Houses on Delachaise between Magazine and Camp

Uptown and the Garden District are probably the two ritziest neighborhoods in Orleans Parish. When biking around, you can absolutely tell when you’ve crossed from Uptown in to Central City. There aren’t nearly as many trees, whole blocks are blighted, some streets feel empty. And the Garden District? Hell, Sandra Bullock lives here!

New Orleans Bike Polo at Canal and Villere

After getting a little bit lost on my bike yesterday, and riding around for more hours than I’d planned, I have to admit I was dragging a little when I got up early to bike out to Gentilly to meet the Nolacycle folks for the Bike Bash mapping ride. But oh, I’m glad I did.

Concrete Foundations at Louisa and Law

It was cool and stormy today, but it’s Bike Bash 2009, so I headed out to take in some events. I was all set to volunteer at RUBARB’s Bike Rodeo for kids, but they had too many volunteers and not enough work to do. That’s a really, really good problem to have, it seems to me.

Goldsprints at Handsome Willy’s on N. Robertson

Tonight was the opening-night party for Bike Bash, a weekend celebrating bikes and bike culture in New Orleans, sponsored by Metro Bicycle Coalition, Plan B, and RUBARB. I was excited to ride my bike to a place where lots of other folks were riding their bikes.

New Orleans Recreation Department Tennis Center at Loyola and Marengo

I rode home from work shivering in the slightly chilly weather (I need a cold weather haberdasher–I’m terrible at dressing myself once it drops below 70!) along Loyola through Central City. The asphalt is really, really nice in that neighborhood, but it doesn’t exactly look like a neighborhood that would have newly paved roads.

Unity Temple on St. Charles at Peniston

That’s right, it’s kind of cool in New Orleans today. You’d think it was icy outside, given the winter get ups I saw out there today. I liked biking home in the crisp air and sunshine, though. I stopped to take a picture of the Unity Temple on St. Charles and Peniston.

Basketball Backboard at Baronne and Washington

I had a lovely day today, back at work, feeling so, so much better. After biking to and from work in the sunshine, the clouds were rolling in and the air was getting thick. It was spitting just a tiny bit when I hopped on the bike to meet friends for dinner, and by the time I was tucked in to the booth, the sky had opened up and poured. D. even reported hail!

Mardi Gras Indians at the Congo Square Rhythms Festival

I feel so, so much better today, so I was eager to get out on the bike for a play ride after cleaning the house and watching the Saints win. Again. Though this time it seemed unnecessarily close–c’mon, guys, we were playing the Rams! Anyway, I rode down to Louis Armstrong Park to catch some of the Congo Square Rhythms Festival, where I snapped this picture of three Mardi Gras Indian tribes doing their thing.

The Set at Southern Repertory Theater

The worst part of being sick is not feeling well enough to ride your bike. Well, that’s the worst thing for me. I’ve been a bit under the weather for awhile now, but this weekend I have really just been feeling rotten. I’ll ride a bike with a cold, but it’s frustrating to not be able to breathe right, and to have each breath remind you that your throat hurts.

Freret St. Po Boy and Doughnuts at Freret and Valence

I rode my bike up to campus today for a couple of meetings, and I’m glad I did, so I could ride back home along Freret. At D.’s suggestion, I stopped here, at Freret St. Po Boys and Donuts and picked up not one, but two glazed donuts. The man behind the counter declared it good weather for a glazed donut, and I had to agree with him. They were so soft. And chewy.