Cape May/Lewes/Rehoboth Beach (by Car)

Cape May, NJ is generally considered the Country’s oldest seaside resort, having been a destination (largely from Philadelphia) since the mid 1800s. Its claim to fame are the many Victorian homes along the Atlantic coast and historic district.

The ferry across the Delaware Bay was pleasant, and served as a reminder that my next adventure needs to be at sea, and lasting longer than about an hour.

In 1631 Dutch whalers and traders came to Lewes (pronounced Lew-is), DE, but all 32 colonists were wiped out a year later by the local Lenape people who, some would say with justification and certainly with extreme prejudice, took exception to these unwelcome interlopers. In 1673 it was again held by the Dutch before being burned to the ground by English colonists from Maryland.

In 1682 Delaware (“Dela-where?”) was given to Wm. Penn by King Charles II as a payment for a debt. With typical English determination, the colony then thrived as a fishing, agricultural and trading center. Representatives from Delaware were the first to ratify the Constitution, hence the motto, “The First State”. Though rarely seen on America’s roads, one can read this on the license plates of the estimated 980,000 cars registered here… the lowest among all the states. By contrast, California has over 36 MM.

Lewes remains peaceful, quiet and quaint, an out-of-the-way destination compared to nearby Rehoboth Beach, from which I will start pedaling westward tomorrow morning.