John's Nola to Angola Bike Ride!
A nonprofit fundraiser supporting
Nola to AngolaNola to Angola funds transportation for families to visit their incarcerated loved ones.
$2,037
raised by 28 people
$2,000 goal
We came, we rode, we conquered!
Hey everyone! The ride to Angola went off without a hitch this weekend, and I wanted to give y'all an update on the experience this year.
The rain in New Orleans on Friday was not nearly as bad as feared, and we made good time to the camp site in Gonzalez that evening (for me, it was 71.2 miles in 5 hrs 58 min, not including breaks and lunch stop). Notable events from Day 1 were lots of pretty stretches riding on the levee, reaching the Bonnet Carré Spillway to find large sections of the road destroyed from the Spillway being open so long this year and having to walk/carry bikes on foot for a bit, and having lunch in the backyard of Andry Plantation, the starting point of the 1811 German Coast slave uprising.
On Day 2, we went 76.7 miles from Gonzales to just north of St. Francisville, which I covered in 6 hrs 23 min. Day 2 remains the longest and hardest day, with some big hills (by Louisiana standards) over the last 10 miles. Shout out to Mom, Dad, and Anna Gayle who came out to the levee in BR on Saturday to cheer us on, y’all put smiles on some people’s faces!
Sunday was the "short" day, with about 1 hr 51 minutes to cover 25.4 miles from St. Francisville to Angola. More hills, but not as intense as Day 2, and passed through some very pretty wooded areas. We had lunch outside a small church approx 2 miles from Angola, and those who wanted to entered the prison to see the craft fair, where visitors can purchase arts and crafts made by some of the incarcerated individuals. Proceeds from the craft sales primarily go to the craftsmen themselves, with a portion going to the prison, in part to support vocational training programs. We left the prison prior to the rodeo start, returned to the church for a group debrief of the weekend’s experience, then rode a chartered bus like the ones Cornerstone provides for the families visiting their incarcerated loved ones back to New Orleans for a post-ride pizza party.
The only thing left to say is, thanks so much for choosing to support Cornerstone buses by donating to the Nola to Angola ride this year! It really means a lot to me to have your support, and means even more to Cornerstone families. NtA is Cornerstone’s primary source of funding year after year, and the donations they receive from caring people like you mean that they don’t have to worry about things like losing grant funding or board members with deep pockets to keep the mission alive. This is a shining example of a sustainable, community-organized, grassroots campaign for humanity and justice, and it would simply not be possible without your support.
This donations page will stay live until the end of the month, so if you know anyone who might like to make a donation who hasn’t heard about this yet, go ahead and share the donation link with them! It’s not too late!
I’ve attached some photos from the ride to give y’all a little taste of our day-to-day. I was the one behind the camera, so don’t bother squinting to look for me. Hope you enjoy
Thanks again for your support, love to you all.
-John
Hi family, friends, and interested folks! In just a couple of weeks, I am participating in Nola to Angola, an annual three-day, 170-mile bicycle ride fundraiser to help keep families connected in spite of incarceration. This is my second year participating in NtA, and I'm excited to be on this year’s ride!
Here's how it works: ~70 of us ride from Orleans Parish Prison in New Orleans to Angola, the Louisiana State Penitentiary. The funds we raise support the Cornerstone Builders Bus Project, which provides free transportation for families to visit their incarcerated loved ones. Cornerstone buses leave monthly from New Orleans and quarterly from Shreveport and travel to seven different prisons throughout Louisiana (Angola, Rayburn, Dixon, Allen, Hunt, Raymond Laborde, and the Transitional Center for Women).
Studies have shown that family visitation helps maintain family connections, which play a critical role in facilitating incarcerated individuals’ re-entry into society. Family visitation is also simply humane. Sadly, there are many invisible barriers between the incarcerated and their families, not the least of which is money for phone calls, letters and emails, and in-person visits.
For me, something that makes Nola to Angola especially unique and powerful is the direct and immense positive effect that Cornerstone makes with the donations and support it receives from people like you and me.
For all of the reasons above, I hope you’ll support the Cornerstone bus program by donating to my fundraising ride. No amount is too small or too large—Cornerstone families will greatly appreciate it!
- 1 bus from New Orleans costs $1200
- 1 bus from Shreveport costs $2000
- $25 funds one round-trip ride from New Orleans
- $50 funds both a parent and child from New Orleans
- $75 allows one individual to visit 3x per year
- $100 funds a four-person family from New Orleans
Thanks in advance for your support of this great cause and organization!