Today was another long, 14 hour Monday, so my only ride was my commute to campus for three classes and the last meeting of my wonderful faculty seminar–I will miss my colleagues there, for sure. I will also miss my super-smart seminar students, so today’s last class meeting was bittersweet. I have had great students at Tulane–curious, smart, creative–just a pleasure to learn with, for sure. After that last class I needed to work out the feelings of saying goodbye to the majors (I’m moving on to a new job in Baltimore at the end of the summer), so I headed to Audubon Park for a few spins before my research seminar. Continue reading
Audubon Park
Snapdragons at Audubon Park’s Main Entrance
I had one of those incredibly long days, the kind where you are working from the second you get up in the morning through to the evening and you can literally count the number of minutes where you weren’t doing something for the job. Fortunately, I love my job and working all day, while exhausting, means I get to think about a lot of different things in a lot of different ways. One of my students asked in seminar this afternoon how you tell the difference between the self you perform and the self you “really are.” Oh my. Continue reading
White Herons Building Nests in Audubon Park
As I was riding my bike up to campus today for the first day back from spring break, I kept thinking about the gazillion people who don’t commute by bike. You are really missing out, people. It feels so good to get some energy out and pedal to work first thing in the morning. Continue reading
Egrets and Herons at the Carrollton Water Treatment Plant
Is there any season better than springtime? Seriously, no matter what your climate, spring rocks. We don’t have crocuses here, but we’ve got marching bands and sunshine and the way it smelled today. I rode up to campus and did a quick loop around the park before a couple of quick meetings with students. Continue reading
Barge on the Mississippi From the Fly
When I left home on Friday afternoon for a weekend retreat in beautiful Raymond, Mississippi, it was literally freezing. Imagine my surprise returning to bright sunshine and warm temps–it feels like springtime up in here! I was exhausted from the long weekend, but it was a most excellent exhaustion from time spent with a truly remarkable group of students, faculty, and staff. Continue reading
My Own Breath
You know what I saw while riding my bike around today? My own breath! Yesterday I was sweating through humid rain, but last night the cold came in, catching me walking around the Quarter in a skirt and flip flops. And today it’s just plain cold. I layered up, including gloves and my windproof fleece jacket, and headed out. I forgot my ear warmer thingy. Need the ear warmer thingy. The ride in the cold wind was less than pleasant. Fortunately I ran into my buddy N. at work, and she lent me her hat. That made the ride home infinitely more enjoyable, enough so that I did a lap around the park just to see if folks were braving it in the cold (they weren’t, except for the kids on their high school track teams–no rest for the children). Riding in the cold is easy peasy, if you dress for it.
A Goose at Audubon Park
My legs are tired in that you-need-a-day-off-the-bike way, so today’s ride was an easy breezy commute followed by some low-gear riding around Audubon Park after work. I have been feeling out of sorts for the past few days–it happens–and I wasn’t feeling particularly chipper as I weaved through the rush hour crowds doing laps, and even the casual ride felt forced. Continue reading
Bike Parking on Tulane’s Campus
It was so beautiful out today. It was almost 70 degrees, sunny, blue skies, and I put on a dress and took Rhoda out for a spin after picking her up from the shop. I hadn’t been on a cruiser in months and months, and I’d almost forgotten how playful it feels to ride like that. Summertime. Continue reading
Swan at Audubon Park
Today I put on short sleeves and a skirt and rode the bike up to campus in 70 degree weather. Oh, New Orleans in December, how I love your occasional spring day! After coffee with a student and a quick stop at the office, I pedaled over to Audubon Park for a quick spin around before heading to the grocery. The path was crowded with people enjoying this unseasonably warm day: kids on bikes, a woman trying to go for a run with a puppy, mature dogs talking their humans on walks, a rollerblader, and a guy in a weighted vest jogging. The bike racks were full and golf carts zipped back and forth across the path. It was a regular postcard out there. Continue reading
A Satsuma On a Tree at East Drive & Patton
After yesterday’s 80 degree day, the weather positively turned this morning. Big clouds, thunder, rain, and a good 25 degree drop. It’s a good thing I’ll ride in anything, because my car is in the shop and I have places to be. I did the usual rides–down Prytania for a doctor’s appointment, up St. Charles to the office, but by the time my day was over, I was itching for something else. I rode through the park in daylight to see what the fountains look like not all lit up. The path was surprisingly empty, so I just pedaled against the wind until I hit the zoo, where I did a loop to see if maybe I could see some zoo animal heads poking over the fences. Continue reading
What I Saw Riding My Bike Around Today 