NBBB first 2008 ride.

Dan, F and I took a nice long ride Sunday for the North Baltimore Bike Brigade’s first ride of 2008. We met at the Watertower after F and I exchanged something at Atomic Books and headed down University Parkway to San Martin Drive, to Druid Hill Park, around the park and neighborhood and then through Woodberry and up the long hill to Roland Park.

On University Parkway, there are bike lanes where I live and new ones in front of the stadium at Hopkins. Between 40th Street and the new lanes past San Martin Drive, there are bike route indicators. I was feeling good about this as I rode over one. While they are not as nice as bike lanes, they raise awareness. And now the wanker that gives you shit for being on the road can be reminded that cyclists in Maryland are afforded the right to be on the road — though not to hog it, you asshole tight-pants weekenders riding three across because you’re scared of the big bad city. Anyway, I was admiring the raised paint when some jackass almost hit me. He wanted to make a right onto Tudor Arms, and he/she was not looking at me and almost ran me over at least a hundred feet from his/her turn. I gave him/her the extended, full-arm and verbal single digit salute, once I realized that I almost got run over. I was in the front, and Dan and F yelled, “John[ny]!!” I could have keyed his Volvo, he was so close.

Hmm, maybe I should make a Freddy-styled pair of bike gloves with old keys on the tips for such bad drivers who deserve their precious paint on their cars to have F. U. C. K. U! scratched into the side.

Wait, that might be hard to scratch while riding. But I could at least pay them back for their almost flattening me with something to remember me by, in addition to the bike fat finger.

Anyway, we had a great ride. The part of the city we live in is one of the highest points in Baltimore, so there are lots of hills to race down and to muscle up. It all, all of it, the whole thing, builds character. Despite the cold, we were sweaty and thirsty at the end. So we celebrated in my apartment with some Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout.