Today’s ride took me downtown to Harbor East, where I locked up my bike to one of the few spaces available–never enough bike racks, for sure. I did a quick turn at the gym and the grocery, and then I got back on my bike to head up the hill. I snapped this picture of a couple of bikes crowding up the racks. That red one is always there. I mean always. Continue reading
Harbor East
Lululemon Platitudes at Harbor East on Aliceanna
Thursday’s ride took me down to Harbor East for a trip to the pool and some really terrible swimming. I’m good at a lot of things–reading, eating food other people cook for me, taking pictures of cats–but I’m just a horrible swimmer. Fortunately, you don’t have to be good at things to enjoy them, so I just hopped in the pool and slowly made my way back and forth without drowning–a win in my book. 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
Blue Tarp on the Fence at the Grand Prix Route at South & Pratt
Today’s ride took me on the silent streets of downtown Baltimore, emptied because everyone’s avoiding downtown, or because nobody can get east of Light, but for whatever reason, perfect for this bicyclist. I wanted to grab a quick view of the cars racing in the streets, but alas, this blue tarp meant no peeksies for me. The bike/ped path was closed off to all but ticket holders, few and far between, this mid-morning anyway. The whole thing is a boondoggle, and thank goodness it’s almost over. We need our streets, sidewalks, and bike paths back from this particular tourist parasite. I pedaled back toward Harbor East, did a quick spin through the gym, and then back up the hill on still-empty streets, the one nice side effect of the Grand Prix on this side of the racetrack.
Bike Lane on Center Between Fleet & Eastern
I spent the last couple of days at the Delaware shore with S., and although I brought Brompty with us, I mostly just sat myself down on the beach and stayed put, once the rain cleared. Today I was back at home gearing up for the first day of school on Wednesday. I’m sad to see summer end, but I’m happy to be getting back to a routine, even if it does leave less time for bicycling aimlessly about. Continue reading
Cobblestones on the Harbor East Roundabout at President & Aliceanna
Today’s ride was a quick on, just down to Harbor East for a quick trip to the gym and then back home to meet S. for an evening out. I snapped this picture of the cobblestones on the roundabout at the end of PresidentStreet because every time I ride down here I get frustrated by this part. Cobblestones? Really? I’ve complained before and I’ll complain again~cobblestones are the worst. I have big tires on my touring bike, but still this surface unsteadies and shakes me around, and I hate it, so much so that I will get off my nike and walk around this to avoid that ride. I guess it’s there to look “authentic” or something, but it was clearly chosen by folks who never move across surface streets any way other than some SUV or something. I can’t believe I have fashioned a life for myself where I can get this worked up about road surfacing, but there you go. Death to cobblestones! Next time: Why I hate tthe new roundabouts on Guilford, despite their traffic-calming effects.
City of Baltimore Car Wash Facility on Fallsway & Gay
Today’s ride took me down the hill–surprise, surprise–for a quick turn at the gym and some groceries before heading back up the hill to home. The whole ride is only 6 miles and only takes about 40 minutes. Driving might be marginally faster, but so, so much less pleasant! Anyway, I stopped to take this picture of the City of Baltimore Car Wash Facility on Fallsway near Gay Street, practically in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn Express or Sleep Inn or whatever hotel is there, surely regularly disappointing visitors that it’s sharing the block with Healthcare for the Homeless. 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
Waiting for the Water Taxi at Canton Waterfront Park
Today’s ride took me down the hill to Harbor East for a stop at the gym. I went swimming wearing my new goggles that came with vision correction. They aren’t my prescription, but wow, they made a huge difference, and I could see underwater for the first time in my memory. It was fantastic and magical and I just loved it. Now I if I can just teach myself how to swim properly… Continue reading
Pocket Park on S. Duncan Between Pratt & Lombard
Today’s ride took me back downtown, over that rat at 25th & Guilford that is now flat as a back-to-school notebook (except for the tail poking up in high relief), through the parking lot that’s been made part of the bike path, down the hill, a left on Center, right on Fallsway, and through Little Italy to Harbor East for a stop at the gym before joining V. for lunch in Fells Point–yep, it’s the waning days of summer, and I’m enjoying them. Continue reading
What I Saw Riding My Bike Around Today 