I got up early again this morning and headed out for Day Two of bicycle safety class. Nobody was on the roads this morning and it wasn’t hot yet and it felt simply divine to be out pedaling. We took our written test (29 out of 30–holla!) and then set up to go on a group ride. We pedaled along, each signaling in turn, politely waving at piles of gravel and potholes to let each other know about road hazards in advance. My favorite was when we would come to a stop. Continue reading
parks
Boxing Statue in Rivertown Section of Kenner
I read today that they are closing the levee bike path for three months (read: six months) while making repairs to the Huey P. Long bridge. Oh no! I’m sure (sort of) that there will be some kind of detour, and I don’t actually ride the levee that often, but still. So I decided to spend my free afternoon after my lunch date with E. riding as far as I could on the thing. Oh, it was a beautiful day, ridiculously so. Continue reading
Spanish Moss in Audubon Park
I had a long day at work today, but it was a good one–one of those days where your students are smart and charming and inquisitive and you find real pleasure in your work. I was tired by the end of the day, but the weather and the light was simply too much to just head straight home. I went to Audubon Park to see what everybody else was doing. I did two laps and passed–and got passed–by a whole bunch of folks on bikes. There were runners, walkers, and a couple of speedwalkers, lots of dogs, a rollerblader or two, and some golfers. There were ducks and geese and squirrels and several white ibis, pecking away at the grass. I took this picture on my second go-around. The spanish moss just drips off this oak tree. It’s like being right on the underside of a cloud. Another lovely October day in New Orleans.
Trees on Zachary Taylor Near Pan-American Stadium in City Park
Today didn’t go as planned, and it took me a lot longer to get out on my bicycle for a ride than I’d wanted, but that’s how things go sometimes. I put on my new prescription sunglasses–I can already see why they designed those wrap-around shades–and headed out to see the lake. I headed out Jeff Davis on my way to City Park and picked up the Bike Route signs at Bayou St. John. There are a lot of new bike/walk paths in New Orleans, but I am terrible with maps, and as soon as it’s folded up, I’ve forgotten everything anyway. Continue reading
Our Recovery in Progress Sign at Evans Playground at LaSalle and Valmont
It’s the first day of school–one of my very favorite days of the year. I got up early, polished my apple, and hopped on the Surly to meet this season’s new recruits. Three classes and a burrito later and I was back on the bike heading downtown for a stop at the gym, which today was just an excuse to lounge in the steam room. Continue reading
Overgrown Weeds and Abandoned Housing at Governor’s Island
I am having a most wonderful vacation in NYC, in spite of having to *gasp* walk. This town is made to bike, and there is a ridiculously fantastic bicycle infrastructure here. Sharrows! Buffered bike lanes! Bicycles, bicycles everywhere. I want to move back here with my bicycles and bike every last one of these lanes. Today, though, I rented a bike and was just happy to get to pedal a bit and let my feet and legs rest. I am in great biking shape. Walking? Not so much. I rode around Governor’s Island, learning some history and dodging a zillion bicyclists and walkers and Civil War reenactors (not Rebs, like they’d be back home, but just as weird). The sun was bright and all was right with the world. I snapped this picture of overgrown weeds in front of some abandoned Coast Guard housing. Right across from here are views of the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan and all kinds of big city views of a fantastical nature, but this is the view that reminded me of home. Oh, I am most pleased to be living here and there, now.
Sailboat on Lake Pontchartrain
A ridiculously hot–RealFeel(tm) 110 degrees!–and sticky summertime Saturday afternoon? Don’t mind if I do! I hopped on the Surly and headed to Mid-City for lovely brunch with A. I meant to go home afterward, get some work done, but I just kept pedaling. I just wanted to see the lake today. I headed up the Wisner bike path, snaking through patches of shade, and then up Lakeshore. Continue reading
Tchefuncte River at Fairview-Riverside State Park
It was supposed to rain all day today, but I headed out of the hotel with high hopes for a reprieve in the afternoon so I could get a quick bike ride in. After some spitting rain while I tooled around the Covington farmer’s market, the sun came out and it was simply a beautiful day. I went to Madisonville for some maritime history and background before taking the bike out for a ride along the Tchefuncte River. Continue reading
Green Along the Tammany Trace Between Abita Springs and Covington
Back in March I was a little tipsy and there was a silent auction and I was in the mood to bid. I ended up with two weekend stays at hotels in Covington, and I’ve got to say, best bidding ever. I tossed the Surly in the back of my car and drove over the bridge to redeem my coupon here at the Residence Inn. I stopped at the Insta-Gator Ranch for a tour–not recommended–and then to the Abita Brew Pub for a beer and some sweet potato fries–highly recommended–to fuel a quick fifteen miles on the lovely Tammany Trace. Continue reading
New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park at Decatur and St. Louis
I have been spending my free time slowly working my way through Ken Burns’s documentary project on our national parks, and I’ve been feeling a ridiculously strong urge to go enjoy our natural heritage. Mostly I’m missing mountains, though. I grew up in mountains and there’s just no substitute. But I’m 638 miles from the Great Smoky Mountain National Park (yes, I’ve been doing a lot of googleymapping, wishing I were rich in time and money), and those don’t really count as mountains anyway–not when you know about the Owyhees, the Rockies, the Sierra Nevadas, the Tetons. Continue reading
What I Saw Riding My Bike Around Today 