Test Riding Bikes With Kathleen

Today we went out to Race Pace Bicycles in Ellicott City to test ride bikes for Kathleen. We had been out last weekend (when I got my new bibshorts) and she had ridden a couple of bikes that day, so today we went out and rode them again, as well as a couple of other comperable bikes. Here we are out riding contender number 2, a Felt Z85.

And here is the little climb back up to the shop on a Trek 2.1.
In the end the Felt won the battle, and it is a great looking bike. Here it is back in the garage, de-reflectorized and ready to rock.
I am looking forward to going out for a ride with Kathleen soon, although the weather is supposed to be pretty crappy for the next couple of days, then I am going to get hammered at work for a week or so :(, but we will get out soon I am sure.

Today was forecast to be another gorgeous day, so I decided I would ride to work. The weather people got it right, and it was a stunning morning. Here is the sun rising over Druid Lake.
Then it was a full day at work, I have a ton of shows all at the same time, so it has been really hectic. But finally I scooted the hell out of there at 6:30 and made it home just after dark. On my way home I found this statue at Druid Lake Park, Wallace it says on the base.
Then a little further on I discovered this little tiny park right near Jones Falls Expressway and North Ave, with this fabulous statue in the middle of it.
After that it was dodge the commuters all the way home.

Tuesday Morning

A gorgeous morning in Patterson Park for my ride, the sun was shining and it wasn't too cold. I did a few laps in the park, and saw a rare thing, another cyclist. He was wearing some sort of team uniform, but since we were going opposite directions (so closing speeds of 30-40 miles an hour) I couldn't make it what team it was.
And here is the hill I got to climb on my way out with the Ukranian Orthodox church that is right on the edge of the park in the background. It's the gold domed building here, apparently still fairly active.

It is supposed to be a nice day tomorrow, so I am planning on riding to work hopefully the weather will hold.

Inadvertent Sunday Church Tour

I got out again today, so far so good with the PI bib shorts. I kind of just wandered around the city, and once again was struck by the number of churches here. This one was the first I blundered into.And then a little ways down the street I spotted this.
I went a little further and stumbled on this nice little square, surrounded by churches.
And right down the block from there this one.

And then these two.


And this one shot from the same spot, not quite as grand as the others.

But then it was out of the neighborhood of churches, and I went up the grade to go take a couple of laps around Druid Lake. Another gorgeous morning and the path around the lake had lots of people walking, jogging, and riding around it.

Including some folks using the par course equipment set up around the lake.

Rumor has it the next couple of days are supposed to be rainy, figures, since I just washed both the bike and my car.

What a beautiful Saturday

It was stunning today, very unseasonable, so I went out this morning to find the elusive Lake Montebello which I have failed at finding a couple of times before. Got there and it was hopping, people, walking, jogging, and riding bikes.

After a few laps, it was back to the homestead, but not without passing yet another incredible church.

Tomorrow is supposed to be more of the same, and I got a new pair of Pearl Izumi bib shorts today, so I am going to go out again and break them in.

3/19/10 Ride to Work

Today was a first, instead of getting up and whipping around the neighborhood I got up and rode into work. It has been beautiful here, and today was a perfect day, I am sure this is not going to last. To get there I rode through town and saw lots of rowhouses, this quiet street is in Resevoir Hill.
Then I cut through Druid Hill Park, and passed by the conservatory and botanical gardens there.
Then it was on up the grade to work, almost entirely uphill, arriving at the Dickeyville Mill, where our shop is.
Put in a full day at work, then took the Gwynns Falls Trail all the way back down to downtown to get home. Here is a chunk of the trail where it is still gravel up near the shop.
And here a little closer in to downtown.
The trail runs through Leakin Park, and several neighborhood parks on the way to the Inner Harbor. At this park there were a bunch of people out enjoying the day, and playing a little hoops.
A little closer and I passed by Camden Yards, it looks like a little preseason work is going on here as well.
And as I rode out of Camden Yards on Eutaw Street (it has been turned into a pedestrian only road through the Stadium), I caught the Bromo-Seltzer Tower in all of it's early evening glory. Once the HQ of the Bromo-Seltzer corporation, it has now been renovated into live/work space for artists. Each floor is about 900 square feet. It used to have a giant, rotating Bromo-Seltzer bottle on the top, but it was long gone when the renovation happened.
Tomorrow is supposed to be another great day, so I am going to try and get out again.

Two Races, Two Cities, One Day

Today Kathleen raced in two races, a 5 Mile race in Washington DC, and then a 5K race here in Baltimore. So at the crack of dawn (blast you daylight savings time) we headed down to DC to go to the first race. The start was right a Freedom Plaza so I parked on the other side of the ellipse and rode over to the start. Passed by the White House (crappy picture, I didn't stop for this).

Then I swung over to Pennsylvania Ave to catch the start of the race, I was right across from the Old Post Office Pavillion, now a food court and offices, but at one time was the main post office for Washington DC.
Right across from where I was waiting, the lone bagpiper waited to serenade the runners as they passed by.


Here is the start, somehow I missed Kathleen going by in the pack.
So I shot on ahead of the group and caught up with Kathleen right near the near where they turned off of Pennsylvania Ave.
I caught up with her again right at the turnaround by the Capitol making a bold move around the outside at the turn.

After that I cut around the Capitol building itself, the streets were completely clear of cars, so it was a snap to zip around, despite all of the anti terrorism barriers.
I caught up with her again at the turnaround in front of the Air & Space Museum.
Then I cut across the Mall to the finish, one end the capitol,
and the other the Washington Monument.
Then it was off to the finish line for Kathleen's finish.
I then loaded up the bike on the Subaru and picked Kathleen up and back to B'more we went for the 5K Race downtown. On the way back up, it was pouring, so I had decided to bail on riding around the race. I dropped of Kathleen, then realized on my way down to the finish that today was also the St Patricks Day parade, so parking was non-existant, plus it had stopped raining, so I zipped back to the house and dumped the car, changed back into my cycling clothes, and pedaled over to the start line. On my way over I passed through the staging area for the parade. The bands and cars were all getting ready for the big show.


How often do you see a stretched '57 Chevy?This was my view of the start, the runners are up the hill behind the police car.
And here is where they will be headed down Charles Street towards the Inner Harbor
Here come the fast guys at the beginning, if you look really hard, one of them is dressed as Borat.
Here is Kathleen, (Black Hat, grey shirt, red sleeves). I just didn't have my usual mojo going on for this race, I didn't spot her until she was almost past.
I caught up with her (almost) again a little later in the race (once again late :( )
On my way over to the finish area I had my own little tribute to the cobblestone Spring classic bike races in europe, I have no idea how those guys do it for miles, one block was enough to rattle my fillings.
Sadly I managed to miss her finish, but we met up in the finishing area where they were having a big party. The finish was at a complex called Power Plant Live, there are several restaurants and nightclubs there, for today they had a band outside in the courtyard, being the closest weekend day to St Pat's and all.