Yep, still cold out, which means today’s ride had to wait as I tried to figure out what sort of layering would keep me warm enough without making me look like a broke-ass Punky Brewster. I was only mildly successful on both counts, but I headed out anyway, first to the Marigny for the New Orleans Book Fair. The place was crawling with all the usual suspects–readers, writers, watchers–and I managed somehow to leave with money in my wallet (though there was one art book I’d have bought, if it had been for sale). Continue reading
Audience at the NOLA Book Fair Opening Event at Sound Cafe
Well, the weather has actually turned this time. It is downright cold all of a sudden. I had to wear leggings and a sweater today! Outrageous. As someone who is riding her bike, this means it’s time to get myself some layers–it only takes a few blocks of pedaling before it’s time to take off the sweater. Ugh. Am I the only one who wishes it could be hot and humid all the time? Anyway, I was still looking forward to a ride down the the Marigny for the opening night event of the New Orleans Book Fair. Continue reading
Train Crossing at the Uptown Levee Bike Path Entrance
I woke up early this morning and spent all day teaching and teaching and teaching and by the time it was done I really needed to just put it in high gear and pedal as hard as I could for twenty miles. So that’s what I did. I headed over to the entrance to the levee bike path behind the zoo, looking forward to just going. But just as I rode up the train gate went down, red lights flashing, and I snapped this picture just as the train was zooming by. I wasn’t in the mood to wait, and neither were the soccer moms–moms bringing their kids to soccer practice. Continue reading
Official Ballot at Austerlitz Street Baptist Church
Hey, hey, it’s election day! My electronical universe was full of people telling me they voted, telling me to remember to vote, telling me that voting is irrational, or pointless, or that it’s all just part of a pageant that makes it seem like we live in a democracy when actually the system is hopelessly broken. Here’s the thing. I believe in democracy. I believe ours is corrupted in lots of ways, for sure. That’s why I’m one civically engaged mofo. Voting is not the beginning and end of democratic ideals or community-building, or figuring out how to live together with people who aren’t like us. That’s a project. This is just voting. Continue reading
Clear Instructions on a Conference Table at Tulane
Some days you just ride your bike to work, teach all day, really hard stuff, hear really hard stories, and try to balance all the feelings that come out on a day like this one. And then you bike across campus to a faculty seminar and stare at the cup in front of you, wishing teaching days like this one came with better instructions, like this tea bag. “Pull tag to release string.” Thank you for just telling me how to do it. These no-answer days are rough. And that’s when you’re grateful that you get to ride your bike home as hard as you can listening to this song and that, because they have beats that feel how it feels when you’re angry and frustrated that things don’t really seem to change all that much. Pedal, pedal, pedal, thank you, bicycle, for being at the beginning and end of every day.
People and a Dog in Costumes on Bourbon Street
It’s Halloween in New Orleans, and the city is all dressed up to go out. I, on the other hand, am just not in the mood. Sometimes I just get all scrooged out and become a total buzzkill, and the best answer for everyone involved is for me to just get on my bike and go for a ride by myself. And that’s what I did today, making a stop at S.’s to try and fix her pinch flat on her new bike. Yeah, that’s the downside to the internal gear business… After many unsuccessful attempts, I threw in the towel and headed out to see what the more spirited types are doing for the holiday. Continue reading
Tents at the Voodoo Experience Music Festival in City Park
We are in the last days of October and here in New Orleans that means it’s time to put a sweatshirt in the saddlebags when heading out in a skirt and tank top to ride under a perfectly blue sky, sun overhead. What a delight! I had a lovely Saturday, reading for pleasure before hitting to road for a very leisurely pedal out to Lake Pontchartrain. And then I remembered it’s music festival weekend in City Park. I don’t quite have the cash to lay out for the show, so I decided to see what I could hear for free just by biking around. Continue reading
Critical Mass Riders at Jackson Square
Here’s the thing. I love riding my bicycle. And I love other people riding their bicycles. And I wish everyone was on a bicycle and cars were the exception. But I’m not that good at riding with others. I want to be, I really do. I mean, those are my people out there, pedaling around! So when S. emailed to see if i wanted to go on a ride, I thought yes, let’s go to Critical Mass. I got this. Continue reading
Sunset Over Hollygrove From Leonidas & Eagle
I spent most of the day working–first from home and then from the office–so I was definitely in the mood for a bit of a ride around town at the end of it, in spite of the heady winds. We don’t have hills here, so windy days feel like my only chance to “hill” train, so I decided to pedal against it for awhile. I headed up Oak Street past Carrollton to check out how the fancy new street is looking. (Good, but it’s way too narrow for parking on both sides, cars each way, and a stray bike or two.) I turned at Eagle and headed toward Hollygrove, stopping to check out the new water treatment plant being storm-proofed at Spruce Street. Continue reading
Crowds at the Take Back the Night Rally at Loyola
Another work day, another morning ride to campus. And it’s the end of October, so of course I arrived three miles later in my tank top and light skirt, drenched in sweat. Fall in New Orleans… I taught a ridiculous number of classes today, so by the end of it all I was happily relieved and decided to work it out with a couple of laps around the park. The lake was positively alive with bird activity–this time, ducks. I think. Why are there all these teenage ducks in the park right now? Aren’t ducklings born in spring? R.? Do you know? I watched them snack and squawk for awhile and then headed to Loyola’s campus to meet up with folks gathered for this year’s Take Back the Night march and rally. Continue reading
What I Saw Riding My Bike Around Today 