Meet the board - Danielle

Who are you and where are you from?

Hi, My name is Danielle LeBlanc. I'm from New Orleans. 

Why do you love bicycling?

I like being outside, and bikes give me more time to do just that. When I wake up in the morning, I'm excited to get my blood flowing and feel the wind in my hair on the way to the office or wherever I happen to be off to for the day. It's far more rewarding than commuting in a car. 

Why did you join the Bike Baton Rouge board?

Since starting as student at LSU back in 2011, I have been biking around Baton Rouge. This has opened my eyes to the lack of awareness there is for cyclists in the area. Whether it's triathletes along River Road or commuters through campus, every cyclist deserves the same respect as the vehicles they ride alongside. When I discovered BikeBR, I thought joining the board would be a great way to take a more proactive role in spreading bike love and awareness throughout the city. 

What do you see as your role within Bike Baton Rouge?

As an engineer by trade, I am always looking to innovate and develop new solutions. I hope to bring some fresh ideas to the bike community and help cultivate a cohesive cyclist culture in the city. Specifically, I hope to make moves towards establishing ubiquitous bike racks and paths, so everyone feels encouraged to ride around town.

What do you do and what are you good at?

I'm an environmental engineer by day and a coffee-and-beer-drinking-bicyc list by night and weekends. I consider myself pretty skillful in all of those roles. 

What will bicycling in Baton Rouge be like in 1 year's time?  In 5?  In 20?

1 year - Less accidents involving cars and cyclists. More bike racks at local business. At least a few new cycling faces.  

5 years -  Bike lane on River Road. Ambitious? Maybe. 

20 years - Everyone owns and/or bikes around town! Exceedingly ambitious? Absolutely. 

What does your "ideal" day of bike riding in Baton Rouge look like?

I bike to a coffee shop where I then read and sip java until my heart is content. I then bike around the LSU lakes and down the levee with my bike-mates to get some grub. In the evening, we bike to get some brews and talk about how much we biked that day. 

Anything else you want us to know?

That bottle basket on your bike is actually made to hold your burrito.