We live far from the ocean. I don't think in my heart of hearts I truly appreciated where I lived, until I couldn't drive 15 minutes, grab a coffee, and go park at the beach. "Oh, but you live near the Potomac River, certainly there are nice places to go to hang out there?" Some people have said to me.
Meh. Not really. Not places that I feel are my style, or affordable.
It takes about a half hour, maybe a little more, just to get to Annapolis from here. Which isn't the ocean, but it is a lot like Newburyport and I like it. It's a good place to visit.
I often suggest we take little trips over to Annapolis, and Doug will "meh" it off. Traffic, too many people, nowhere to park, etc etc. And now in the pandemic times, too many people is not the kind of thing either of us want to deal with.
So we head west into the mountains instead, where the state and national parks have a lot more space. I like the mountains and all. So it's nice to go there. But. It isn't the ocean. And I do miss the ocean.
We were supposed to take a trip to Williamsburg, VA on Saturday for my birthday, but I wasn't in the mood. Pandemic. We should stay home. We shouldn't be going places. And, after the boob prodding, my body is sore, and I'm a little bit cranky, and I just didn't want to do.
Doug had also looked at things to do and places to stay, and Williamsburg was looking pretty underwhelming. A lot of restaurants are closed, the tourist things that one would like to do are kind of not open. I had wanted to go see my friend who is now working at William and Mary, but then again, I wasn't feeling very social. I would want to have a visit in better spirits.
This pandemic, yo. This pandemic. Got me feeling beat. My turn to Meh.
I thought we'd be going to Annapolis or maybe just over the bridge to the direct other side of the bay.
We'd been to Easton and St. Michaels, and to Cambridge, and down to Salisbury. That always seemed like the farthest I'd want to go for a day trip.
But that isn't the ocean, he says. That's the Chesapeake Bay. He meant the ocean. He meant Ocean City, MD.
"Dude, that is far," was my reply.
"Yeah, but this is the time to go! It's going to be a beautiful day, it is off season, so hopefully not a lot of people will be there, and it's the ocean." And it is only a little further east than Salisbury so.
Okay. I guess.
We got up early (for us) had coffee, and were out the door at 9:30, made it there after noon.
The parking lot at the south end of town was sparsely occupied. Not sure where to start, we sat and looked at the inlet and the jetty across the way, enjoying the light on the water.
We walked up into the Boardwalk area, admired the roller coaster and the ferris wheel, both still and silent.
Some places were open, it had a feel of off-season and not pandemic times.
People seem to really like the French Fry vendors and the lines were long. Lots of your usual T-shirts and sassy tourist things, half of them open, half closed. I can just imagine some girl named Becky coming home with that face piercing, but no this time of year. We passed on getting me some soft serve ice cream, but let it be known I'm happy to know there is soft serve to be found, seeing as there isn't any near where we live.
Beachfront inns and hotels on the boardwalk were mostly closed, a couple of people were in the condos overlooking the beach, smoking on their balconies and people watching. In my head I was wondering if those were air b&b rentals of if they own them, and actually live there year round or on weekends or something. I had a twinge of envy looking out onto the beach and knowing that sunrises are probably spectacular.
We walked up a ways, playing pokemon and just enjoying the day. We found a place to have lunch but they had a very limited menu. Two cocktails and some wings, and our turn to people watch while sitting out socially distanced on the patio.
Lots of dogs, perfectly still ocean, no waves. Metal detectorists looking for that treasure, dude bros throwing the football, some with their shirts off, children climbing all over the walls and the play sculptures along the sand.
It was gorgeous. I really wanted for us to be staying in a hotel and not have to budge, and just walk further up the boardwalk to continue this kind of relaxing time. But I knew we'd be having to drive home, and it gets dark early these days.
Ocean City comes across as a far less desperate boardwalk than Atlantic City. There were wonderful restaurant patios everywhere, most closed, so I could imagine an early summer day here.
Atlantic City doesn't have all this boardwalk eatery action because they want your ass in the casinos. But this is the place to be. Relaxed, eating, drinking, and just looking at those two gorgeous golden retrievers walking this way.
Hello, ladies.
On our way back to the car, it seemed more people were coming out to enjoy the end of the day. Saw a lot of kids with soccer or sports shirts from their towns, a lot of local towns not far, so kind of a good thing to do if you live nearby. Wait until off season, and come down and enjoy the end of a warm day on the beach, before it gets too cold and dreary. Lots of families on bikes, lots more dogs.
And there was a Jeep beach drive, which in theory we could have joined because now we have a Jeep and it can probably drive on the beach. But we just watched and enjoyed. Probably 50 or so Jeeps, with a police escort. It wasn't dark yet but a few were decked out with lights that made them look like a rolling rave. And one had a Christmas tree on top.
Bye, Ocean City. See you later.
When it was time to go, Doug suggested we drive further north, go up to the end to Rehoboth Beach.
We pulled off a couple times to walk among the dunes, and got to enjoy a really nice sunset behind us, shining on the people with their cars on the beach (always freaks me out when people do this), spaced far apart with fishing poles and children and puppies.
The only thing missing that I would have loved were bonfires. No one had a bonfire. Not sure if that's against the law or what, but it would have made the scene.
I didn't take any pictures at Rehoboth, this one is from one of the pull offs between Dewey Beach and Bethany Beach, I think. By the time we got to Rehoboth, the sun was pretty much set, people were still playing on the beach, the boardwalk is different, and it is much more food focused than tourist t-shirt focused. I think if we head back maybe this is the better place to spend a weekend. I really liked it, liked the vibe, liked the beach. I was sad to leave but it was time.
It was dark.
Driving from Rehoboth to the west, it's pretty dark. The landscape of Delaware changes fast from beach resort to farmland, and it is dark. Two lane roads, no lights. Farm houses in the distance and the occasional drive-through Christmas light display at a church or a park. It felt like it took forever. I remember once we went to Baltimore from Atlantic City, and had taken the Cape May/Lewes Ferry, and drove through this area, but it was daytime and corn for miles. Night is a whole different thing.
We got gas right before Kent Narrows, and decided to get some dinner since we didn't have a decent lunch.
Doug pulled off 50 and into an area that is probably completely out of control in the summer.
We picked the first thing we saw, The Fisherman's Inn. I know my cousin Craig likes a place down there, and will drive over from Baltimore to go hang out, but I couldn't remember the name of it for the life of me (turns out, it is The Jetty, after he texted me back this morning. Duly noted).
I took this picture for Untappd, the beer check-in app I use, and I liked the glowing fish out of focus in the background.
We had this entire dining area to ourselves. There is a little train that goes around on a track up above the tables, it is really cute. There was a dad that carried his kid around the restaurant, obviously so mom could eat a meal in peace, and they were following the train as it came around the rooms of the restaurant. I think the little boy had to be about 15 months old at the very most, with his pacifier in his mouth, pointing up at the train when it came through the hole into the room, watching as it came all around. The dad apologized to us, but honey, I have lived this life. You're good, friend. You are good.
Then they left to walk along under the track into the next area. Wash, rinse, repeat. Eventually they didn't come back in. Mom must have finished dinner. Time to go.
Dinner was great, it was a really nice place to be, a little more expensive than I would have liked to pay but hell, it was my birthday weekend, right? No expense.
We got home at 9pm. All told a good day trip, and I have all my mental notes for a possible overnight one day in the Future Times when I'll feel more like going and being and participating in the world. If that time comes again to our culture. When we can all enjoy some Shenanigans, in all forms.
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