September 2005

Annalee at the City Dock in Crisfield

My Labor Day Weekend Ride

My Labor Day weekend ride was inspired by a book called Beautiful Swimmers by William W. Warner.  It’s about the watermen, crabs, and the Chesapeake Bay.  I decided to do a two day adventure on my motorcycle (2003 BMW F650 GS) that would take me to some of the areas on the Eastern Shore of Maryland that are described in the book.

I started from home on Sunday about mid-morning with my destination being the historic town of Crisfield, MD.  This was the first time I would be traveling over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on my motorcycle and it was rather thrilling.  I arrived at the quaint town of St. Michaels and enjoyed a lunch of tasty hot crab dip in a loaf of French bread at the local Character’s Café.  Since I had never been all the way out to Tilghman Island, I rode along the lovely stretch of about 18 miles as far as I could go before the road turned gravelly.  There were plenty of folks walking and riding bicycles and motorcycles.

Instead of going straight back to Route 50, I decided to take the ferry from Bellevue to Oxford crossing the Tred Avon River.  It was a beautiful day and the ferry ride was refreshing with plenty of sailboats dotting the water.

Then back out to Route 50 I was crossing the Choptank River into Cambridge, where I picked up Route 16 W.  Several years ago I had ridden my bicycle through the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, and now I wanted to ride this expansive wildlife refuge on my motorcycle.

Roads 335 and 336 , and another that seemed unmarked, took me through about 40 miles of marshlands with tall grass.  I got a little lost at one point by going too far on what still seemed to be 336, and ended up at a narrow gravel road.  I stopped at the old graveyard at Bishops Head and pulled out my map.  I knew I had missed the turn, but the roads were not well marked so I followed my instincts, the shadows, and a couple of Maryland Scenic by-Way signs that took me out again to Route 50 at Vienna, MD.

Since it was now about 6 PM I decided to find a hotel, have some dinner, and get ready for tomorrow’s adventure.  I checked into a motel in Salisbury and then rode to dinner at the Old Mill Crab House where, of course, I ate crab cakes.  This restaurant is actually in the town of Delmar, DE, but only a few miles from the motel.  There was a beautiful sunset as I road back to the motel.

On Monday at about 10 AM, I climbed back onto my bike and was very happy that I had recently invested in a sheepskin buttpad.  My bike had performed great, but was a little dusty from the first day’s 275 miles. 

I rode Route 13 S to Route 363 W on my way to Deal Island, one of the places where the crab boats come in.  Initially, this fifteen mile ride is beautifully tree lined.  It then opens up to a flat expansive area of low growing bushes and marshland, where I experienced wonderful peace and calm in the treat openness.  There are a couple of very small towns which I passed through before the bridge over to Deal Island.  Much to my surprise, there were yard sales all along the roadside before and on the other side of the bridge.  I stopped in Wenona and visited Webster’s General Store.  I stood by the large pile of crab pots by the water and snacked on some crackers.  I rode back out to the highway and was on my way to Crisfield, about 45 minutes away.

Route 413 splits off and is the main route in Crisfield where I arrived a little after noon.   There is a city dock area where locals and visitors alike gather; and several cruise boats that sail over to Smith Island and Tangier Island.  I spent some time just enjoying looking out at the water and the boats.  Maybe at a future time, I’ll take the boat trip, but at this point I wanted to get some lunch and head back home, which I figured would take about three to four hours.

I found the Harborside Lighthouse Restaurant and had a crab cake sandwich as I enjoyed the water view.  A woman at another table and I struck up a conversation; and by the end of our lunch, she had joined me at my table and we exchanged email information.  She and her husband moved to Crisfield several years ago from our hectic metro area and they love the town, its people, and the slower pace of life.

I arrived safely home by about 6 PM, a little tired, having traveled 513 miles on my two day adventure.  I had the opportunity for reflection and was very much enriched by the beauty of the Chesapeake Bay area.

Becca Lichtenstein Assistant Chapter Director

Biking with Becca

With September in full swing, I am reminded that the “prime” riding season is coming to an end in just a few short weeks.  We have been lucky to have excellent weather most of the season.  Personally, I have put quite a few miles on my bike this year and only got caught in minor bad weather a time or two.

Just because the season is slowing down, it doesn’t mean the Capitol Cruisers won’t be in full swing the rest of the year.  There are many events and rides that are forthcoming.  Rockville H-D has a couple open house events, which I would like to have a presence at to promote WOW and possibly raise money for Susan G. Komen.  We will, of course, continue our monthly rides as long as conditions are safe.  We will have our holiday party sometime in December also.  In January, the International Motorcycle Show will need WOW to help out again.  I believe we should use the time that we can’t ride as time to attend activities, promote our club, and educate ourselves and others about motorcycles.

Of course the other alternative is to get some heated clothing and keep on riding!

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