Baltimore Marathon

Today was the Baltimore Running Festival, and Kathleen was doing the half marathon.   So I got up in a timely fashion (they weren't starting until 9:45AM), and rode down to spectate.   I waited at President Street and a few minutes later the runners appeared.  With the first group Kathleen appeared.

And that was the last time I saw here until she got home.   I rode over to Baltimore & Linwood to wait for her, and apparently totally missed her, she said she called out and everything.   This is right where the half marathon group meets the full marathon group, so there were a ton of people coming through.  I did however spot this couple in tutus.

After a while I realized I had missed her, so since I had no idea how much further ahead she was, I decided to head over to the finish area to scope it out.   Since the Boston Marathon, the police are much more paranoid, so I couldn't get super close, but I found a spot to watch for her at the finish.  I usually figure she is going about 9 minute miles, so I made a note of when I needed to be back and headed out to noodle around and kill time.

Right behind the stadium is this bit of graffitti on the skylight of a warehouse building, I am totally curious what MEAR! means.

I rode over to Carroll Park from there, and heard a very steam train sounding whistle from the direction of the B & O Railroad Museum.   So from my previous encounter with the steam trains I knew the line they run them on runs behind Carroll Park, so I kind of triangulated where it would be by the smoke and steam rising from behind the treeline.   I found a platform that must have been built for them, and sure enough, here comes the train.

Complete with nattily dressed conductor.

Here's the engine going by the platform, since they don't have a way to turn around, it runs backwards out, and forwards back to the museum.

And off they went.

I noodled around Carroll Park and the golf course for a little bit, then headed back to the stadium to catch Kathleen at the finish.  At 2:20 clock time I gave up, and headed home, the finish area was a total cluster to get into, to try and find her.   So I pedaled back to the house and got my act together, sold the old exhaust off the Subaru.  Kathleen turned up, she had a pretty terrible race, some sort of weird knee pain?   So we went and drowned our sorrows at the Red Star for lunch.

Out to the Airport

It was a beautiful day to day, hot for early October.   Kathleen did the Seagull century yesterday for her birthday, and we had a nice meal at the Fork and Wrench last night when she got back.   Today was homework for her, so I got off my duff and and went out for a ride.   I headed towards the Inner Harbor, when I got to President Street, suddenly there was no traffic (roads closed) and this was sitting there.

Asked the police officer what was going on, it turns out it was the reviewing stand for the Columbus Day parade.   Sure enough when I got over to Federal Hill, there was the parade queuing up.

I slogged it out to BWI, and headed around the bike path there.   It's pretty cool, you end up passing right under the landing pattern.

And at the same time very pleasant and peaceful.

After a lap of the airport it was time to head home.  On my way back I passed the Robnet warehouse, they are nuts and bolts provider, as one might guess from their building.

Then it was back to the house for a shower and some home maintenance tasks before dinner.

New bike for Kathleen

Kathleen got a new bike last night, it's a Scott Foil 20, which is a pretty smokin' race bike.   She has wanted one for a long time, and through a bit of luck in when I stopped by Race Pace for Sport Beans, she was able to get this one for a screamin' deal.  So here it is.

Pretty racy.   So this morning we got up early and went out for a ride.   It was a gorgeous morning, here is the sun rising over Lake Montebello.

And Kathleen obviously enjoying her new ride.

On the way home we ended up passing by City Hall, the fountains caught my eye initially, but it is a beautiful building.

Then it was off to work.