My alarm went off early this morning, on a Sunday, for another one of those things I signed up for many moons ago. Today it was the Tour du Port, sponsored by Bike Maryland, and the last thing I wanted to do was climb out of bed at 7:00am on a Sunday. But oh, I’m glad I did! As soon as I was on the road I was happy to be there, flying down the hill, no traffic, crispy air but the promise of sun. I got down to Canton Waterfront Park and the harbor was glass. I stood in line, got my wristband for lunch (which included a donut–nice touch), and the route map for the 13 mile ride. I promptly stuffed the map in my bag and decided to follow the crowd instead, not that any of us should be followers or leaders, but today I was happy to follow. We pedaled over to the harbor, around and up through Federal Hill park, and over to Key Highway, past the Domino Sugar factory, and then a U-turn back to the harbor. I stopped to take a picture of the sugar factory, which is old and looks like a relic, just like the one in Chalmette (miss you!), but the fence around it has been lined with this blue-sky-and-flowers business. Um, you’re not hiding anything. But that’s the thing–there’s always another layer underneath the wrappings. Pedal, pedal, pedal, I was back at the aquarium for peanut butter and honey sandwiches and orange slices, over and up the hill through Patterson Park, and back to Canton for lunch, crowds, a cover band that was biting off a bit more than it could chew, and some rest. I didn’t see anyone I knew, which is normal in this town, but would be downright shocking in New Orleans. It takes time to have neighbors in a new place, for sure. I rode home by way of McKeldin Square and Occupy Baltimore, said my hellos, and made it safely up the hill, a lovely Sunday in the bag by one in the afternoon.