General Cycling Discussion - Mike and Rainman go for a ride!

The famous Mike from the Snowy Midwest came to New Orleans yesterday, and I, Rainman, got to go for a ride with him! Saturday evening, the lovely Rainbabe and I picked Mike up at his hotel and took him to a French Quarter restaurant for some excellent fried New Orleans seafood (It's heart-stoppin' good!). After dinner the three of us strolled down to a jazz club called the Funky Butt. Jazz just doesn't get any more genuine than what we heard.

Today was the main event though. Mike and I saddled up a couple of my iron steeds and took a bicycle tour of New Orleans. I will include some details for those of you familiar with the city. First, of course, we had to fuel up with some cafe au lait and beignets at Cafe du Monde. We then rode back up to Canal Street and out St. Charles Avenue, viewing some of the breath-taking mansions along the way. The photo below was taken in front of the fountain at the St. Charles Avenue entrance to Audubon Park. Riding through Audubon Park to the Mississippi River we proceeded a couple of miles out a great bike path that runs 14 miles along the top of the river levee. Getting off the bike path we cut across country, well across city, through some neighborhoods where the houses were not exactly mansions over to Metairie Road out City Park Avenue taking a left on Marconi. We stopped at a fruit stand to pick up a couple of Louisiana Navel oranges for Mike. Taking a spin through City Park, around the New Orleans Museum of Art, through more of the park, back out to Marconi and out to Lakeshore Drive along Lake Pontchartrain. From there we kind of hightailed it back to downtown, basically doing about 7 miles of my afternoon commute in reverse. It was chilly and drizzled off and on the entire ride, but nothing could dampen our enthusiasm.

After our ride a light lunch of an Italian sausage po-boy, a half muffeletta, a bowl of seafood gumbo, and an order of jambalaya at Johnny's Po-boys on St. Louis Street in the French Quarter. Then around the corner to the Crescent City Brewhouse for a pint of an excellent seasonal bock. Then it was time to say good-bye which was pretty tough. Mike is a great and interesting guy. I wish we could have spent more time together.

In the photo, Mike is obviously the good looking young guy on the left. Rainman is the one with the terminal case of helmet hair. You can see I was wearing my BikeForums jersey. We took other pictures where I remembered to take of my vest, but none came out as good. They were a little fuzzy...which may have been a good thing in my case!

Thanks for a great time, Mike!
Regards,
Raymond

Cool!

Lookin good guys! :)

when can i take the tour?!

I didn't recognize Mike without his snow suit and full face parka on.

Raymond, do you feed all your guests that well? If so, you'll be booked for the year solid by the end of the week.

I wonder if Mike was a little scared when you brought him to the Funky Butt. At least a couple seconds of akwardness, just meeting you and all.

Sounds like a fun meeting and ride.

Raymond......... "Ya sure as Hell no how to treat a guy" :)

Heya Rainman !

I'll be in NOLA the thursday after Memorial Day... my second trip to the Crescent City, my wife's first... Do you know of place that rents bikes for a reasonable price near the French Quarter ?? I'd love to get a fun ride in, touring thru the town on a bike... Too bad I won't be able to bring my bike as we are flying in, and then road trippin' down from PA...

Also, where are the best, cheapest places to eat... I've eaten a few places in the quarter, like Patout's on Bourbon, and the Court of Two sister's take-out.. where would you go ?

Sounds like you 2 had a fun ride !!

Jeff

Cool pic!

(I never knew that my daughter's school Principal hung out with Sean Connery! :eek: )

Mike, I like your jacket, I need one like it (I come from a country in which it's considered customary, when someone admires one of your belongings, for you to part with it.)

Raymond, I have simply got to taste some of that delicious
cuisine!!! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM,MMMMM!

:) :) :)

Raymond you're making my mouth water. Yum yum. <drool> <slobber>
Sorry! ;)

Somehow I always pictured both of you differently. :confused:

Raymond, I pictured you as a younger looking person. Maybe it's the beard. :confused:
Mike I thought you'd look like Chris L with a beard. :rolleyes:

Iwas there, and "thought" about riding, but decided it was much nicer in the casino. Wouldn't have won $800 on the bike, so maybe I made the right choice.

sheesh sounds like you guys had a good time Rainman, when you going to play host to the rest of us BF people? ;)

Ya Man! I finally met the famous Rainman of bikeforums.com. It was one of the coolest experiences I have ever enjoyed.

We had been planning the meeting for a couple of months in conjunction with a business conference I had in New Orleans. I met Rainman and Rainbabe on Saturday evening in the lobby of the Marriott Hotel. Let me tell you readers that Mr. and Mrs. Rainman cut a very smart figure standing together.

We went to a local restaurant and ordered a shovel-full of smokin’ red crawdaddies. My etiquette-wise hosts educated me on the traditional art of eating these fresh water cousins to the shrimp. Through a series of pinching and twisting procedures, Mr. and Mrs. were able to deftly reveal the spicy salty meat from within. THEN, they showed me a local secret called “sucking out the green stuff”. The real treat is really not the tail; rather it is the natural rich green paste found inside the main body of the crayfish. The knowing diner puts the open end of the divided shellfish into his mouth and sucks with gusto. In lobster, I believe this is called the “tamale”. Mrs. told me that it is actually the liver. This revelation was somewhat comforting to me, having for years incorrectly thought that it was brain matter.

Then came crabs of all kinds and fried onions and gumbo and jambalaya. Now, let me try to write it as it is said in Louisiana: OK, here goes…”HOOOOOOOOEEEEEEEEEYYY!” Man, was it gooooood.

The dinner conversation and the meal would have been enough for a lifetime’s memory, but we continued on to FUNKY BUTTS jazz club for drinks and jazz. It was funky, BUT really cool. My favorite was the enormous round black drummer who leaned up against the wall and played with his eyes closed. With his heavy chin propped up on his expansive chest, it seemed he was sleeping through the songs. The reality was that he was shivering out a swinging rhythm that really kept the band together and had the audience bought, paid for, and packaged.

While listening to this New Orleans jazz, Rainman and Rainbabe continued to charm me with their fine southern personalities and impress me with their rich knowledge of local history and customs. To be with them was like being with Louisiana’s ambassadors of culture and refinement all presented comfortably in a unique casual style.

Saturday’s bicycle ride with Rainman was a moment to which I have long looked forward. Having known me for several years through bikeforums.com, my perfect host had modified his favorite bicycle to fit my own preferences and size. His Bianchi floated me over the bumpy and ancient streets of New Orleans.

Let me take a moment to comment that our own Rainman is a rather spectacular bicyclist and tour leader. His strong bicycling skills were easy to recognize. You know the kind of cyclist I am talking about – the fellow with such cadence, balance, and smoothness that it is difficult to distinguish where the bicycle ends and the man begins. He melts into traffic like a drop of ice in a fast river. The two become instantly one such that it is mesmerizing to watch.

The over-colorful and very narrow “shotgun” homes of this river city whirred by as Rainman’s narration filled my imagination with the brilliant history of each neighborhood. We rode from the bowed crescent of the mighty Mississippi to the imposing magnitude of the expansive lake Pontchartrain. We threaded our way past Spartan homes built on stilts near the river and we barreled down the boulevards lined with the magnificent homes of the wealthy. Sound clarity afforded by bicycling drew me to the booming and convincing sermon of a southern preacher riveting his congregation to the path of the almighty. Each glorious experience slathered layer upon layer of sweet southern charm to an already unforgettable adventure.

Finally, we ended the day downtown in the subdued electric environment of the historic French Quarters in old downtown New Orleans. Rainman introduced me to Johnny’s PO-Boy sandwich restaurant to which I returned two more times over the next several days. Each day I brought a new friend to stand on the old tile floor of Johnny’s and order our Louisiana soul-food – sometimes selecting the daily special as promoted by the wilting paper card taped to the menu board above the hot iron griddle.

I cannot imagine a more wonderful introduction to the beauty, charm, and sincerity of Louisiana and the culture of New Orleans. My greatest appreciation and thanks goes to Rainman and his delightful wife. The time and energy invested in their hospitality was, to me an enormous compliment.

P.S. photos will be coming and will be posted here as soon as they are developed.

Mike is too kind. The pleasure was all ours. Riding and spending time with him was a special treat.

I am available to hook up with any of my BF buddies who can make their way to the Big Easy.

Here is a pic of Rainman and Mike at the banks of the mighty Mississippi River.

Rainman is on the right with the bikeforums.com jersey. Mike is on the left with the yellow Sugoi jacket.

Damn! I don't look any better in Mike's picture than I did in mine. Except, of course for the good-looking jersey!

I have said it before, and I will say it again. I would love to ride with any BF buddy who makes his or her way to the Big Easy. Depending on your size I can probably fix you up with a bike, too, if not from my own stable I can probably borrow one.
Regards,
Raymond

You guys adjust the lovable! I said, "you guys are just so lovable!"

(Still trying to get this Point & Speak software to work properly in the disease of -- I said, "to work properly [elipses]..."

:rolleyes:

Anyway, you look great!

:thumbup: