We were supposed to be like Washington crossing the Delaware, getting on barges to cross the Susquehanna from Perryville to Havre de Grace in Maryland. But somehow the boat people thought this was happening on Wednesday, not Monday. So we became more like Dunkirk, mustering vehicles of every size to get us across the no-bikes-allowed bridge.
Too bad. I had been looking forward to that part of the adventure.
The day began with a wonderful press event with Delaware Gov. Markell, who it turns out had taken about 60 people on a 55-mile ride Governor’s Ride on Sunday. The route that’s being developed to New Castle 7 miles away, through the marsh by Wilmington’s Russell Peterson Wildlife Refuge and then an abandoned rail line sounds fabulous. But it won’t be ready until the end of 2017 (I’ll bet delays, so 2018).
The governor spared no words when he heard about the route we would be taking: Not great.
And he was right, since we were on busy State Highway 9 (with wide shoulders) for a good chunk of it.
But that’s the whole point of the East Coast Greenway: Working with government and local advocates to create multi-use routes that help people get around town, get to work and get to the next town. And there certainly were some other stretches of the route that are nowhere near family-friendly.
Some sights in Wilmington, within sight and earshot of an interstate:
This last tale comes from lunch in Northeast (yes, the name of a town in Maryland), where one person was pretty emphatic that the place to go was a seafood restaurant. Somehow I ended up with a fast group of guys and we were the first in (only, I think, because an even faster group took some detours). As we were waiting for our soft-shell sandwiches, a group of women at the next table leaned over and asked if we, being bikers, knew where to find a bike shop. Turns out one had a flat. So I helped take the wheel off, and Jack did the repair work.
Total miles for the day: 56.
Exploring by bicycle 
And you are surprised that you ended up with the fast team? It’s the way it ought to be.
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