S. got her bike new wheels and cables and brakes after it got stripped earlier this year, which means S. has a bike now. That means we can ride bikes together places–this is most excellent news! Tonight she came over in her cow suit with a skeleton suit for me, and we got to zip down the hill and to the left for the Lantern Parade in Patterson Park. Continue reading
parks
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
View Across St. Mary’s Park in Seton Hill in West Baltimore
Friday’s ride took me down to the Maryland Historical Society for the second annual Bmore Historic conference. MdHS is in Mt. Ver
non, and I just can’t imagine driving there, even if there aren’t bike racks right in front. I zipped down the hill in the cool morning air, getting joined by another conference attendee and passed by a bike commuter who really should have alerted me to his presence, seeing as how there was barely room for me. We have to share our roads, people, and that means we have to communicate with each other about what we’re doing because I cannot read your mind, nor do I have eyes in the back of my head. Ahem. Continue reading
Goat at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore in Druid Hill Park
Today’s ride took me over to Druid Hill Park and around to the zoo to meet S. and her family. We haven’t seen each other in years and years, but because of The Interwebz we are still in touch. When she had a few free hours to spend in this fair city I was the lucky recipient of escorts for my first trip to the zoo. I biked over and locked up to the bike rack they had right outside the main zoo entrance. Continue reading
Houses Being Demolished on Druid Hill Park Lane & Linden
I had a long day at work today , but I planned in the morning that I’d ride my bike at some point today, so when I got home, I swapped out shoes and headed out for a short ride before turning to the last work tasks of the day. I headed back to Druid Hill Park again, this time to check on the house being demolished on the east stretch of the reservoir path. The demolition looks mostly stalled out, but plants are overgrowing the steps to nowhere growing up through brick and mortar. Continue reading
Memorial to Druid Hill Park’s Segregated Public Pools
I knew it was a beautiful day today just from the cool breezes coming through my bedroom window, but it still took me some time to pry myself out from under books and cats and onto my bicycle. I decided to head over to Druid Hill Park, where I hadn’t ridden in weeks and weeks and weeks, kinda weird since the park’s just right over there. I pedaled west and up the hill and around the circle. A turn around the reservoir shows you so much of Baltimore–the JFX just underfoot, abandoned factories, Hampden’s American flags, rows upon rows of rowhouses, cranes in the air in Mt. Vernon, the Inner Harbor’s all-business skyline, blighted blocks, abandoned mansions, and the park, which is its own little Baltimore. I biked around looking for the Memorial Pool memorial up past the holy place that is Safety City. Continue reading
Blue Skies From the Ramparts of Fort McHenry
Yesterday’s storms brought cooler weather, and when I stepped out of the house to take the bike downtown for a quick stop at the gym it was actually a little chilly. I mean, just a little bit, but still–I haven’t felt air that cool in months and months of the hottest summer in my memory, including all those New Orleans ones. The sky was a brilliant blue spotted with puffy white clouds, the kind of sky I wanted this summer when it was too busy sweating. Continue reading
Beach Volleyballers at the Inner Harbor Along Key Highway
School starts tomorrow, which meant today was all meetings and convocating and welcoming back, and that usually means no time to ride my bicycle. But I want to ride my bicycle. I asked A. if I could ride Brompty to her place in Federal Hill and she could give us all a ride to campus–problem solved! Continue reading
Cat Parade on the Gwynns Falls Trail Behind BARCS in South Baltimore
I worked from home today before V. picked me up in her car for a trip down to the animal shelter–she’s getting a cat! I knew I’d want a way home by myself so she could head straight home to play with the new kitten, so I tossed Brompty in the back of her car for the ride downtown. The place was crowded with folks looking to adopt a dog or cat during the fee-free period, and we were there for a couple of hours before I had to take Brompty out of the car, unfold her, and hop on to head home. But first, a quick zip up the Gwynns Falls Trail. Continue reading
Brentwood Village Kid’s Zone at Chase & Forrest
Today’s ride took me down the hill to meet V. for a swim at the gym. I’m terrible at swimming, but I’m guessing that like most things, if I keep doing it, I’ll figure it out and get better at it, because my dad said that’s what practice does–it makes better. I meant to go to the grocery store and head home after, but then my bike just kept rolling east, through Fells Point, over past the new condo developments along the harbor near Canto (because gosh, we need more of those), and up through Canton on Fait Avenue. Continue reading
What I Saw Riding My Bike Around Today 