We were on our bikes about 8:30 AM for a brisk, windy Sunday morning ride. We only needed a few miles to complete our 100. At one point on the ride I felt as though if I stopped pedaling I would go backwards. We took the same trail as yesterday. We didn’t see the canal yesterday so that was our destination.
Canal that runs to Delaware Bay.Flower gardens planted on what was once the rail bed.Such a beautiful trail in the morning sunlight.
By the time we returned to the campground we had completed our Delaware 100 with some to spare. Great to be able to mark off another state.
We arrived in Morgantown,WV this evening and plan to ride the Mon River Trail tomorrow. It was recently voted a Hall of Fame Trail.
We departed the T.S. Smith & Sons farm this morning around 9 AM. We had planned to ride a trail at Trap Pond State Park but since it was such a short trail we decided to pass and head for Lewes. We needed to empty our tanks and get more fresh water. Fortunately we found Tall Pines Campground which is practically right on Georgetown-Lewes trail.
We really can’t say enough nice things about this trail. The surface was asphalt and in perfect condition. Any area where there was a chance of going off the trail had fencing and berms. My only issue – both trails were very busy which is what we had expected for this area on a Saturday. Maybe 50% of riders and walkers wore a mask.
Tall pines along the Georgetown- Lewes Trail.
Homes along the trail were beautifully landscaped. Many had paths from their yards that lead to the trail.
Rails left by the railway. The trail is adjacent to the rails. Some areas where the old trail bed was above the bike path people had used the area to plant flower gardens.Smelled them, saw them in their pasture but no cows crossed our trail. It would have been fun.
This trail joined seamlessly with the Junction-Breakwater Trail which is another excellent trail. It winds through Cape Henlopen State Park next to wetlands and farms. The trail ends in Rehoboth Beach. We had planned to ride on the roads through that area but traffic and other bikers would have made for a treacherous ride.
Junction & Breakwater Trail. Surface was crushed stone and in excellent condition.
It was almost 5 PM when we arrived back at the motorhome and getting quite cold. There had been a brisk wind all day and I was chilled. Coldest day of riding yet. We only have a few miles to finish our Maryland 100 and hope to be pedalling early in the morning to complete.
The Michael Castle Trail follows the northern shore of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal from Delaware City to very near the Delaware/Maryland border.
There are 2 bridges in this picture. We were parked near the larger bridge and drove over it to head south.
The C&D Canal which links the Chesapeake Bay to the Delaware River is one of the world’s busiest. Much of the shipping from the Port of Baltimore goes through here.
Old pilings along the canal.
For us it meant an interesting and scenic ride. We parked at a trailhead in St George’s and headed east into Delaware City.
Shops in Delaware CityDelaware City on canal and near Delaware River.
We enjoyed a short pedal through Delaware city. The aroma of fish and chips cooking made our mouths water.
This cemetary was along the trail near Delaware City.This all black cemetary was rediscovered in 1990. It is the resting place of 5 of the more than 200,000 United States Colored Troops who served in the Union Army during the civil War. Looks like the end of the trail but we found the route around Summit North Marina to continue our ride.Summit North Marina
The route up around the Marina provided some nice strenuous hills and fun downhill runs. Gotta have some hills to keep it interesting.
Lenny found this lift bridge fascinating. It was down when we were headed west and raised on our return.
We are spending the night at another Harvest Hosts. This time a farm.
Harvest Hosts, T.S. Smith and Sons Farm Market.Got pumpkins? Yes, all shapes and sizes.
We visited the market upon our arrival and stocked up on fresh bread, tomatoes, chicken pies and blueberry cobbler. We have a nice quie place to park beside their office for the night.
Yesterday was a travel day. We left the campground in Woodbine, Maryland in the afternoon after spending the morning watching the tour, getting our bikes cleaned and getting the motorhome in order. We enjoyed seeing the Port of Baltimore and imagining what cargo comes and goes from there. We experienced the Fort McHenry Tunnel that travels under the Baltimore Harbor on I-95. Underwater in the motorhome – yikes!!
We spent last night in Elkton, Maryland at the Maryland Beer Company. They are part of Harvest Hosts and we were welcomed to stay on their property for the night. We enjoyed their Octoberfest craft beer and pizza in their taproom which has a large window looking into the brewery.
Spent quiet night at Maryland Brew Company.
We were only about 20 minutes from where we planned to park for access to the Nothern Delaware Greenway. Parking in Alapocas State Park was $8.00 for the day. There were only a few vehicles in this huge parking area.
The trail was described as being “filled with rolling curves and short drops”. I would described it as steep hills, twists and turns, long inclines and no flat areas. One person said it was no walk in the park. We agree. After saying all that, with what breath we have left, we enjoyed the challenge.
Rock walls along trail.Near Brandywine Zoo.
We were parked in about the middle of the trail. The western section ended in Wilmington along the Brandywine Creek. It was a beautiful area and the trail through the hills of Alapocos State Park was beautiful.
The eastern section was not as well traveled and ended in Bellevue State Park. The hills were not as steep but there were some very long incline – fun going down work on our return.
Stone wall along trail.Trail end was very abrupt!
Not many pictures to show for our efforts. Honestly it was too difficult to stop on the uphills and I was desperate not to waste my momentum on the downhills.
We drove to New Castle for an evening ride on the Jack A. Markell Trail.
This trail runs from New Castle through the Peterson Wildlife Refuge to downtown Wilmington on the Christina River. What a fun evening ride.
View of 2,300 foot boardwalk over marsh of Peterson Wildlife Refuge.
Wilmington, Delaware from top of boardwalk
We really enjoyed the river walk area in downtown Wilmington. Many restaurants, miniature golf, a riverboat and many areas to sit and relax. I imagine before the pandemic this area would have been thriving. Restaurants were open – no waiting for tables and we were able to ride our bikes at will along the riverwalk.
Constitution Yards is a summer only beer garden on the riverwalk. Would have stopped for a beer if not for the 8 mile pedal back to motorhome. Large cranes are part of the boardwalk.Education Center overlooks Christina River and marsh.
We are 35 miles into our Delaware 100. There are not many long trails in Delaware so we will be experiencing many different trails and areas of the state. We are heading south tomorrow.
