Traci's Bicycle Adventure

So let us talk about riding bicycles. They are fun, can get into places that cars can’t, and offer a sweet way to see a city AND get your daily dose of cardio. Now, if any of you are familiar with me and bikes, well we do not seem to mix very well, although I really do love riding. When I lived in Sacramento, after swerving my bike tire into a lite rail track, my bike made me eat the tracks and pavement….and I affectionately dubbed this occasion as “taking a dump on my bike”. The people of Sacramento did NOT get my humor.

Fast forward to today. Zzzp.

I have been fortunate enough for a departed lowernine.org staffer to pass on her awesome green Huffy to me! Today, being my half day at work, seemed like a great day to take my first official bike ride home from work. I had my route carved out through the French Quarter, and was looking forward to the 8 mile pace.

The ride started out fabulous; a brisk breeze whistling through my helmet, easy to navigate flat roads, and little to no traffic, since it was after the lunch rush. There were however, a bunch of ominous black clouds that came up the river and headed my direction, fast. I figured, “Ah, I will make it to the Ferry, get across the river, and will scoot home and miss this storm”.

“Muhahaha” Said the Gods…

As I hit mile 3 on Decatur and slowly coursed through the busy French Quarter, the clouds opened up! Now, let me tell you, when people say it rains hard in N’awlins, they do not mean that solid upstate NY downpour (and even that is heavy rain). They mean monsoon like conditions; raindrops the size of golf balls (okay, maybe I am being dramatic..) and wind whipping the golf balls into a frenzy!! My point is, it rains damn hard when it does here.

So it rained and I got stuck, on a bike, in the rain. I continued through towards the ferry as all the tourists ducked into Café Du Monde. I think one onlooker snapped a picture of me as he and his wife laughed at my soggy shorts…not cool touristy man!!

The ferry gave me a moment to get cover.

Then, I resumed my crusade for home, now on the westbank of the river…my side, where home is.

“About one mile” I thought. I got this.

No I did not got this. Lol.

The rain came down heavier!! It was raining so hard, I couldn’t see, so I got off my bike and walked it through all the murky depths of the street puddles. Anyone walking past me would have thought I had spent the whole morning getting sloshed on Bourbon Street, or smoking a joint, because I was laughing so hard at my second unfortunate bicycle adventure.

I arrived home drenched; my feet felt like someone had replaced my sneakers with water jugs and my clothes were dripping. All the dirt that was caked on my body, from work, was now all washed off.

“At least I did not take a dump on my bike this time” I mused.

Oh bicycles. They are so silly.