the book Shift Happens.
Municipal Dock
The municipal dock helped advance Baton Rouge's growing population. However, when it fell into disrepair, it would take decades and the largest disaster in US History before it would be repurposed.
Bike Baton Rouge
Mark Martin and Tina Ufford at the 2024 Cranksgiving event, held at the Electric Depot. Bike Baton Rouge is a nonprofit organization founded in 2006 to advocate for safer, more accessible bicycle infrastructure and culture in the city of Baton Rouge.The organization began as B.R.A.S.S. (Baton Rouge Advocates for Safe Streets), a grassroots response to the city’s car-centric design and lack of safe routes for people walking and biking. A key early leader was Mark Martin, whose
Government Street
Adding bike lanes to Government Street was a task that took roughly 20 years to completed. And, it never had anything to do with bike lanes.
St. Patrick's Day
St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated annually on March 17, believed to be the date of St. Patrick’s death. Despite being the patron saint of...
The Baton Rouge Swim-In
In the heart of Baton Rouge City Park once stood a massive public swimming pool, a recreational facility that symbolized racial...
The Baton Rouge Bus Boycott
Many credit the Montgomery Bus Boycott as the spark that ignited peaceful demonstrations against segregation. However, two years before...
Kress lunch counter sit-in
The sit-in movement began on February 1, 1960, in Greensboro, North Carolina, when four Black students staged a peaceful protest at a...
The Lincoln Hotel
The Lincoln Hotel, located in Old South Baton Rouge, opened its doors on August 21, 1955.
Prince Hall Masonic Temple
Photo provided by The East Baton Rouge Parish Library historical archive. The Prince Hall Masonic Temple, located at 1335 North Boulevard...
Miss Sing's Boarding House
One of the many Baton Rouge locations featured in the Green Book was Miss Sing’s Boarding House and it was patronized by celebrities such as
Philip Hickey
Philip Hickey, a prominent Louisiana plantation owner, military leader, and politician, left a complex legacy marked by agricultural innovat
Alex Gilbert
Alex S. Gilbert, a respected Black businessman and community leader, broke racial barriers in Reconstruction-era Baton Rouge.
Front Yard Bikes
The new headquarters for Front Yard Bikes is located at 4385 Government Street in a massive building that will eventually serve as the...
Hollywood South
Over 1,000 productions have been filmed in the Bayou State over the last decade. In fact, at one point in time Louisiana was outpacing...
Origin story
The ride that was only supposed to be temporary I was hesitant to start a bike ride. I wanted to, but it felt like a big commitment. In true Samantha Morgan fashion, I ended up going all in and making the thing that wasn’t supposed to be an ongoing thing, not only an ongoing thing, but a weekly thing complete with a social page on every platform, a website, a newsletter, and now a line of merch. I supposed I should tell you what the thing was supposed to be in the first plac
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