Despite Weather...

The weather broke so I was able to put in a few miles this weekend, , Ventured out Friday night, went to Bourbon St and visited with Andy the door man, he said the crowds were good , peaceful and friendly.
I talked to some people from Michigan , Alabama and elsewhere, they were all having a good time.  There are 2 cruise ships docked on the River, one until Monday night. Friday night the crowds were light on Decatur, but on my return Saturday they were a little heavier and on Sunday they were out in full force.
I rode 25 Friday night, 30 Saturday and 25 Sunday, not much but for the dead of winter pretty good. In June I'll double that and then some. Friday night I passed Warren Easton about 8:45pm and on the news I find out there was a gun fight there at 9:00 pm.  they missed me again.   The weather this weekend was fantastic for riding, light winds, overcast, mild temps, none of that 35 degree crap. . Sunday I ran in to Jimmy McGittigan again, Said his sister just passed and to tell everyone from Easton hello. I also ran into Robert Gonzales and Teddy Morrell last week . . They haven't changed much.. their healthy and working.   This months Biking magazine agreed with me , if you take a fall, stay where you are and inventory your wounds before trying to get up ... Don't let someone help you get up until you've assessed your ability to do so. .  Toured Treme a couple of times , picked of some new pictures , a church I haven't investigated,  don't want to know what's behind the door at the Covenhead, a dark purple double . .  I was excited this weekend , they finished and opened the dog park in Lafaniere Park.  Its beautiful ,. really nice walk with about 300 yards of cement on the green grass, a big black wrought iron fence ,  beautiful strong benches and 3 tier water fountains with stainless steel taps that work and a shower head for the dogs to shower.  I know the little dogs can't wait for their owners to make them walk on the 130 degree cement with their tender pads in the summer.  There's a big yard for big dogs and a little yard for little dogs, I passed by today and there were dogs shitting everywhere, cause remember that's what it's all about , a place for your dog to shit other than home.
I can't figure out how the dog lovers over lobbied the Frisbee beer drinkers to take 5 acres of their field.
I also can't figure out what happened to the bike path that was proposed last year then dropped.
I also can't figure out why the walkers and joggers have to drink out of a dirty cement trough with a rusty dribbling tap that may or may not work that day. But hey , lets keep our priorities in line.  City Park did the same thing.  The one feature I did like was the Coyote axcess door to the small dog yard.  Maybe I can get my pet Chubracabra in there. . Chihuahuas everywhere.  Now that said, I'm sure I've pissed off most people I know , but remember I have more compassion for the Nutrias, the Chickens, the Ducks, the Swans,
the Cormorants , the turtles, the Ibis, the Squirrels ,  I'm afraid the feral cats the a crazy lady puts cat food out for every night are growing in numbers and moving into neighborhoods from overcrowding.  As usual their always welcome to shit in my yard, I love the smell and the feel of soft cat shit out my backdoor.
If I could find a Coyote I'd befriend him, why are we persecuting the poor Coyote ,  accused of many things yet not caught, or seen, just some look alike dogs.. I know a red tailed hawk that would snatch a Chihuahua in a heartbeat.  I like the one in Men in Black that talks. .  Like so many things under committee control with Carte Blanche the park will be developed till no blade of grass remains.  Stop pouring cement, we need grass.
Back to bike riding, , my hip is finally healed , ready for the next fall.  I've been touring Treme and Marigny , seeing things I didn't have time to see when I was a young buck in the area. . Or maybe I could''n see it from the cheap wine.  The new Iberville projects are beautiful, well done, well finished, well laid out. . Kudos's
The man living on the Bus Bench on Broad and Canal has been on that bench for at least 3 years.  Today he had his Bud Lights stacked under the bench and he was sound asleep, I have missed him on real cold nights, I think the city picks him up and brings him to a shelter, then back to home bench when it warms up .
I prefer a cardboard box, wine instead of hot beer, and a carton of Winstons.... Every time I think I'm crazy I turn to the TV and there's a group of moron's looking for Big Foot.  What fools, they should spent their time looking for something real like a Chubracabra. 
Next blog we return to the twilight zone, got my script filled.
Gary

Governor Nichols off rampart

cross, shackles, and a grave. behind church.

Hutchinson Memorial Tulane Hospital , on Tulane ave. Not the head figures and the crawfish in the metal grate.

The new Joy Theatre,  now showing movies, just music acts, I saw many a "B" movie there.  35 cents.

Some days have been cold - Bike took this picture.

Beautiful stained glass window at church on  Canal Blvd and Harrison, must see it at night to appreciate it.

saturday on Decateur, not many fans.

Little River band and Percy Sledge,,,, great line up at the Joy..



Ignatius and I waiting for mom under the DH Holmes Clock.



Left side of Door on Tulane University Building , note the figure heads.

Right side of building Figure heads.

Note the Medical signs and the crawfish in between.

New construction in New Orleans on  Banks Street.

Close of of modern engineering on banks st.

this purple house says Covenhead  ,   gee i wonder.

Mansion in Treme off rampart and Gov Nichols.

Old Church in Treme -

top half of old church in Treme

old church in treme

behind the old church is this chain cross with shackles hanging off it.

Old Corner in Treme ....

Got a tourist from Michigan to take this shot of me and my Wife,  the bike usually shoots the pics but to be in it I had to get someone else.

Same BCS headquarters on Decateur is loaded with fans on Sunday.

BSC Fans.. .

Plenty Red and  blue shirts on decateur.

fans everywhere.

Beer and ice trucks trying to keep Bourbon filled

Waiting for the next , no ,no shootings today.  

This man has been living on this bench on canal and broad for at least 3 years.

Occupy Visitation

 Click on the pic to enlarge.

Giant South American Anaconda attacks Metairie.

Left side 2/3 way up the LOCH NESS Monster...

Loch Ness Center Of page.

Bike escaped and took my pic in Big Bird Jersey, right hip pad for still bruised hip.

Occupy people

Occupy headquarters for Economic studies of international monetary affairs.

Can't have an occupy without a Bar B que.

Central steering committee for international exchange rates.

Philosophical arm of occupy threading the needle of Socialism, Communism, Marxism and making the Horseshoe to Machiavelli.

A distinguished leader. .

preparation of meeting of the minds, what to do when it's 30 degrees tomorrow.

Can we bring this half empty Vodka bottle into the Ozanam inn.

tailgaters.





tailgaters

tailgaters



 Archie and Drew preparing for the Game.

Saturday and Sunday weather was perfect , a little windy, but great, did 35 miles Sat and 25 Sunday, Still have a few bruises from two week ago crash but healing up nicely, wore a football pad on my hip in case I fell on it again , afraid it might deter healing.  Something about 210 pounds slapping the cement at 20 miles an hour that's adverse to muscle tissue healing. Visited the Occupy people, thought I'd get a reception or something, after all I have a job, I'm a Veteran, I live in a house in the same city year round, I work to make changes in society through education, how I raised my children, how I vote, and expressing my views in the civic activities I'm involved in.  But nooooooo!.  No red carpet for Gary. . There wasn't even the gumption to ask me for a dime.  I too have aspirations of living in a refrigerator box on Camp St. living on cheap wine and winston cigarettes, but I have to wait till I retire to partake in the  vigily high , continually downtrodden and eternally pathetic lifestyle. My son promises to drop off wine and cigarettes when I text him from the box. Karl Marx had some great ideals but that was at a time when tierney and monarchy reined the populace.  So I say hand out Visa's to Somalia, or Haiti, or Uganda., throw up your little tent city and enjoy life to the fullest.
I'll stay here in Metairie, in the AC and the Heat with running water, toilets, basins, beds and a big ass tv. ha.    Beware of the Giant South American Anaconda roaming West napoleon. . I think he could eat a car if he wanted to.  The quarter was quiet this weekend.  Don't know why .
Next trip I try to capture a live Chubracabra...... stay tuned. . .
gary

The Wounded Rider .

Here I sit, inventorying the damage, listening to Neil Young, periodically dropping a pain pill, a Valium or a antibiotic, thinking about the 50's when they'd dunk a guy like me onto a vat of Mercury for it's healing powers. It's not the bruises, I know their short lived, the cuts turn in to battle scars, the ribs will stop pulling when I breathe. The most painful aspect is impact with cement, unforgiving, brutal, solid, cutting, how can an element that serves mankind in so many good capacities be so brutal to its' makers? I've yet to hit a sidewalk or street that's had any mercy on me, no softening, no breaking , no absorbing, just oooooof! , out with your lungs ,the solid hit on your bones , muscles, appendages, you raise your head and first wonder what the hell happened then realize it don't matter now, take inventory of bones ,  stop blood flow,
don't have to worry about picking up your bike, someone will stop and do that for you.
Stand up , stretch out, check systems for operation , humble yourself, acknowledge that maybe your  not invincible, check your bike ,will it take you home? can you take you home? or do you make that pitiful call, "come and get me "please", a fate worse than the crash.
Gravel, dirt, road debris, cover your wounds like a bad bandage. I ask the lifesavers if they caught the incident on video, they never do, such an event should be recorded for study, to enable reliving  the pain of impact over and over and over and over. I knew I was due,  my bad Karma had risen to unspeakable levels. I'd like to have said I fell so hard it knocked my shoes off ,but since they were still strapped to the pedals, facing different directions,  that didn't happen. Just like a Tarzan movie all the animals stop making animal noises, the dogs, cats, rats, birds, nutrias, chubracabras, coyotes, all are silent for they know the flubby giant has slapped the earth. They pause without attempting to pick up the bike.  Ok, so no bones are broken , the bleeding stopped, you've cleaned out the debris from your wounds, some of your humility has returned, only cause you did it all yourself,  check out the bike,wheels are round, handles still up, seat still on, brakes work , time to go .    In a documentary about snake handlers,  one was bitten 17 times by poisonous snakes and continues to this day . One bitten 7 times did die. These men are obsessed with their hobbies. The obsessive bicyclist is the same possessed soul.  The obsession commands you to fit it's needs, no fear of pain, injury, or even death.  Obsession and compulsion harbor in your Psyche, shift your gears, drive you like a  diesel truck, they have no mercy, conscious, or feelings , they delicately balance you on a tightrope , one side sanity, one side hell. It drives you to hell at it's  notion.
I can only take the ride so I do . There's no ridding this demon, you can't remove it because it's you.  A parasite created by your own emotions and fed well by your fears and anxieties.
It's appetite is never satisfied , wants more and more and more, unrelenting it insanely controls your perception of reality , so once again , beware, what you see may not be what you saw, what you hear may not be what you heard,and what you think may not be what you thought. .
 I close with Caruso doing Vesti la Gubba...
gary
 .

Vacation Rides......

First I'd like to congratulate my friend Frank for winning gold in the Louisiana Senior Olympics in cycling.   Franks older than me and in better shape than most 19 year olds.  If you think working out 7 days a weeks will par you with Frank , think again, it would take more.
Frank also achieved another goal but I can't tell you about it,  it's military related and not for the public. . .

Another friend of mine Chad wrote an article for Louisiana Sportsman, about their Duck Hunting trips , the prologue was excellent , way to go Chad.  their posse is my son Neil, Chad, Charlie, Nat, the Coach,Hal, Chads father in law, Chads son Dylan, and Truman Gandy.

On vacation this week,  Rode last Sat and Sun, Mon, Wed, Thur, today ( Sat ) . Marie and I spent Friday on the Natchez and in the quarter, ate supper there, strolled around,  watched for potential murderers, kept our distance and had an escape route always.   The weather was great, the river ride was great, the atmosphere was great , had a good time.  Thursday did a 50 mile ride, same route as usual for 50, River  Levee, Audubon, quarter, city park , lakefront, Bonabel  boat launch, W Napoleon to Lafaniere , finish miles there then home.. Today my goal was the same do 50 and take off tomorrow for rest and relaxation. 
I figured out how they moved McDonough 11 , they put the rails through the bottom floor, removed the bottom floor and dropped the school on the rails. No lifting. No bottom floor .
The school is now 2 story not 3 unless they rebuild the bottom floor.
 St Marys Church is next to the Ursuline Convent ,near St Mary's Gym.,  I sat there waiting for some enlightenment , the door was locked , no Constantine today.
Today's ride was interesting,. I ran into Frank on the Levee, we stopped and chatted, Franks the kinda guy I can talk to about the writings of Candide, Russian History, " The Art Of War",
Joseph Campbell, Hemingway and the quadratic equation.  Today we discussed the laws of balance, not Bernoulli, not Newton, how important control of your front wheel is to balance. When you lose control of your front wheel your going down.  If you fly in an airplane there;s a calculated risk, if you drive a car there's a calculated risk you'll get In an accident, if you ride a bike your going down sooner or later and in my case regularly. In the words of Bob Roll, ( Tour de France Rider)  "Crosswinds and Scar Tissue".  I was making the turn from the WWII Museum on to Camp St. the very most tip of my left handle grip touched a triangle 5 ft tall Men at Work sign, down I went , oooof! was my last words.  Opened my right forearm, got a hip pointer, and bruised some ribs, several people rushed to my aid,, I wanted to sit there and take inventory of my bones, they wanted to help me up, and one seemed to feel that putting my bike upright was related to my well being.  I thanked them profusely , dusted myself off, cleaned up my arm and went on my way. Continued on my way to the quarter, headed up Canal st to take Bayou St John to City Park, there's a path on Jefferson Davis Pkwy, I take it regularly, to keep cars off, a cement block is at each street crossing, plenty room on each side to go around it, when I got to Orleans Ave. I was watching the traffic as I approached the street.  At a good clip I hit the bumper, cavitated , left foot trapped in  the pedal strap, entangled in the bike, struggled to get out of it, reopened left forearm, damaged left thigh, rehurt right hip, bruised more ribs, skinned knee,  damaged bike, and had to ride 10 miles to get home. Again 4 people stopped to help me, it must have been and exciting crash, I asked if anyone had it on film, no-one. The nice people that stopped offered all they could, and one person felt again that uprighting my bike was paramount to my recovery, I thanked them profusely. I sat there a few minutes , took inventory of bones , no breaks,  just blood all over. I decided the ride was over and headed home ,  managed 35 miles, thigh hurt all the way home.  As time went on legs tightened up, the pain level increased and I forgo a Valium for a Vicodin, a hot bath and an hour later with heat pads stuck everywhere , bikes in the shop ,  about time for my next Vicodin,  and I'll be hobbling to church tomorrow.  It's been a while since I went down this hard, but  it's part of the  deal,  I'm thankful no bones were broken , thats 5 weeks in a cast, by Monday night I'll be on my spare bike tempting fate, maybe next time it'll  be in the grass and not on cement. . . Ask me why I wear a helmet.
This is a sobering blog, not very inventive or twilight zoney, reality was bad enough...
gary

St Mary's Church at Ursurline Convent. Didn't help .

Window front on Decateur

After the 2nd fall.

Don't forget the knee.

Notice my struggling marks in the dirt.

SJ Peters. . . What an education .

McDonough #11 without bottom floor.

Blew this open twice...

Take a good look at this picture.

Skyline at dusk from in the river

St Louis Catheral from in the River.