fall colors

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Yellow Ginkgo Trees at Centre & Guilford

Bright yellow gingko trees on a busy street against a background of a brick building and blue sky.

This semester has been a slog. Energy levels reached end-of-the-semester levels by midterms, and the joy of being with each other in the classroom, while still there, has been dampened by the part where we’re still in a pandemic, we’re packing our days as if we still don’t have the commutes we lost last year, and we’re all overwhelmed by the energy it takes to pay attention without being able to turn our cameras off for a minute. It has been a great semester (though it’s not over yet), but it has also been an incredible amount of work–intellectually, physically, and emotionally. Still the best job ever.

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View of the Potomac Near the Catoctin Aqueduct

View of the Potomac Nearish Harper's FerryI’ve been doing plenty of around-town riding lately–to work and back, errands, doctor’s appointments–but last weekend I got to put my bike on the back of R.’s truck, all cozied up to her Surly Long Haul Trucker, for a drive out toward Harper’s Ferry and a ride along the C&O Canal. We had a general plan, but then exited early to follow signs to the canal. We weren’t sure we were going the right way, but then we saw the railroad tracks–a sure sign a canal is in the area. Continue reading →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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Fall Colors at St. Paul & 26th

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Oh, that was a long time away from my bike! I was in Atlanta for a conference, and no, thereisnt a bike rental place right downtown, and there should be. Harumph. I spent my days walking, which was fine, if a bit slow. I didn’t see a whole lot of bikes circling the conference hotels, but surely they are somewhere. All I know is I was happy to be back home in Baltimore, and I was itching to pedal. After working at the coffee shop for a bit, I headed downtown via Guilford to meet V. for a grading marathon. I stopped early to snap this picture of the brilliant colors of the trees at the playground behind Margaret Brent elementary school because that red just seemed to take up the whole sky. It is just so pretty here, and I can’t believe I was afraid I wouldn’t find it so. I flew down the hill, around the harbor, drank some coffee and sucked on some caramels, and rode back up the hill. That protected bike lane on Fallsway is already coming along famously. Nope, I don’t mind a little routine, not one bit.

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Golden Tree in Druid Hill Park By the Disc Golf Course

I had a most lovely Sunday, up early, made earlier by the time change, housekeeping and handymanning, cat snuggling, War and Peace reading (they think they’re bored and want to fight, but I have a funny feeling that’s not going to turn out well), and then a bike ride to Hampden to meet V. for brunch and some work. After doing some learning, I hopped back on the bike and zipped over to Druid Hill Park to do some leaf peeping. Continue reading →

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Fall Colors at Amelia & Camp Streets

Is this a birch tree? I most assuredly do not know my trees, but today as I was riding downtown after a long work day, I was scoping out the trees. We don’t get fall colors here in New Orleans, because we don’t really have fall like that, and we certainly don’t have a lot of deciduous trees. I saw one tree that looked golden from afar, but when I got closer it turned out the golden was from the sun hitting it just right. Continue reading →