Petit-Paris 😔

[Petit Paris Cycling]

For many years, the primary cycling group in Lafayette—Cajun Cyclists—hosted Saturday rides from Pack & Paddle. These rides once drew large crowds and often split into multiple groups based on pace. Carl began riding with them in the early 1990s. When I started cycling in the spring of 2014, I joined the Petit-Paris group, where my friend Lynn Barnidge rode. She mentioned they had a B group, though I wasn’t sure I could even keep up with that. I still remember how hard I was breathing just to maintain 18 mph.

It doesn’t take long to build stamina with regular riding, and before long, I found myself riding with the A group. Petit-Paris was a fantastic group of welcoming cyclists. Several married couples rode with us, and the group often socialized, sometimes going out for lunch together after a ride. While we certainly had our sprint and race moments, we always regrouped at appropriate times.

Eventually, Pack & Paddle phased out its cycling component. The Cajun Cycists group dwindled, relocated across Pinhook, and later settled at Café 20.3, rebranding as Acadiana Cyclists. Around that time, Carl and others gradually transitioned to the Petit-Paris group, and as the Cajun Cyclists race team wound down, the two groups seemed to merge. Simultaneously, many of the Petit-Paris members moved away. I miss you all!

In the past couple of years, the group has changed. It’s evolved into something different from the Petit-Paris I knew—leaning more toward a race-oriented culture, driven by Strava and the pursuit of KOMs. I made several attempts to start a dedicated B group, but we always seemed to get absorbed by the A group, leaving some of us scattered across the roads in ones and twos. As those efforts didn’t gain traction, other smaller groups splintered off, leaving too few riders to sustain a proper B group.

Since there’s no longer a distinct Petit-Paris group, I’ve asked Lucas—the longest-standing regular Saturday rider—to take over posting any rides they’d like to organize on the GroupMe they started some time ago. I still hold out hope for the re-creation of a social Petit-Paris-style group and encourage anyone interested to post here when planning a casual ride. With any luck, others will join in.

On a side note, I realize the Petit-Paris group I joined in 2014 wasn’t the original, and it may have looked quite different in earlier years. I’d love to hear from someone who can share more about its early history.

Keep on Pedaling,

Laura

[Mike Purpera]

Well said Laura.  

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[Mike Purpera]

Could you please share the group me link. 

On Sat, May 31, 2025 at 9:32 PM Petit Paris Cycling <petit-par...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

[small...@gmail.com]

Laura: thank you for all the work you did in advertising the rides. I enjoyed riding when I could and certainly enjoyed meeting you. You can always count on me when you need a marathon pace bike :).

Ken

On Jun 1, 2025, at 6:53 AM, Mike Purpera <mikep...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[John Pomier]

That was very informative and very true to Our story. We had attempted to ride with the B group on several occasions and got dropped on routes we were unfamiliar with. Once you loose the group and draft you are out there struggling physically and mentally to get back to your vehicle with little to no draft. The “B” group never felt like a true B group. It was more an A- group and everything depended on “Who Showed Up”. 

I think back to when I first got started and we rode with Carl and Leah Savoie. That was a great B group. No one got left behind thanks to Carl and his genuine concern about the riders who rode with him!

You will never build a large B Group of riders until you can CONTROL THE PACE.

You need a leader in that B group that is strong enough physically to catch up with the assholes that push the pace beyond what is expected and the tenacity to send the racers on their way. You all know who the Assholes are…

I would love to be in a good B pace group. I enjoy riding when I’m not out there with my hair on fire and my heart trying to leave my chest. And trust me, there are many out there like me.

I do want to say I appreciate you Laura and always enjoyed riding with You and Carl.

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 1, 2025, at 6:53 AM, Mike Purpera <mikep...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Dennis Vallejo]

I couldn’t agree more with this post. Please keep me updated with B rides. Rides should be fun, I’m not racing professionally. I miss the Petit community, still have my orange jersey.

Sincerely, 

Dennis A. Vallejo

Financial Advisor/Insurance Advisor 

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Insurance Advisors, LLC
1525 Camellia Blvd
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Phone:  (337) 988-9059    
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[Laura Menard]

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts. I will certainly post when we can organize another B group. And Ken, I'll let you know when it's marathon time. I appreciate that!

[guid...@gmail.com]

Thanks for all you have done for the group Laura. I started riding with PP around 2007 and road with Pack and paddle back in the day. I started a group that became the Clock Nazis (after I moved away). 

Its the same with all groups, those who are dedicated and show up every week get stronger. I have never been able to be consistent like that. If I had the legs, I would ride faster, no doubt. Nothing against the A group. 

But like Laura, I do miss the B gang and the after ride burger or coffee. 

I know there are some other B groups out there but the beauty of PP was the rotating schedule. Currently, seems the B groups are riding north Lafayette every week. 

I would love to see a B group with a 4-5 week rotation to include the south side. 

Just my thoughts 

-Gary Guidry

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 1, 2025, at 7:21 PM, Laura Menard <la...@threemenards.com> wrote:



Thank you all for sharing your thoughts. I will certainly post when we can organize another B group. And Ken, I'll let you know when it's marathon time. I appreciate that!

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[Tim Ingram]

Hey yall. 

I’m not sure what has happened to cause this but let me say that Carl, Coco, Phil and I have been riding together since 1999!  Our rides from Pont de Mouton were always fun and sometimes challenging. But we all stayed together….except for that one time Zeb got dropped. We couldn’t find him but we all went looking for him when we got back to the start. 

There are a lot of riders in Lafayette. Some are triathletes. Others just like to ride. Others don’t know there is a community of riders. And others know and are scared to ride with others because they don’t want to get dropped and not know where there are. 

In order for us, riders, to be seen and heard, in some instances, we need to stick together and let the community know that we are here and present. One rider here and an other rider there; we are not seen as a group. We have no foundation! We are kinda at a crossroads. We all see the emails, texts and correspondences. 

I absolutely love cycling! I’m a big advocate! In order to have a true community, we all have to come together. Even if our goals are not in alignment with each other, we have to stand by and ride by each other for support. 

I have surfed in and out of the group for decades for one reason or another but my love for cycling remains. And with that, safety is my utmost importance for all! I, for one, don’t want to see a division of cyclists for whatever the reason! Yes there are many personalities that may cause friction, but the bottom line is we all love to ride and be safe. 

For what it’s worth, if I see you riding on the road, I’m going to say Hi to you! If you are at the side of the rode with a flat, I’m going to stop and help you. We use to watch out for each other, not run over them or not see them. 

I think we need to set aside some time to all be together, riding together, learning from each other, and just enjoying being on a bike. Because we are all Cajun Cyclists!

Just my 2 cents worth. 

Tim

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 2, 2025, at 18:20, guid...@gmail.com wrote:

Thanks for all you have done for the group Laura. I started riding with PP around 2007 and road with Pack and paddle back in the day. I started a group that became the Clock Nazis (after I moved away). 

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/petit-paris-cycling/2E9BF827-75CE-4CCC-93C9-5722120BF696%40gmail.com.

[John Pomier]

Well said Tim

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 2, 2025, at 9:44 PM, Tim Ingram <cycle...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hey yall. 

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[Brennan Prejean]

Thank you Laura for all you do!  I miss those days!