Well, I am back to the blog following a Mardi Gras break. I was on my bike all weekend, but out late, tired, and often a touch too intoxicated to blog. I lost a tooth to some parade beads and took a nasty fall on Decatur Street that left me with a concussion, but all in all, it was a fantastic time. If you haven’t done Mardi Gras in New Orleans, you are missing out. Bring your bike–it made the whole event much more fun to navigate, plus it’s fun to decorate both bike and rider. I spent Mardi Gras day tooling around in a prom dress. Now that’s a fun way to ride a bike.
Month: February 2009
Post-Druid Parade Clean Up at Magazine and Bellecastle
So, the parades have started again. There was just one tonight–Ancient Druids–and they were following a new Uptown route, starting up at Jefferson and Magazine. I decided to hop on Rhoda and head up there to see the start. the weather report was bad today, predicting rain and hail, so the NOPD moved the parade start time up to 5:45 from 6:30. That meant the parade went off around, well, 6:30. Continue reading
The Mississippi River at the Fly on My New Bike
I didn’t have to be at work until noon today, so I took the opportunity to go for a ride on the new bike, tentatively named Jack. She’s a Surly Long Haul Trucker, a green steel beauty, a touring bike. I’ve been riding a big pink cruiser for the past year, so this is a huge upgrade in speed. I’ve already realized that there’s a lot more to riding this bike than Rhoda. There are gears to shift, hand grips to rotate, brakes to feather. It is so, so fun. Continue reading
Bunny Roadkill at Loyola
So there I was on my bike, zipping along on my commute, rediscovering old favorites on my ipod. And then I had to swerve to miss running over a dead bunny rabbit on St. Charles in front of Loyola U. Now, this is a city. What the heck is a bunny doing trying to cross the street here? Continue reading
Crowds At St. Charles and Sixth
I start this blog with some sad news. I’ve lost my camera. I last had it at a party on Saturday, and then it vanished. I don’t have money to buy a new one at the moment–all my dimes have gone into my new bicycle–so I guess it’ll be cell phone pictures for awhile. Boo! Continue reading
Marching Band in Oshun at Napolean and Prytania
The marching bands are lined up and the floats are assembled and my bike basket is full of beer and my hands are ready to catch beads. It’s Mardi Gras time! Continue reading
De La Salle Marching Band Practice at St. Charles and Cadiz
I was zipping down St. Charles Avenue after classes this afternoon when I heard that sound, that sound of Mardi Gras. The bands are out practicing, because it’s Carnival time! Today it was the De La Salle marching band including pom girls and the flag corps. Continue reading
Krewe of Thoth on St. Charles
Yesterday was full of rain, but today? Today was perfect. The weather was crazy sunny and warm and humid. I turned up some music and sped up St. Charles on my way to work. It felt so good, my dress and sweater blowing in the breeze. Continue reading
Mardi Gras/Saints Minivan on St. Charles
It was a beautiful day in New Orleans today, and I rode home from work with Bruce Springsteen’s Tenth Avenue Freeze Out in my ears and the air whizzing around me. These are the kinds of rides that make me thrilled to be alive, and to get to ride a bike. Continue reading
Krewe du Vieux’s Stimulus Package
Tonight was the first parade of Carnival, and I could not be more excited. I remember last year’s Krewe du Vieux–it was really cold, I was too shy to scream for beads, and I didn’t really get what was supposed to be fun. And parking was a nightmare. Continue reading
What I Saw Riding My Bike Around Today 