French Quarter festival. 10

!st day of the French Quarter Fest. . Rode to the Quarter, it was still early , the streets were still open, They were setting up the stages on Royal and Burbon. The crowds were light, the fat lady that plays the calliope on the River boat was waking up half the city. I bet Tenessee Williams wanted to kick her ass dailey. I stopped on the River and had my nutrigrain bar and some gatorade. Stayed a few mnutes and watched the people go by, I could do that all day.
It's a cross between Walmart and Golden Corral, Women with the ugliest legs on the planet have tatoos on them to draw attention to them. Wear long pants. Everyone had a cup in thier hand either coffee or a mixed drink. Some of the street musicians were set up .. Thier cute but some are good others are lousy. I think when I retire I'll take my guitar, sit on the corner of Royal and St Ann and every once and a while I'll strum a few cords and see how much money I collect in the hat. Not much happening at the Festival this early so I rode city park , crossed the Wisner Bridge of death and made it to the Lakefront, Most of it is torn up for levee construction from there I followed the lake to Lafienere Park and finished my 40 miles. That night 7 people were shot on Royal and Canal. In true gary fashion the next morning I loaded up my gatorade,
nutrigrain bars, 8 gigs of music and headed back, this time the streets were packed. Burbon and Royal were closed off, I stopped on Canal and Royal and leaned on a lamp Post a while to wait for the next gun fight so I could get some action photos. Nothing happened though. Caught a shot of the Luckdog man almost getting plastered by a streetcar, and a closeup of a buggy horse sleeping on the job, I think they fired him. Jackson Square was shoulder to shoulder, I stood in the street and heard all the music, and talked to the mules, they weren't happy. the fools that paint themselves silver and stand on a milk crate beggin for money were all out, what talent.
Went to the River ,deputy dawg wouldn't let me walk my bike in , wanted me to leave it on the rack outside, yea right ,thats gonna happen. I listened to a little music there a while , got bored and headed down magazine to Audubon Park. There was a crowd there as well. Not sure why but they were there. Checked out the sights then hit the River to Williams blvd, the Rivers still high, they may have to open the Spillway again. Took to the neighborhoods to get home, smelling bar b que, Pot Roast, Crawfish, they was cooking all kinds of stuff, I just smelled , rode my bike and traveled on. Did 35 miles today. building up for the Tour De Lis, next month.
Its a fundraiser for Cancer research, Something I know a lot about. Weather was great,
people were great, no shooting today, the mules were talkative. Drunken middle aged women who can't dance were dancing in the street, uncle drunk and aunt fatty were everywhere.
Young black boys tap dancing with bottle caps stuck in their tennis shoes were making a fortune from tourist who actually think thats whats New Orleans is famous for cause they saw it in a Steve McQueen Movie. I love the quarter, worked there as a teenager adult, but what its really about is not what its about, ask Hemmingway.

click on the pic to enlarge.

Crescent City Classic 2010

Great Classic this year, Stacy and I finished right behind the Kenyans, the ones from Luling. Cloudy, perfect temperatures, over 30,000 people I counted, I wore my best plaid shorts ,

a European Cycling cap, and my MS Bike Tour T-shirt, no cigarettes anymore. We started 10 minutes and 15 seconds behind the start of the race or it took us that long to get to the starting line. A sea of questionably intelligent people flowed down Decatur Street toward Canal st.

We passed hundreds and hundreds passed us, but down the road we caught them all.

The usual gangs were there, the Tuxedo Boys, The Chain Gang, The make believe Marines,

The Tri Colored Wig Nuts, hundreds in Saints uniforms, and don't forget those young studs without their shirts hoping next year they have chest hair. Three were two runners wearing those feet covers like your barefooted , they were limping and whining at the end of the race..

Back to Stacy and I, we kicked ass, didn't slow down , no whining , fought our way through the road blockers, and beat last years time by 8 minutes. Since we came in early there were bananas left over, soft drinks, chips, and shirts in our size, the Top Cats were getting ready to play just as we arrived at the finish line. The crowd in the Park was tremendous, very exciting

place to be. The distance (6.2 miles or 10kilometers,) does not include the 3 miles to Marconi and

City Park Ave to meet Marie for our ride. Those poor unfortunate people who parked on the Marconi neutral ground all got parking tickets, you'd think that for one day for one event they have mercy, but when it comes to money there is no mercy only money. I gained a new respect for women, there were girls with blisters on their heels that made me want to call 911 , scabs hanging off, bleeding, raw meat showing, ugh !. What makes a fat ass 60 year old man sit in a lawn chair on the side walk, drinking a Michelob, smoking a cigar , banging a tambourine and encouraging you to keep pushing. Why Why Why,,,,,,,, Don't forget the nut in the park that tells all 30,000 runners exactly how far the finish line is away, individually he tell you this like he' your life coach. I don't know if I'll do too many more , I saw so many fat asses that I think walking give you a fat ass. I did a little running toward the finish line for old times sake,

nobody cheered though , I guess they never heard of me or maybe they did and didn't recognize me with a cap on. Stacy and I discussed my favorite subject "me". It was interesting.

Well it's back to bike riding, May 8 th is the Tour De Lis, in City Park, it's a circle ride as much as you want . I may ride there,then ride it,then ride home. It was a great day, enjoyed the time with my daughter, we had a good time, while waiting for Marie a car stopped and opened the door to pick up some walkers, I grabbed a door motioned like I was going to get in the car and called to Stacy "hey lets go with these people", they thought it was funny. Marie picked us up just as the rain started to sprinkle down. Came home and hit the Ben and Jerry's, what a treat.

Next year we'll knock off another 8 minutes and maybe beat some Ethiopians from Weggaman.

Later. Click on the pictures to enlarge.

Mixed training

Training for the Classic with my daughter Stacy, rode 10 thursday night , walked 3 last night,
walked 5 this morning and rode 20 this afternoon, Flew a kite with the grandkids, need some fun, wrist and thumb doing good. Gonna be alright. Soon as this Classic is over we're gonna start getting serious about putting miles in. . . Will have plenty pictures too.
I forget if this is my 5th or 6 th MS Tour. Don't matter, it's for Charity and it's fun and it's good for me.. As Bob Roll says Cross Winds and Scar Tissue. I have plenty of both.
later

march 5th.

Great Ride, great weather , sunny and clear. slight breeze, rode the river levee from
Williams Blvd to Audubon Park. People were out everywhere, the Park was full, the zoo was full,
the levee had riders and walkers, and people watching was at it's finest. I found a road through the batture that brought me to a field of blackberry briars , too early yet, but we'll be back.
The River is still a little high but no threat. It's down to the bottom of the levee.
35 miles today , as the weather warms up we'll crank it up ...

Sunday, Weather was great , sunshine, light breeze, moderate temperatures, did 35 Miles,
went to the Quarter and then to the Lake front and back up Metairie Road and West Napoleon.
the Quarter was hopping , plenty people to watch, several bad musicians on Royal Street.
Didn't see the fools that paint themselves, it may have been too sunshiney. The River is still very high but not a threat , just high. Every time I go to the Quarter my closet door full of skeletons get harder to close, those bones start hanging out. Worked there as a teenager ,
passed by Dauphine and St Ann where the "Roach" used to be, went there after work,
down the street was"Cosmos", and don't forget on St Ann and Rampart was "The Flower Pot".
The band at "The Flower Pot" played Hendrix music. I was a Hendrix fan while he was still in England. . This all prepared me to see "Woodstock" at the movie house on Ft Gordon ,Ga.
while at MP School. Too much education for such a young man, I just wanted to be Opie Taylor, but grew up as Lawrence Harvey in "Walk on the Wild Side".
more later,,
gary

Click on the pic to enlarge