Finally, I got to take a bike ride again. This out-of-town-and-working business is really putting a dent in my bicycling time, amongst other things. I only had about 45 minutes to spare on this busy work day, but I took what I could get and hopped on the bike toward Druid Hill Park for a few quick laps around the reservoir. Continue reading
nature
Fall Colors on the Jones Falls Trail Behind the Zoo in Druid Hill Park
I didn’t feel like going for a bike ride or going to the gym or doing much of anything but crawling in my bed with a book after a long day of staring at my computalator waiting for words. But come on, I could at least go for a short ride, just up to the park and back, you know you want to. I Continue reading
Prettyboy Dam in the Hereford Zone of Baltimore County
I left my bike at home today and joined S. and J. for a hike in Gunpowder Falls State Park out in Baltimore County. Those two are fearless, but I’m a baby so we took a slow slide on mud and wet leaves above the river until we had our feet on more expansive flats. The air smelled like decaying leaves and fall and, according to S., just a little bit like licorice in a spots. We walked along, stopped to admire S.’s rock-skipping skills and J.’s apparent natural talent for the same, admired impressive mushrooms and wished for a Field Guild to Mushrooms, and enjoyed apples while sitting on a fallen tree. Continue reading
Ivy Growing on Buildings at Aliceanna & S. Bethel
It was chilly in my house this afternoon so I expected to be cold when I headed down the hill on my bike, but now–it was all blue skies and sunshine and the heat on my back. It was also one of those days where cars seemed out to get me, so I hunkered down into my defensive driving mode, which includes a lot of following the rules of the road–yeah, it was a slow trip. I locked up, did a whirl around the gym, and then took my grading to a restaurant for a snack and a much slower whirl through the pile of papers. Continue reading
View Over the Fence at Webster’s Dead End in Federal Hill
Today’s ride took me down the hill and back up another hill to my favorite new strip mall in Locust Point where I locked up to a rack before spending the day getting a massage, going out to lunch, talking to S. on the phone, and eating frozen yogurt as I tried to circle around an argument for this thing I’ve been writing all summer. It’s scary sometimes, the point where you have to stop making Interesting Observations and start making larger sense, and I have to take very good care of myself so I don’t scare myself away from that part of writing. I finally managed to figure some stuff out while waiting for the rain to stop, scribble, scribble, scribble, and then it was time for a celebratory beer, some grousing about the USA men’s basketball team~holding for the last shot of the half when you’re up by 33 is just tacky~and then I pedaled over to A. and J.’s for wine, good food, chatter, and more Olympics action. I stopped to take this picture before I got there, at the end of Webster. You call it Webster Court, but all you’ve got is this half fence to keep a distance between you and freeways and waste treatment plants. And then a groundhog scurried by and I was reminded that a lot of things are willing to make a life right at the edges. I rode home late at night, for me, and realized it has been awhile since a warm night ride alone, which meant the sense memory was all New Orleans. It didn’t make me miss that place, though; it made me happy that I can still access that feeling of being the only person on the streets, flying by with my skirt waving, my own breeze cooling me down. Oh yes, that is a nice way to spend a summer evening.
Learning About the Fort McHenry Wetland at Fort McHenry at the End of Fort Avenue
I woke up this morning to a day with absolutely nothing scheduled. I can’t remember the last time that was true for me so I felt just a little giddy about it. After lazing about in bed for awhile and reading about World War I war memorials (fascinating stuff, really), I hopped on the bike and tooled around Baltimore to see how we were remembering a different war. It was really hot out and the streets were virtually empty as I sped down the hill. It’s rather ghostly when it’s like that, but I must admit I love flying through the streets with only a tiny worry about cars; I just love how riding a bike makes my body feel, all hugged close by wind I help make. I took my turn around the inner harbor’s new bike lane, groused to myself about all the cars in it~why do they need *everything*~ and turned to Federal Hill where I caught the first parade of the day. There was drum and fife, stiltwalking, vintage cars, and then everybody from the neighborhood in red, white, and blue strolling along. I wanted a little more music to really call it a parade, but I put ny bad attitude in my pocket, ate the grape tootsie roll pop I caught from the Grand Marshall, and got back on the bike to track down the dog parade at the American Visionary Arts Museum. I had missed the parade, but I settled in for the pageant and groused about how many winners had store bought costumes and how I think that’s not really in the spirit of things. I shoved my bad attitude back down and made my way to Fort McHenry after a quick stop for lunch. I did a loop around before heading into the air conditioning. I took this picture of the view of the new man-made wetlands around the fort. Apparently there used to be wetlands all over Baltimore, but they were destroyed when they got in the way of industry and were blamed for disease. After the Key Tunnel was built these wetlands were installed to grow back. It’s a similar logic to that inside the museum, remembrance and preservation, but of nature. Or maybe “nature.” I did a quick tour of the fort, watched some more drum and fife, and then I was on my way home, pedaling slowly through the giant oven that is the city right now. It was a most lovely day, but I would like to request a cooling trend so that a short ten mile ride through the city won’t leave me a wilted flower.
View of a Creek off Guyton & Bottom in Gunpowder Falls State Park
My dear friend S. has been in town visiting from New Orleans, which means everything feels like home, even though I’m not riding my bicycle (though this might be a good reason to get a tandem). We’ve spent time driving and walking, and today we did a little of both. S. drove us out to Gunpowder Falls State Park for some easy hiking and a session sitting ourselves in the cold waters of a creek that I swear is flowing the wrong way. Continue reading
Hydrangeas on Remington Avenue & Ignatius
Today’s ride took me and the Surly over to Hampden and up Chestnut to 36th Avenue before I figured out that Falls Road is the other way, and then flew down the hill to lock up my bike and head into the studios for my breakout performance on Baltimore public radio’s Marc Steiner Show. WEAA 88.9 is in desperate need of bike racks, so I had to lock up to a gate before heading in and putting on the headphones for an hour-long conversation about gender. Continue reading
Corn Growing on Frankford School Road in Frankford, Delaware
S. declared it was time to take a beach vacation, and it most surely was, so on Saturday I loaded up my bag, stuck it on the front of the Brompton, and headed down the hill to meet her for a ride to the beaches of The First State, Delaware. That Saturday ride was just perfect–warm, sunny, empty streets, and I picked up enough speed to really feel like I was flying. I folded up the bike and tossed it in the car for a three hour tour all tangled up in part of Maryland’s beard. Continue reading
Broken Satellite Dish on a House at Bedford & Glenwood
It was a beautifully sunny day in Brooklyn, not to hot, a slight breeze, and all of it demanded our presence outside. E. and I spent our morning and early afternoon walking around Park Slope, and after a quick breather, I left her at home and took the bike out for a ride. I wanted to see water, so I checked a map and it looked like Bedford Avenue would lead me to it, so off I went. There’s a bike lane on this street, which I have quickly discovered means extra room to double park, or even another place for pedestrians to wander. I used my eyes, my bell, and my outside voice to navigate my way through. When I stopped at a red light, a pedestrian thanked me, said he’d never seen a cyclist stop before. Listen, if we’re all going to share the roads, we all have to actually share, and that includes walkers and bikers. The fairly quick 7 miles or so took me through parts of Brooklyn ithat looked like Philadelphia or Boise’s North End, or even Queens. I lived here for a number of years, but I probably saw more of Brooklyn today than in all that time. I snapped this photo of a broken satellite dish atop a brick house that looked like it belonged in Baltimore more than here, but perhaps the only reason I think that is because I have never actually seen Brooklyn. That satellite has certainly seen better days. I kept on riding, and then I was at water. I took a right and tried to feel my way to a beach, got turned around and had to look at a map again, and then I was on the beach. So, so many people, so much noise, and so many signs, but still the beach was just beautiful. We can’t mess up the ocean, yet. I rode down the boardwalk and back again, and it was already time to head home. I took Ocean Parkway, grateful to be away from parked cars, frustrated that there were still pedestrians, everywhere. Sigh. It was a long ride home, and I was thoroughly beat down, but in the very best possible way. I could go on countless rides in this city; please stay here, New York.
What I Saw Riding My Bike Around Today 