Today I just wanted to ride my bike without negotiating traffic or pedestrians or anything, just to feel the warm air on my skin, skirt flapping in the breeze, music in my ears, so rather than explore, I headed to Druid Hill Park for some easy laps around the reservoir. The sky was gray and promised rain, but oh my goodness, I needed a bike ride, so off I went. The promised storm meant the pool was cleared out as kids waited impatiently for the all-clear and I everybody could have the chance to swim in the rain, a terrific pleasure. And then I did my laps as the gray sky gave way to this one, just three laps in, and everyone was back in the pool. A couple more and it was time to head home to meet N. and R. for a walk down to see a movie. The walk back was under that same gray sky from earlier, like the weather can’t make up its mind about what to give us. What I do know, though, is that summer is for bicycling, and it was good to get out for a short ride tonight. More tomorrow, please.
Peeking Over the Wall at Belt Street & I95
The end of summer school means the beginning of Summer for this cat, and Monday was the kick off. I spent the morning finishing a book and starting another before using my car (gasp) for a quick appointment. Then it was all bicycle, first to the park to play on the swings and eat carrot sticks with N. and her tiny charges, then to lunch and home for more reading and a nap before spinning down the hill to meet J. for coffee and some interview strategy talk–give that boy a job, please! Continue reading
View of Canton From Fort McHenry
It was the last day of this much-needed vacation weekend, and oh, it was lovely weekend. I finished it up with a coast down the hill to pick up R. for a ride out to Fort McHenry on the promise of froyo at the end. I snapped this picture looking out toward Canton across the bay. Fort McHenry was behind us, all nostalgia for the great days of the War of 1812, that mostly-forgotten second revolutionary war. Continue reading
View of the Hanover Street Bridge From a Pier on the Gwynns Falls Trail
I woke up late after a most perfect late night out and my first thought was: bicycle! I hopped out of bed and onto the Surly for a ride over to the Waverly farmer’s market and breakfast at the corner diner. I rode back home for a quick stop before meeting M. for a ride out to Middle Branch Park. She is new in town and hasn’t been on that section of the Gwynns Falls Trail, so I was happy to join her for a ride. Continue reading
Raised Beds and a Tiny Barn at Exeter Street Gardens in Jonestown
I had plenty of time on Friday for a bike ride and that was exactly what I wanted. After another lazy morning lolling about I hopped on the bike and rode down to meet R. for girl talk and sandwiches at the cafe before riding over to East Baltimore to see what Patterson Park and Canton Crossing have been up to. It had been awhile since I’d pedaled that way–I have no idea what I’ve been doing instead, but it was really good to see what the neighborhood’s been up to. Continue reading
Looking Up From Mount Vernon Square
Summer school classes were finished and it was the Fourth of July and we all had the day off and the weather was hot and the sky was blue. The morning started with a walk and a bus ride and a walk with N., who clearly needs a bicycle. Then again, if you aren’t in a hurry–and we most assuredly were not–why not amble, wait, ride, and amble? Continue reading
Agave Flowers at the Druid Hill Conservatory
Today’s ride took me up through Druid Hill park and over to Mondawmin Mall for a little shopping. The ride was just beautiful–under gray skies but through lush green and around a silvery reservoir to the Jones Falls Trail and its twists up and over to the conservatory and the zoo. I rode to the side of the conservatory to check out the giant agave plant’s flower. Continue reading
A Curve in the Jones Falls Trail From Druid Hill Park to Woodberry
I woke up well rested this morning, a rather rare occurrence lately. I’m having this problem where I’m in such a lovely mood that I am trying to stay awake long enough to not miss it. Thing is, I need sleep, and I got a good lot of it last night, which meant I was pretty much immediately ready to hop out of bed and take a nice bike ride around town. I headed over to Druid Hill Park where the neighborhood was doing laps–walking, jogging, high-stepping, and bicycling. It was a bit crowded, so I took the left off the reservoir path and onto the Jones Falls Trail, under tree canopies and around the arboretum, dodging zoo traffic and disc golfers, and then I was headed down the hill to Woodberry. I snapped this picture at one of the switchbacks on this prettiest part of the trail. It was all green and blue skies and a rare whisper of a cloud, and it felt so good, so at home, to be rolling down to another neighborhood for brunch. I ended up eschewing the newer, fancier choice for an old favorite, but that meant a ride along Clipper Mill Road in all its lushness for a short climb back to Hampden. And then I took the bike back toward Waverly for a stop in a garden to peek in on a beehive before spinning home. It was a perfect sunny Saturday morning, made inestimably better by traveling by bike.
View From the Gas Station at 21st & Charles
It was a short ride tonight, just down the hill to meet R. and friends for dinner, the last one before she and her boyfriend head off to Cambridge. I will miss them, and oh my, I get tired of leaving/people leaving! All good things in her future, though, so I’m excited to see what happens next. I rode home up Charles Avenue, a quick stop to say hi to R. and A. as they enjoyed dinner outside–I think they call that “al fresco” or somesuch. R. said it was going to rain, and about 12 seconds later the skies opened up and dumped a monsoon on the streets. I tried to outrace the raindrops, but I gave up as I crossed North Avenue, ducking under the gas station canopy that reminds me of my old favorite gas station where I spent many a night during just this kind of moment in New Orleans. I waited out the three minute downpour and then O. rode up on her bike, and it all just felt serendipitous. Where are you going? Can I join? Of course. We rode to the bar, I bought us a couple of beers, we toasted another successful community fundraiser, and then it was time to ride home, the air just a bit cooler after the storm, but still thick with Baltimore’s promised humidity, another reminder of New Orleans. That place was home, but now this place is, made that way by riding my bike and being willing to get off and say hi.
View From a Shaded Bench in Middle Branch Park
Today’s ride took me down the hill to the Inner Harbor and around to Federal Hill to join A. for a work date at a Federal Hill coffee shop. We gossiped–her about writing, me about not writing–and then worked in 20 minute intervals, because sometimes that’s how you have to do it, especially when outside is all sun and blue skies and bicycles. After finishing up I had a few hours before I had to be anywhere or doing anything, so I rode around Federal Hill and then headed east to see where it would take me. Continue reading
What I Saw Riding My Bike Around Today 