LEG 1 DAY 2
ASSATEAGUE ISLAND NATIONAL SEASHORE TO
BIG MEADOWS CAMPGROUND SHENADOAH NATL. PARK
309 MILES TODAY - 499 MILES TOTAL

I wake up rather slowly as usual, having spent a good part of the night on the beach stargazing. Breaking down camp, loading the bike and preparing breakfast can really eat up some time. Late start, as I am headed for some Eastern Shore backroads to capture more of that shore "vibe"...

Pointed West

Crossing the bridge over Sinepuxent Bay I am reminded of bicycle ride with my sister Maureen. We had attempted a ride from Ocean City in near gale force winds to this very spot. We called for a lift not long after this point. A hurricane had decided to park offshore and ruin our week at the ocean - we made the best of it.

Right after the bridge or left I should say, I stop into the visitor's center. Here I pick up my national parks passport. A goofy little book mimicked after official passports, in which you stamp official cancellations by region of each national park, monument, etc. that you visit. I thought it would be a neat souvenir of my trip since I plan on hitting as many parks as possible.

Assateague Dunes

Retracing 611 North out of the park I link up with 376 into historic Berlin, MD. I pick up 374 out of Berlin still looking for that shore vibe finding only farm vibe. I give up in Salisbury and settle for the main route to make up some time. Interstate Route 50 here on Maryland's Eastern Shore is a four lane divided limited access road. Meaning there are red lights and 80 mph tractor trailers. Not horrible but not what you would good motorcycling. A little mid afternoon rain but nothing substantial.

Approaching the William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge (Who Knew?) aka The Bay Bridge which carries me over the largest estuary in the world, my beloved Chesapeake Bay. When living abroad, in my case I mean away from home, you really appreciate and miss the Bay. It has a certain aura unlike other bodies of water. Maybe its the smell, unlike the ocean, definitely unlike the Great Lakes.

Windy up here on the bridge, a scary 4.3 miles crossing dumps me into increasing traffic as I near the Baltimore Washington Megapolis. Again retracing my previous route I am heading down 301 South, I guess I am permitted since this was the shake down run. If I had forgotten anything I was going to head back home before the push west. West on Route 4 now and onto the dreaded Washington Beltway, unfortunately the only logical route I can see to my destination, Skyline Drive.

All and all not as bad as I had feared, things got a little sticky at the 66 interchange but I was able to use the HOV lane once on Route 66 (I don't think its part of the historic route, although it is an interstate?) As I approach Front Royal, VA the scenery and road is much better. A great sigh of relief as I enter Skyline Drive and Shenandoah National Park, putting my national park pass to use.

More memories here, I used to visit Shenandoah National Park quite often with an ex-girlfriend. Somehow these places feel very different on the motorcycle like I am seeing them for the first time. I finally realize that I had always entered at Thornton Gap not at Front Royal. I think Skyline Drive was engineered for motorcycling. The frequency of the turns is akin to being rocked in a cradle. At the end of the day you feel as if you were in the ocean all day, endlessly rocking.

Skyline Drive

Looks like my only camping option within the park is Big Meadows since it is still early in the season. The campground was great. Showers (always a surprise), laundry and deer grazing right in the campsite. I met another motorcyclist down from Boston, on a Yamaha I believe, don't recall his name.

Another great night under the stars.