Tuesday Bike Blogging

Last Tuesday, I rode my bike home along the Mississippi River levee. It's about two and a half times as long as the direct route home, and begins by going the opposite direction of home, but it's a pleasant ride. The route goes through the older part and out the front of campus, across St Charles, through Audubon Park to the River, and along the river for a bit. Then I come to this intersection:


I've seen this corner referred to as the Riverbend. Riverbend can also refer to a neighborhood, though. I think of the difference as being that this corner is at the riverbend, whereas some point in the neighborhood is in the riverbend. The large intersection in the background of the photo is Carrollton Ave (running away from me), and St Charles Ave. The small street in the foreground is Leake, which runs along that part of the river levee. Take a look at Google's map of the intersection if you want to orient yourself.

The closest building on the right is Cooter Brown's, a bar that I've mentioned before. Across the street from that tree in the foreground, and just to the left of view of the photo, is a building with a large hand-painted sign that says "Daiquiris." It is a drive-thru daiquiri bar. You can also walk in. Nora and I have never patronized one, but they are all over town, and are a bit of a New Orleans establishment. I still don't fully understand the concept. New Orleans has some odd liquor laws.

This is the view downriver along the levee. You can see Leake running along the base of the levee. Those railroad tracks are in use for freight. The path along the top of the levee is used for recreation by bicyclists, joggers, walkers, and people on horseback or with dogs. People also play with their dogs in the grass.


There is a path that runs from Leake up the levee, and down the other side into the river. The river itself is fenced off, but I've seen people hop the fence on several occasions. The industrial facilities are on the other side of the river, in Jefferson Parish. There are often boats slowly plodding up or down the river. We can hear their horns from our house at night when it's quiet enough.


The last leg of my ride home is just under a mile along Carrollton, away from the river.