August 2, 2010, Monday

Gypsy Stats: 152 mi

5 hrs 37 min elapsed time

4 Hr 04 min riding time

37.3 mph average speed

Beemer Stats: 38 mph average speed

48 mpg

Just Lindsey today: ’07 BWM R1200R (grin)

Well, Zoe was back in Rhode Island at summer school, Jo was at work, business partner Marcus was off sailing on Gazela so I was home alone looking at the lawn which needed to be mowed or …. thinking about a crab cake sandwich for lunch in Chesapeake City MD. Crab cakes won – go figure.

We don’t often head south. The roads through the Pennsylvania Valley and Ridge Province tend towards twisties and grins, while the Coastal Plain lends itself more to flat, straight and boring (from a motorcycle perspective), so north or west over the mountains usually wins. But I had a hankering to take a look at the city-under-the-bridge and the idea of a good Maryland crab cake had a huge appeal this morning, so south I went.

The ride itself was pretty uneventful, but there is always something exciting about approaching big water, and the swooping bridge that carries MD Rt 213 up into the sky and over the C&D canal is a treat in any vehicle, especially out in the open on a motorcycle. On the south side of the canal, I took the immediate exit and doubled back under the bridge approach to Rt 186. The bridge over the C&D rises so high to clear the commercial vessels in the canal below that by the time it makes it back to earth, it has completely by-passed Chesapeake City, which sits on the bank of the canal. As result, the town looks like it has been by-passed by time itself. The historical district is made up of very old clapboard houses, now mostly converted to B&B’s, Antique Shops, and other attractions for the tourists who appear to be the backbone of the town economy. But it is a beautiful, peaceful settlement, sitting by the canal with vessels of all types slipping quietly by while the daily traffic passes far overhead on the flying buttress of a bridge which dominates the view.

Today was the first trip with the new rear luggage rack, new tank bag, and GPS shifted up so it does not interfere with the tank bag as the handlebars are turned. I am basically trying out all of the gear and loading for multi-day motorcycle camping, so a photo of the how we're ridin' is in order.

Lunch was a crab cake sandwich at the tavern on the main drag, as promised. Unfortunately, it was pretty mediocre and the bread (an ersatz Kaiser roll) was atrocious. Oh well…. Still, it’s a good reason for a ride – just means I keep going back and looking elsewhere until I find a really great crab cake, at which point, I have a reason to go back again later to have another really great crab cake, and then go back again with friends so they can try the really great crab cake….

After lunch, I stopped in at the C&D Canal Museum. The museum is in the pump house holding the 14 ft diameter cypress bucket wheel which was used to pump water into the upper level of the canal (when it had locks) until it (the canal) was cut through to sea level in about 1929. The wheel and the two 3 ft diameter x 7 ft stroke walking beam steam engines which powered it are still there beautifully preserved. When it ran, the wheel turned at 1½ RPM and pumped 1.2 Million gal per hour into the canal from Back Creek. Amazing. I love this old technology. If you want to know more, I recommend a day trip the Chesapeake City to see the museum yourself. It won’t take too long, but it’s well worth the look.

The ride home up Rt 896 through Newark, DE (past Molly’s alma mater) and north the back way home through “Blow Horn”, Doe Run, Ercildown, Coatesville, etc. was pleasant and uneventful - always a plus on a motorcycle ride at the end of the day.