General Cycling Discussion - Where to ride in New Orleans?

Hi,

Next week I'll be in New Orleans for four days for a conference, and I plan to take my Bike Friday for some local riding between sessions. So far, the maps and descriptions from the New Orleans Bicycle Club have been really helpful: http://www.gnofn.org/~nobc/rides.htm#Lakeshore

Any suggestions for rides in the city (I'll being staying at a hotel in the French Quarter)?

Any rides close to the city (I may or may not have a rental car for remote starts)?

Any bike shops/sites worth checking out while I'm in the area?

This is my third trip with the Bike Friday. Spokane and DC both worked out really well.

Thanks in advance!

I was in New Orleans in April. The entire French Quarter is full of bicycle riders. I was tempted to rent a bike because the traffic is terrible and getting from one end of the French Quarter to the other makes for a long walk. There's a cool little bike shop on Frenchmen Street, just off of Decatur Street. (Northeast side of the Quarter). This section is also home of the best "hole in the wall" restaurants in New Orleans.
Hope that helps, have a blast while you're there. And as the bed and breakfast owners told us:"If ya don't have a good time then shame on ya"

The Tammany Trace is a popular 31 mile rails to trails route on the other side of Lake Ponch. It is a linear course though, not a loop. They have a website. It is very hot and humid here now.

Thanks for the comments-- the more I look into the trip, the better it sounds. I'll try to track down the bike shop of Decatur-- I always enjoy seeing shops in other regions.

I rode for years in DC, so hopefully the heat and humidity won't be too much of a surprise. I'm also used to riding early in the morning for commuting, and that might be better traffic-wise as well. I'll look up the Tammany Trace, but I'm tempted to just take a shuttle from the airport and skip on a rental car, so my riding might be more city-based.

Thanks again!