weather

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Humidity. So. Much. Humidity.

I am still acclimating. It is really getting hot out there, but more than that, it’s the humidity. The air is so thick. It is so heavy. I swear, it’s like swimming out there. I was running a little bit late on my way to work this morning so I had to pedal hard. Before I even made it a few blocks I was dripping with sweat. Just dripping. I swear, if you’re wearing cotton, wear a size smaller because it gets wet and just hangs. Continue reading →

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Chico’s Parking Lot at Magazine and Joseph

So when I first moved to New Orleans, the only grocery store I knew about was the Winn-Dixie on Tchoupitoulas, the regular grocery of my department chair/tour guide. I went there upon arrival to get a few things to make a first dinner in this city I hadn’t even visited before rolling up in the Hyundai Accent a few days before. There were no fresh tomatoes at the Winn Dixie. In August.*   Continue reading →

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Fenced-Off Parking Lot at the New Orleans Mission

It was another hot and muggy early summer day in New Orleans, so I was a bit of a mess by the time I got to campus for class this morning. I dropped off some paperwork with an administrator who told me she wants to ride her bike, but she just can’t stand feeling like, you know–(insert gesture at me)–that. Fair enough, fair enough. But I actually love that warm-all-over feeling you get after a brisk short ride in our thick, sweaty air. Fortunately, I am able to ride, and she doesn’t have to. Continue reading →

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Blue Skies Over Bayou St. John

I have been riding the Surly almost exclusively lately, but this afternoon I hopped on the road bike I got from S. and headed out to meet D. for lunch. Man, road bikes are entirely different creatures, aren’t they? Seriously speedy, crazy-quick handling–it was fun. But this evening found me riding over to the Jeff Davis overpass for a photo shoot with D. from the New Orleans Bike Book, and I needed to take the Surly for this one. Continue reading →

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Blue Sky Over the Fountain at City Park’s Big Lake

I had one of those days today, the kind where you set out on your bicycle with no real plan and find yourself stumbling across the most lovely things in fantastic weather with a spectacular blue sky overhead. Oh, it was divine! After a quick stop to make some copies at work, I rode over to City Park to register for tomorrow’s Tour de Lis and find out about getting a spot to hand out membership applications for the Metro Bicycle Coalition (regular readers: please consider joining to support safe cycling in the Crescent City!). By the time I got over there I was seriously soggy from the heat, so I ducked into the New Orleans Museum of Art for air conditioning and Continue reading →

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Tiny Cornfield at Upperline and North Prieur

Oh, it’s getting hot out there, people! Unlike lots of folks, I’m excited to get some real heat on. I love summertime, when everyone’s salty, clothes clinging like wet rags, sulking through the thick air. I took the Surly to work and had to be inside for much of the day, but I took the long way home. I rode around Broadmoor, humming this ridiculously catchy tune and enjoying the sunlight. Continue reading →

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Fences and Facades at Baronne and Jackson

It has been so stormy lately, and my legs have been feeling it. It’s completely flat here, so that means I’m used to spinning easily in a high gear (or a low gear–I wonder how long I’ll be riding a bike before I figure out which is which…and whether I’m nearsighted or farsighted). It also means I’m sore after a few days of pedaling into strong headwinds. But tonight it was just perfect out there. Perfect. Continue reading →

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Waiting Out a Rainstorm on Royal and Governor Nicholls

It was another stormy day in New Orleans, but I really, really, really needed to ride my bike. That meant breaking one of my unofficial biking rules that I learned from my dad: never start a ride in the rain. No such choice today, so I put on my quick-dry skirt and raincoat, tied a plastic bag on the fancy leather saddle, rolled up my waterproof pannier (thank you, Ortlieb!,) and headed down to the Quarter to meet S. for dinner before joining other friends for Treme in the Treme. Continue reading →

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French Quarter Skyline from Barracks and Burgundy

Oh, it was another beautiful day in New Orleans! So why was I so grumpy? It was the last day of my introductory course up at school, and even though I love school’s-out-for-summer as much as the next one, I get a little sad to see each group go. After a nice lunch and a ride home for some pleasure reading, I headed back out on the bike to meet J. at the gym. Continue reading →

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Cat’s Claw On a Blighted House at St. Andrew and Simon Bolivar

Oh, spring has more than sprung in New Orleans, and the days are just plain beautiful. Today was a bit windy when I hopped on the Surly and headed down to the gym–I had a little scare when I thought a gust might push me into traffic–but other than that, the day was sweet. As S. said to me a couple days ago, it’s like one day the city just exploded. Continue reading →