I know, I’m like a broken record, but the weather is so flipping beautiful here this week. I rode around running errands this afternoon, in a skirt and tank top and sandals as my shoulders baked in the sun. In November. Man, I love living here! Those hot and humid summer months–which I also enjoy–are worth it for these pleasant fall days. Once the sun went down it was a little cooler, perfect for an evening ride. I headed down to the Bywater for coffee and some reading, and then rode out Chartres to Poland Ave. and back around to the Treme via the St. Claude bike lane. Lots of folks were sitting on porches or outside restaurants and cafes enjoying the weather and the moon. As I approached Press Street, the red railroad lights were flashing, so I slowed up to wait. This spot doesn’t have those arms that go down to keep you from crossing the tracks, but lights and noise seem to keep us from darting in front of the train. I took this picture of my bike in the bike lane, waiting with these cars, and the train moved slowly forward. Another biker rode up and in front of the rest of us, seemingly attempting to find a way through. No such luck–you just have to wait. And then the train stopped. And then it started going back the other way. And I remembered the time, late at night after going to a show, that  S. and I waited in my car as a train rolled back and forth for 45 minutes, never moving enough to let us through. Fortunately that didn’t happen tonight, and I rode over those tracks and back up St. Claude, feeling that joy of a ride with no destination.