Today’s ride took me up to Hampden for another bikram yoga class where I’m trying to stretch out my tight bicycling hips. Yeah, I’ve got a ways to go with that. After a quick stop at home for a shower and lunch, I took my writing project with me and flew down the hill to meet V. for a coffee and work date. These are just the kind of small errands that are done much more quickly on bike than in a car; the last thing I want to do is spend time and money parking my car in Hampden or Station North. Continue reading
Hampden
Public Comfort Station at Broadway & Aliceanna
Today’s ride first took me up the hill to Hampden for a haircut and a writing session before heading back home for more Fun With Laundry. The ride felt strained, and I wasn’t sure if that was because I was still sleepy or because I missed my morning coffee, but the afternoon ride taught me it was because my rear tire was low on air, and I felt the difference as I headed back to meet V. for a little shopping. Oh, a freshly pumped bike, a crispy red apple, and a stroll in the sun–summertime, hurry up! I don’t know, everything looked particularly full of color this afternoon, and that was true for my ride down the hill to Fells Point. I had to use the restroom, so I stopped at a bar for a beer and a snack, having no other choice. As I was locking my bike I noticed the Public Comfort Station across the street. I’m not sure if it’s open, but I hope so. We all have to pee, and yet our public spaces generally refuse to acknowledge that simple fact. And that makes things hard for lots and lots of people. Don’t even get me started on the trouble with sex-segregated toilets. I wish we could figure out a way to make basic facilities available to more people in more places, as did Baltimore, whenever they put in this place. The best part of being here right now, though, is that I get to ride my bike home, and there’s a dinner with friends on the way.
Crumbling Building at Druid Park Lake Drive and Brookfield
After a couple days with too much work and too much wind for a bike ride, S. finally got me back on the bike as we rode up to Druid Hill Park where she ran and I rode in circles. The sky was blue and white clouds and gray drips, because half the city was raining, but it stayed dry as I pedaled around and around, keeping my mouth closed so I didn’t eat the pink petals blowing around like snow. Continue reading
Rating the Pleasantness of Touch at the Walters Art Gallery at Centre & Cathedral
Oh, it was another beautiful day in Baltimore, and I spent much of it in bed reading until finally the sun insisted I get my little self out and on my bike for a ride. I headed over to Hampden for brunch and then took the Jones Falls Trail toward downtown for a quick turn through the Walters Art Museum. Continue reading
Plexiglass Flag On The Star-Spangled Flag House at Pratt & Albemarle
Well, it wasn’t all sunshine and blue skies like yesterday, but I was still excited to hop on the bike this morning for a ride around town. I headed to Hampden for brunch and some light reading and then to the Jones Falls Trail to snake my way downtown for a visit to the Lewis Museum and their new Dandy Lion exhibit. Continue reading
Closed Pharmacy at 36th & Chestnut
Oh, I wanted to ride my bike so badly today. I haven’t ridden since *Tuesday*, and when I don’t ride, the hamster wheel starts going in my head instead, and then I can’t sleep. It was nice and warm out today, but the wind was howling, and that’s just not weather I like to ride in. In which I like to ride. (See what I mean? Hamster. Wheel.) Sigh. So I decided to walk instead, and that was an excellent choice. Continue reading
Crumbling Bricks at Cox & Falls
Today’s ride took me up past Hampden to meet folks at a bar to enjoy some playoff football. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but the Ravens are in, and they’re my team, now that the Saints are out after last night’s heartbreaker. It was chilly chilly, so I rode as fast as I could and took advantage of the sun and the hills to warm myself up. I passed a lot of people in purple, already tipsy with the day. There as a drink, some. Fried food, and a whole lot of yelling, and then it was time to roll back down the hill. I snapped this picture of the remnants of the brick wall of some ghost of a building. If it were a different wall, this might be an Historical Landmark, but here it’s just another remnant of a past Baltimore–so, so many of these. In the light and with that sky, though, today it looked beautiful. I pedaled home and was reminded that the downhill is much, much colder. I best get used to it.
Books & Cookies at the AK Press Holiday Party at Parkdale & Clipper Park Road
Today’s bike ride took me, walking the bike with K., up to Johns Hopkins for a seminar on the future of women’s and gender studies, and after we got all that sorted out, I rode over through Hampden for AK Press‘s annual holiday party and happy hour. Continue reading
Ronald McDonald at the Mayor’s Annual Holiday Parade in Hampden
Oh, I know I don’t live in New Orleans anymore, but I am still game for any and every parade, so when S. texted about the Mayor’s Annual Holiday Parade in Hampden, I was all over it. We hopped on our bikes and pedaled that way, locked up, and headed into the crowd. Ok, it’s not New Orleans, and it’s not Mardi Gras, but there were still people in their saved spots with their plastic cups of whatever poured from thermoses waiting for the police van to go by and signal the start of the parade. Continue reading
Holiday Lights at Keswick & 34th
I had a long and tiring day, but I was happy to hop on my bike for a quick jaunt to Hampden after work to meet B. and G. and friends for drinks and dinner. The conversation was good, as was the food and the beer, and it was an excellent reminder to take myself out more often with more people. By the time I left, it was downright cold, and my exhaustion was catching up with me, so I decided to just take myself home for a nightcap and a movie. I rode along Hampeden’s Miracle on 34th Street. This neighborhood is seriously committed to its lights and decorations, for sure. There were tons of folks out tonight, and snacks were being sold, Santas were taking pictures, and art was on display. Naturally, I preferred this snowman of bicycle wheels, but tonight I was just happy to be in a place where people dress themselves up like this. That feels a little bit like home, and sometimes, I’m homesick. I pedaled the short ride home, looking forward to sleep and another day.
What I Saw Riding My Bike Around Today 