Cycling Day (CD 1): Rehoboth Beach, DE to Denton, MD. 63 miles/178’ gain

It was a bit chilly when I dipped the back wheel in the Atlantic at Rehoboth Beach, but otherwise the weather today was fine (compared to two prior days of rain).

The challenges began almost immediately after leaving the boardwalk, as the bike path from Rehoboth to Cape Henlopen SP in Lewes was closed. Perhaps as I was then virtually in the ocean, the GPS didn’t register anything, so I was lost, and finding myself “somewhere”, had to resort to my phone to find a way, a busy way along Hwy 1, to Lewes.

Once there, however, riding the Georgetown - Lewes bike path and quiet country roads was sublime.

Passing through Milton, DE., (“Home of 5 Governors”) I was struck by how tidy and well managed this area appeared to be… a very stark contrast to much of what Leslie and I saw when on the Southern Tier tour and passing through rural AZ, NM, MS and AL.

Outside Elllendale, DE

Rarely did I see a farm that didn’t appear to be prospering as well, although surprisingly few crops were actually emerging from this very fertile country.

I can’t recall the last time I did a “metric century” with only 178’ of elevation gain. It is hard to get out of Vancouver (WA) city without gaining 200. It’s surprisingly tiring having to pedal all the time. “Just you wait, ‘Enry ‘Iggins.” There will be hills aplenty soon enough.