Easy Covered Bridges--Frederick, MD

We (as in me, Lisa, Laurie, Marcelle, Deidre, and Katie) took off today from Lewistown ES in Lewistown, Maryland to do the Frederick Pedalers "Easy Covered Bridges Ride." I read about this ride in Bicycling Magazine's article, "The Best Bike Ride in Every State." There are several iterations of this ride, but the cue sheet for the ride we did today is here. 

It didn't take too many miles--maybe 5?--before we came to our first bridge. That's Lisa W.'s forehead.

I like Maryland alot--I said several times today that I think it's the most underrated state. But do I like it enough to stay forever?

I was surprised by how rural the area was--so close to route 270. It seemed like a pretty wonderful place to be. Here are Katie and Lisa leading the way.

And Laurie, Deidre, and Marcelle bringing up the rear.

We had the most perfect weather. Beautiful fluffy clouds. Mid 70s. Nothing like a typical August day in Virginia, but of course, this was Maryland: the most underrated state!

Bridge number two was especially picturesque. Or maybe I just thought so because it was where Marcelle and I finally got to pee. Note for next time: park and public bathrooms at bridge number 2.

Always like that view through the bridge but it never looks quite as good in the pic.

Every bridge needs something to go over. The creek.

A cool big barn in bad light.

Coming into Emmitsburg at about mile 16 or 17. All of us feeling hungry and looking for a place to stop.

Cute little town! This may have been the only traffic light.

We find our lunch spot.

Nothing like lunch with a stand of sun flowers watching over you.

After lunch, we rode through Mount St. Mary's College which features some beautiful old buildings.

Laurie was wondering if it's a Catholic school. I think we can find the answer to that in this huge gold plated statue of Mary rising up out of the hillside.

And we're back on the open road.

Laurie, Deidre, Lisa, Katie, and Marcelle riding in formation.

 And we finally come to bridge number three. I don't know, around mile 25? And it was inhabited by a bunch of motorcyclists. We stopped to video tape them coming through the tunnel.

Here we are feeling strong!

The last bridge had some really nice light. The sign said built in 1850-something. Or was it 1870? Can't remember exactly.

I do wonder what the original purpose was for a covered bridge. To protect from ice?

Or maybe just to give us something beautiful to look at on our travels.

 Thanks Maryland. A great day and a great ride!

Distance: 34 miles

Speed: 13.8 mph

Corolla to Kitty Hawk, NC

After 20-something years of coming to the Outer Banks with the Vaughns, I finally had a chance to ride from Corolla to Kitty Hawk. Riding in the Outer Banks is nothing short of hellishly boring, especially when you've been doing the same winding through the neighborhoods then out-and-back ride over and over--alone. And it's even worse when there's a big wind to negotiate--which there often is at Thanksgiving. So it was a real treat to ride to John's with Laurie today.

We took off at 7am to try to beat the traffic for what we planned would be a 40 mile ride past John's into Nags Head and back to John's. Mike and Steve agreed to come meet us for lunch, so no backtracking!

The sun was just coming up over the dunes when we left.

We took the beach road for the first three miles, knowing our chances to ride two abreast would be few and far between.

One of the less savory moments: passing what must be a waste treatment plant just 4 miles in. It truly smells like poop.  And rotten fish. Mixed together.

We stopped for a view of the bay while passing through Duck.

A mile up the road, this beautiful bike lane will disappear and traffic will start to pick up as we leave Duck and head into Southern Shores.

In Southern Shores, Laurie and I took a detour down memory lane and found the first house we ever stayed in on Circle Drive. It was a mere 34 years ago!

The view from the old beach access we used to use in Southern Shores. We stopped here to eat our PB&Js before moving on. This is about mile 20.

Here are the houses the Melansons and Hansens stayed in when the whole neighborhood used to go together.

And here is the house Steve and I rented with mom and dad when Connor was just 2. They added a garage, I think, because I remember it on stilts.

And we arrive in Kitty Hawk - which I have always thought was Nags Head proper until I saw a sign for Nags Head further south!

The beach in Kitty Hawk.

The houses here are right on the water, with no protection from a storm. As they fall into the ocean, one by one, they are not replaced. So the beach has big holes where there are no houses, like the one where I am standing. These folks have such prime real estate, but they also live with knowing any day could be the last.

If you look in the distance on the left, you can see huge pipes where they are connecting to the industrial looking boats out in the ocean. Laurie and I thought they were setting up to drill for oil (I saw a No Drilling in NC sign earlier), but were relieved when Mike told us they are dredging boats, pulling sand from the ocean floor to make a berm that stretches in front of all these houses.

I just thought this view was cool. It shows how there is nothing between the houses and the water.

More pictures of town.

John's--where we'll come back for fried dolphin boats and milkshakes in about an hour.

Happy to see an old fave is still up and running!

Here's a sentimental stop for Laurie who used to come here with the Riddles back in the day.

We thought it would be fun to ride up to the Wright brothers memorial (and get in one hill!).

 But it cost $7 just to go up to the monument, so we took in the view instead--pathetic!

This is the road after we turned around and headed back North to go to John's. So the ocean is on the right, just over that dune. We could hear the water when the cars weren't passing.

After 42 miles, we arrive a John's!

And everyone else arrives soon after.

On the way out, we showed the kids the Blarney, the "shack" we stayed in one summer with the kids. Claire was 9mos. old, Connor was 4. We could walk to John's and I think those milkshakes were the highlight of the week (it rained almost every day).

And that's it! A great day for riding! 82 degrees, no clouds, no wind, and a car ride home! Can't ask for better--esp. at the beach!