Later, when the first few warmer days arrived in spring I was happy, but I still struggled to recover from the injury and the overall exhaustion from my winter rides. Quite pitiful considering I didn’t ride any long routes for two, three or more hours but only my daily commute to work. In June, I finally began to feel up and ready for a few longer rides again and started to work on it again.

Last week I started to record my rides and workouts again, inspired by the MapMyRide.com Tour de France challenge, and I will continue this until later in fall or winter. Next winter I plan to walk more, especially on bad-weather days, and perhaps keep the rides for the less ugly days. I’m not sure if I can keep myself off the bike yet, but I will try. Hopefully I can get through the cold months without doing that damage to myself again.

Today I went out for a 50-something minute ride to Druid Hill Lake, passing the Baltimore Zoo, continuing on the Jones Falls Trail through Woodberry and back to the Hopkins campus on Clipper Mill Road, Falls Road, Wyman Park Drive. I totally forgot how pleasant and relaxing a ride can very early on a Sunday morning and not having to deal with rush-hour traffic, maniacal motorists, bus-drivers, trash trucks and filthy alleys. I had a hard time motivating myself, but as usual, I didn’t regret getting out of the house around 6am and riding on calm and quiet streets and through a beautifully smelling green of the park. What a contrast to the weekdays! It was just what I needed after a long week. Perfection.

My condition was surprisingly good, too. Usually I struggle my way up/down to work, but I didn’t have this problem today. Even on the uphill segments I managed to keep my calm and climb it without much pain. The mindset, unforced and stress-free mental state and the quiet, calming roads without any doubt have a huge impact on my own condition. Something to keep in mind whenever I don’t feel very motivated! Some stats:

Date/Time:

07/12/2009 06:16 AM

Route:

Homestead, Charles St, Hopkins Campus, Druid Hill Lake, passing the Baltimore Zoo, continuing on the Jones Falls Trail through Woodberry and back to Hopkins Campus on Clipper Mill Road, Falls Road, Wyman Park Drive, and back to Homestead.

Length:

Approx. 9.7 miles

Traffic:

Easy going most of the way.

Weather:

Warm and a bit humid, but still pleasant enough.

Bike:

Jamis Durango Hardtail Mod. with 26×2.2 Maxxis Holy Roller

Heartrate/Elevation:

(Heartrate recording didn’t work properly during the second half of the route.)

Date/Time:

06/25/2008 05:47 AM

Route:

Resumed last week’s route through Druid Hill Park to Baltimore Zoo, continuing on Druid Park Drive toward W 41st Street. This time continued Druid Park Drive, right onto Clipper Road, across the Woodberry lightrail station, right onto Clipper Mill Road all the way straight. Continued straight after it became Falls Road to Penn Station, then back uphill on North Charles Street. [Google Map]

“Oh bliss! Bliss and heaven! Oh, it was gorgeousness and gorgeousity made flesh. It was like a bird of rarest-spun heaven metal or like silvery wine flowing in a spaceship, gravity all nonsense now.” After I returned last week I checked the map and found that West 40th street was not necessary and that instead of just returning uphill to the zoo I should have continued across the Woodberry station. Clipper Mill Road was really pure bliss — what a beautiful and quiet road to ride on. This discovery finally allowed me to complete the old boring circles around the lake to a more complete route! Next I want to explore the park further north around Greenspring Avenue etc and make the route longer than the current  length of about 9.2 miles.

Length:

approx. 9.2 miles

Traffic:

easy going all the way

Weather:

very nice, sunny, fresh, very good air-quality

Bike:

Jamis Durango Hardtail Mod. with 26×2.5 Maxxis Hookworm

Heartrate/Elevation:

Date/Time:

06/20/2008 05:56 AM

Route:

Morning ride through Druid Hill Park to Baltimore Zoo, continuing on Druid Park Drive toward W 41st Street. U-Turn at WJZ-TV station, continue on Clipper Park Road, back uphill on Druid Park Drive and return via Druid Hill Lake, Wyman Park Drive and Hopkins Campus. [Google Map]

When I looked at the map I thought Druid Park Drive, West 41st Street, West 40th Street, East University Parkway, or West 41st Street/Falls Road or Roland Avenue might make a nice round trip. Druid Park Drive was a nice road to ride on, leading downhill fast. I remember driving on Falls Road when I used to work in Hunt Valley a few years ago, but I never explored this area by bicycle, so I wasn’t sure if this area is suited for cycling. When I reached West 41st Street it turned to something that looked like a highway and not remembering how long this segment was on the map, I wasn’t sure if I could continue riding there. So I made a u-turn and returned back uphill.

Interesting route — Oh, on the ground of Druid Park Drive I spotted not a penny or a dime, but a bullet! I don’t know, eight or nine millimeters? At least it wasn’t shot, but with a bullet there is usually a gun, too. Nice—makes me wonder if it’s really safe to ride there. Oh well, it’s the Wild West after all :)

Length:

approx. 9.9 miles

Traffic:

easy going all the way. A few cars on Druid Park Drive, but no busy or dangerous traffic.

Weather:

very nice, sunny, fresh, very good air-quality

Bike:

Jamis Durango Hardtail Mod. with 26×2.5 Maxxis Hookworm

Heartrate/Elevation:

Date/Time:

06/18/2008 06:02 AM

Route:

Morning ride through Druid Hill Park to Baltimore Zoo, around Druid Hill Lake, back via Wyman Park Dr. and Baltimore Museum of Art. [Google Map]

Length:

approx. 7.8 miles

Traffic:

easy going most of way, no dangerous segments. Busy at BMA; Hopkins campus or Falls Road might be better ways back.

Weather:

very nice, sunny, but fresh, very good air-quality

Bike:

Jamis Durango Hardtail Mod. with 26×2.5 Maxxis Hookworm

Heartrate/Elevation:

Date/Time:

06/11/2008 06:14 AM

Route:

Morning ride through Hopkins campus, around Druid Hill Lake, Falls Road, Penn Station and back to Waverly. [Google Map]

At Falls Road I saw that the city installed a new sign post with signed bicycling routes (!) pointing to Roland Park, Inner Harbor, Druid Hill and other destinations. That’s quite exciting news–will have to follow these routes soon and find out if there are any more signs. Almost feels like home :)

Length:

approx. 7.6 miles

Traffic:

easy going all the way, no dangerous segments

Weather:

nice, sunny, a bit cloudy, warm and good air-quality

Bike:

Jamis Durango Hardtail Mod. with 26×2.5 Maxxis Hookworm

Heartrate/Elevation:

Returning from Druid Hill Lake you make a right-turn onto Falls Road. A nice bike-path was created there that leads down all the way to Penn Station. From Penn Station you can ride down to Mt. Vernon and stay in the alley pretty much the whole way. It’s nice and safe to ride and there hardly is any traffic to deal with. From Mt Vernon you can ride North Charles Street straight down. It’s a busy street but it doesn’t feel very unsafe because there are plenty of lanes to ease the traffic density.

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