50 miles
8hrs 35mins
Trip total 271 miles
We woke this morning to a light rain. By the time we finished eating breakfast the rain had stopped and we loaded up to leave. A mile or two down the road we pulled over to get our rain gear on; it was pouring. An hour later and we pulled into a McDonalds in Millsboro for a biscuit. By now the rain had stopped and the sun was out and the temp was in the low 70�s. This gave me an idea.
Since we rode 20 miles closer to our destination yesterday, today was only going to be about 30 miles. With the short miles and great weather why not ride to the coast? After talking with some locals we decided to ride to Fenwick Island and then along the coast until we turned west for Berlin, Maryland our home for the night. It sounded good at the time as I pulled out the map and started talking routes with the people gathered around us. Even Susan thought it was a good idea. We had our route laid out and we were off. I don�t know what happened, but I can tell you this, �No one on the Eastern Shore has a clue how to get anywhere.�
After a few miles I stopped to check our directions with a gentleman walking down the street. He quickly discarded my planned route and told us to go straight about four miles and then turn left. Then pass two lights and turn right and then look for 154. We did all that but could not find 154 so we stopped and asked a couple walking towards us how to get to 154 or Fenwick Island. They told us they didn�t have a clue about 154 but to get to Fenwick Island we needed to take the next left, then a dead end left, and then right at the blinking light across from the Lutheran Church. Nobody knew a street name or how far it was between turns. Anyway, we were off again and by now we had already racked up thirty miles and didn�t have a hint where we were. We did the left, and the left, but could not find a blinking light so we stopped again to ask for directions. This time from a young mom with two toddlers running around the yard who just stared at us like we had just landed from mars. It�s the lycra shorts I think. People just think you are weird when you wear lycra. Ok, it might be the bright jerseys, or the bike, or maybe the even the whole ensemble. Nevertheless, she said there was a blinking light back the way we came, but� all the beaches were in the direction we were headed. So we kept going the way we were headed.
A few miles later there was a blinking light and a Lutheran Church and waa-laa, there was state road 154. Before you knew it we were riding over Fenwick Island and down the grand strand of Ocean City. We stopped after a while and ate lunch. Susan wanted to actually stop and go to the beach, but I kept putting her off. I was holding out for a little less crowded area, and it was with great luck that no such area ever arose before we had to turn west towards Berlin. Some days things just always go right.
We pulled up to the Atlantic Hotel in Berlin around 3:00. The Atlantic is an old hotel from the late 1800�s that has been restored. It is beautiful inside and our third floor room had a great view of the town. It didn�t take us long to shower and hit the streets.
Again I went to the library and my email and Susan hit the shops and the antique stores. Susan and antique shops. She has to go in them. There's no way she can stop herself: it's Pavlovian. She has even managed to buy stuff too big to bike with. She just had them ship it home, but when we met back up she�s was complaining that the stores here were no good. Yes!!
So instead of continuing to shop we sat on the porch of the hotel and sipped Khalua and cream and ended the day with a great meal from the hotel. Some days you are the pigeon and some days you are the statue, and today I was the pigeon!
