I faced a bit of a quandary this morning. I had three places to be today, and in time constraints that meant biking was out of the question, but just barely. And it was a sunny day–first one in awhile–and that meant biking had to happen. Solution? Pop the Brompton in the back seat, drive to the first destination, bike to the second and back, and then return Brompty to the car before driving to campus. This is why they pay me the big bucks. I checked the map to figure out how to get to Canton by car and headed out for another swim lesson. 45 minutes later I was unfolding the bike and mazing my way around Canton and Highlandtown, bright sun and blue skies. Continue reading
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Fancy Christmas Trees at the Fancy Hotel in Harbor East
Today’s ride took me down the hill to meet A. for a trip to the gym and then to the coffee shop for snacks and conversation. It was another gray and foggy day, so the ride down the hill was chilly, wet, and kinda slippery, but I’d still much rather be on my bicycle. The streets were positively empty, not because of the weather but because the Ravens game was on, and nobody knew yet how terribly that was going to end up. I locked up to a nearly-empty bike rack–the first time that’s happened at Harbor East in awhile–and then it was a quick turn at the gym before heading back to the fancy coffee shop inside the even fancier hotel. Continue reading
Her Fantastic Cats Performing at Bearings Bicycle Project at Greenmount & 26th
I woke up early on Saturday and decided right away to do absolutely no work-related tasks that day. No emails, no grading, no reading or writing, nothing. I needed a good day off, and I took it. I lazed about for a bit and then layered up for a ride down the hill and around the harbor to meet J. and her parents at the Baltimore Museum of Industry. Oh, it felt so good to be flying down the hill on empty streets, the morning fog still hanging on everything taller than a row house. It was quiet and still, and I wondered to myself, how do people who don’t ride bikes or walk around know where they are, like really know? Outside of a car you have no choice but to pay attention. But anyway. Continue reading
View From a Coffee Shop in Harbor East
It’s cold again here, so I put on my windproof jacket when I headed out the door this morning to fetch some things for the sickly S. up the street. And then I realized I forgot my gloves. Welp, that’s a lesson I get to learn again! After a most lovely morning I got back on the bike and headed out on errands and then to get some work done. I pedaled easily along, and once I made it into the sun, my li’l paws warmed up. I’m so, so, so pleased it’s still bicycling weather. It was all lovely until I realized that I was actually going to have to sit down and do some work-bah! Continue reading
Sunset Behind Bare Trees in Druid Hill Park on the Jones Falls Trail
I had one of those perfectly lovely days, the kind where you wake up where you’re supposed to be and spend your morning doing things you’re supposed to be doing, and then there’s a meeting, but then you’re on your bike riding through the park on an unseasonably warm day. That part’s wrong, but like so very many wrong things, it feels so good. It was like springtime on my bare legs as I pedaled along, I swear. Continue reading
View From Middle Branch Park Out By Harbor Hospital on the Gwynns Falls Trail
My dad was in town for a visit and I had the day off work, so we rented him a bicycle so we could ride around Baltimore together. I had about a thousand rides to take him on, but we didn’t have forever and he rented a bike not built for climbing, so I just took him down the hill and on the Gwynns Falls Trail around to Middle Branch Park. I led the way, using my hand signals, being reminded to point out road hazards, and thinking just a few turns ahead. Continue reading
View Over the Jones Falls From the Wyman Park Drive Overpass Over the JFX
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
Lit Up Rat at the Lantern Parade in Patterson Park
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
Empty Mail Trucks at Front & E. Lexington
It was sunny and a little breezy and I had finished up grading that stack of papers called “midterms,”and I got to get on my bike and head up to Hampden to meet V. for lunch and some window shopping. Then it was back on the bike and down the hill for a whirl around the weight machines at the gym, and then back up the hill. I didn’t have time to take much of a long way back home, so I just took an early right for a few blocks. 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
What I Saw Riding My Bike Around Today 