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Biking this morning
Oct. 7th, 2007 09:55 amSeveral months ago, Allan, who goes to the heart circle I sometimes attend, gave me a bicycle. It's been almost a year, if not more. It's been sitting in my apartment since then, because biking in traffic scares me. As a pedestrian, I see all kinds of foolishness out there, and the view isn't any better when I'm in a car. Lots of predictable drivers, but the occasional dingbat can ruin your day.
I did take it out once, and ended up injuring myself within five blocks by not paying attention and getting myself between two rails left over from Baltimore's street car lines. I tried to cross over and got the front tire wedged in the rail and went over the handlebars. I tried walking back to my apartment, but became so dizzy and sick that I had to call Jeffrey to walk me back to his place, where he bandaged up my knee. I think I hurt my wrist then, too.
Anyway, this bike has been sitting in my apartment, silently accusing. So I resolved this weekend to get it outside and ride a least a little bit. Friday night, I took a look at it and realized that the tires had lost a lot of air pressure, but I didn't have a tire pump. Which meant that Saturday's errand was to procure one.
I looked up Light Street Cycles in Federal Hill and walked on down past the Inner Harbor (about 1.6 miles, according to Google). I got the pump, talked a little to the guy about my bike and had a fish sandwich at a sub shop across the street, then hiked back home to pump up my tires.
Later last night, I walked up to Penn Station, looking for the Jones Falls trail, which goes up to Druid Hill Park. I couldn't find a map or directions on the Internet that described how to find the trail, so I decided to reconnoiter on my own. As I suspected, it follows the Falls Road along the Jones Falls River (duh). After confirming with a couple of bikers, I went home to bed.
So my alarm went off at 8:30 this morning, and I got up, brushed my teeth and carried my bike outside. I intentionally picked the early morning to minimize the traffic I'd have to deal with. Initially, I biked up the alley way, then cut over to Calvert Street and followed that up to Lafayette Avenue and then to Falls Road.
Almost immediately, I could feel the exertion in my legs. This was the first time I had ridden a bike more than five blocks (ouch!) since I was in high school, and I'm no athlete. I'm a walker, not a biker. However, I was enjoying myself immensely. I did walk the bike a few times, but I still made it to Druid Hill park in about thirty minutes, which was 2.246 miles, according to an online pedometer application. Not a huge run for someone who's experienced, but I was out of breath by the time I got there.
I hung around at the lake for a few minutes, resting. A cute guy in jogging shorts sat near me on the wall, and I suspected that he was there looking for sex, but I just wanted to get back home. He did look good stretching, however.
The ride home was mostly down hill, and it was great to feel the wind rushing past. I stopped at a little place off the trail called Round Falls, where the Jones Falls River goes over a concrete lip. Not a scene of amazing natural beauty.
I did have to rest again on the way back, and I felt dizzy. I'm guessing that it was foolish to go out for unfamiliar exercise immediately after waking up without at least hydrating. Still, I did make it home and I'm feeling better. The return trip, even with the rest breaks, took about thirty-five minutes. I'll have to see how I can integrate more biking into my life. I'm sure I could use the exercise.
I did take it out once, and ended up injuring myself within five blocks by not paying attention and getting myself between two rails left over from Baltimore's street car lines. I tried to cross over and got the front tire wedged in the rail and went over the handlebars. I tried walking back to my apartment, but became so dizzy and sick that I had to call Jeffrey to walk me back to his place, where he bandaged up my knee. I think I hurt my wrist then, too.
Anyway, this bike has been sitting in my apartment, silently accusing. So I resolved this weekend to get it outside and ride a least a little bit. Friday night, I took a look at it and realized that the tires had lost a lot of air pressure, but I didn't have a tire pump. Which meant that Saturday's errand was to procure one.
I looked up Light Street Cycles in Federal Hill and walked on down past the Inner Harbor (about 1.6 miles, according to Google). I got the pump, talked a little to the guy about my bike and had a fish sandwich at a sub shop across the street, then hiked back home to pump up my tires.
Later last night, I walked up to Penn Station, looking for the Jones Falls trail, which goes up to Druid Hill Park. I couldn't find a map or directions on the Internet that described how to find the trail, so I decided to reconnoiter on my own. As I suspected, it follows the Falls Road along the Jones Falls River (duh). After confirming with a couple of bikers, I went home to bed.
So my alarm went off at 8:30 this morning, and I got up, brushed my teeth and carried my bike outside. I intentionally picked the early morning to minimize the traffic I'd have to deal with. Initially, I biked up the alley way, then cut over to Calvert Street and followed that up to Lafayette Avenue and then to Falls Road.
Almost immediately, I could feel the exertion in my legs. This was the first time I had ridden a bike more than five blocks (ouch!) since I was in high school, and I'm no athlete. I'm a walker, not a biker. However, I was enjoying myself immensely. I did walk the bike a few times, but I still made it to Druid Hill park in about thirty minutes, which was 2.246 miles, according to an online pedometer application. Not a huge run for someone who's experienced, but I was out of breath by the time I got there.
I hung around at the lake for a few minutes, resting. A cute guy in jogging shorts sat near me on the wall, and I suspected that he was there looking for sex, but I just wanted to get back home. He did look good stretching, however.
The ride home was mostly down hill, and it was great to feel the wind rushing past. I stopped at a little place off the trail called Round Falls, where the Jones Falls River goes over a concrete lip. Not a scene of amazing natural beauty.
I did have to rest again on the way back, and I felt dizzy. I'm guessing that it was foolish to go out for unfamiliar exercise immediately after waking up without at least hydrating. Still, I did make it home and I'm feeling better. The return trip, even with the rest breaks, took about thirty-five minutes. I'll have to see how I can integrate more biking into my life. I'm sure I could use the exercise.
