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Bike Commuting from UMBC to West Catonsville
Once every year or so, I have occasion to bike commute from UMBC to the western part of Catonsville, MD, during afternoon rush hour. I’m still trying to find a route I like, that doesn’t require dealing with really heavy traffic. The first time I did this, I took this route: Exit UMBC via Hilltop…
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Catonsville Route Tweak, Revisited
Unexpectedly summer-like weather for the ride in this morning. It wasn’t hot, but the humidity was out in full force, and I worked up a good sweat. A front is supposed to sweep through today and drop the temperatures. I brought a rain jacket because there’s a 50% chance of showers later, but now I’m…
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First Day of Classes
So today, I rode the upper Grist Mill Trail through Patapsco State Park, took River Rd. to Ellicott City, then rode up Oella Ave. and into Catonsville via the No. 9 Trolley Trail. No issues at all until I went to turn from Bloomsbury Ave. onto Asylum La. to cut through Spring Grove. Asylum was…
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Catonsville Route Tweak
Today was my last day at the office, and my last bike commute, until November 15. Lest I go into serious withdrawal, I’m going to try to work a couple of recreational rides in over the next couple of weeks. Come the 15th, my afternoon rides will be in the dark again, so I’ll need…
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Jinx
No sooner do I brag about a “perfect April,” when the dream is crushed. Had a late-afternoon emergency at work, coupled with a hard deadline of 5:30 to get home, so I had to call for a ride. Then the next day, I had to take the car so I could retrieve my bike. So…
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This morning’s ride
Being that this may be my last ride for a week or so, considering the weather forecast, I decided I’d depart from February tradition and try to do a longer morning ride. I took the fixed-gear and rode out to the park entrance at Ilchester Rd, but the Grist Mill Trail was still too snow-covered…
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Never a dull day..
You never know what kind of weather you’re going to get in winter, and this morning was a perfect example. We got a “surprise” light frosting of snow/sleet/rain overnight. No mention of it whatsoever in yesterday’s forecast. By the time I had to leave, the system had moved out, but the roads were still wet,…
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Squeak
I dusted off the road bike for the start of the work week. I hadn’t ridden it in two weeks. Yesterday I tightened up my rear derailleur cable. It took a full turn and a half of the barrel adjuster to get it to shift onto larger cogs without hesitating. Anyhow, it paid off –…