I had a dinner date with R. in Locust Point tonight after a long day of work and other work and swimming and work. It was still warm out, but all the weather reports said temps were about to drop and rain mixed with ice was moving in. But oh, I wanted to ride a bicycle, so that’s what I did. I pedaled with rush hour traffic on the way there, up and around and down Fort Ave., a right on Steuert, and then to find a bike rack. Continue reading
Inner Harbor
Cage Over the Pedestrian Bridge to Westport Over 295 on Maisel & Annapolis
Today’s ride took me down the hill and around the harbor and up again to Federal Hill, with a final left to Locust Point for a much-needed haircut and an afternoon of grading/watching football. I meant to go straight home afterward, but then I just kept riding west back through Federal Hill and over to M&T Stadium to watch the hordes of Ravens fans walk to their cars. Continue reading
View of the Harbor From the Waterfront Kitchen
Friday was one of those workdays when my heart wasn’t really in it, and then there were meetings and then I couldn’t find my wallet and blah~it was time for the week to be over and for me to be on my bicycle, so that’s where I was, down the hill and to the left to join V. and A. for drinks and this delicious mushroom cheese toast thing at the restaurant on the waterfront. We toasted and laughed and complained and took note, over and over again, of just how pretty it is here. And then it was back on the bike to dodge the Inner Harbor promenade traffic for dinner with S. and friends and then BASEBALL. Oh, baseball, I love you. I had to leave before the game ended-gasp-but I could tell we were still winning because shouts were coming from open doors and stoops and bars all along the route home because last night we were all O’s fans, an easy thing to be right now and highly recommended. In a car I would have listened to the game on the radio, but this worked too, and I got that sense of racing as I sped home to see who won. Up the hill and back home with more baseball starting Sunday. Things could be worse, yes indeed.
Keep Baltimore Beautiful at Amity & Fayette
Today’s ride took me to Mt. Vernon to meet E. for coffee and a review of last weekend’s bike tour. I’m new to public history, and he’s new to biking everywhere all the time; we talked for an hour, probably could have talked for an hour more, but then it was time for him to get back to work and me to get back on the bike. I followed my memory and then some misleading signs to the Poe House on Amity. Continue reading
Battle Monument at Calvert & Fayette
Today was bike tour day, so I woke up early, kinda nervous, and reviewed my notes for our six-stop tour of historic War of 1812 sites in the city before bringing Brompty downstairs for a good ride over to our starting point at Riverside Park, one of the oldest parks in Baltimore. A small group gathered, and we made our way over to Sharp-Leadenhall, where I talked about the history of African Americans in the early Republic, and especially in this neighborhood, the oldest African American neighborhood in the city. Continue reading
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.
Beach Volleyballers at the Inner Harbor Along Key Highway
School starts tomorrow, which meant today was all meetings and convocating and welcoming back, and that usually means no time to ride my bicycle. But I want to ride my bicycle. I asked A. if I could ride Brompty to her place in Federal Hill and she could give us all a ride to campus–problem solved! 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
What I Saw Riding My Bike Around Today 