August 24, 2023
🎼🎹Plop Plop Fiz Fiz 🎹🎼
🎼🎹Oh What A Relief It Is 🎹🎼
🎼🎹Plop Plop Fiz Fiz 🎹🎼
🎼🎹Oh What A Relief It Is 🎹🎼
You old people sang that in your head, didn’t you? You youngins won’t get it. My butt gets it and has been singing that jingle since I got home and swung my leg off Shrek yesterday. Time to rest and heal. Clunk is excited too. Not sure how Shrek feels, he’s steel.
Deb and I left the Hampton Inn Seaford around 0800 with clouds threatening to rain on us, of course. Both Google and Komoot planned the same route home so I didn’t really double check to see if there would be any safety concerns like I usually do. Turns out many of the roads they chose were bike friendly and designated bike ways.
I did change the route slightly so we could stop and visit with Ms Connie B and her husband Tommy. Her gardens looked great as did the koi pond. We spent about a half hour catching up before hitting the back roads again.
There really is no place to stop in the middle of the shore for lunch so we stocked up on junk food at DG and rode home on a sugar high. I didn’t take many pictures as this is familiar territory with small farms and pine trees. Nothing too exciting. We did stop at an old cemetery to find the oldest dead dude…….born 1815, died 1886……maybe from an old civil war injury? Who knows. It surely was tough times back then as there were a number of children who didn’t make it past a few days or weeks.
No dirt roads today but Somerset county has chip sealed many of there back roads. They do a terrible job at it. Seems to me they don’t put enough tar down and most of the gravel just gets pushed off to the side or in thick piles that threaten to bring down bikes, even heavily loaded stable bikes like Shrek. I remember in Illinois (or was it Indiana? Or maybe Ohio? No I think was Montana!) I rode on chip seal that had been put down not 30 minutes before and it was smooth as new asphalt! Somerset needs to go out there and learn how it’s done. The roads here won’t be comfortable on a bike for months.
Our back roads journey took us through the historic village of Whitehaven and over the Wicomico River by ferry. Even though I’ve done that a thousand times it’s still a blast. There are always osprey, blue herons, and cormorants hanging around there. And an occasional eagle. I’m not a bald eagle fan as they are basically scavengers and thieves. I don’t think I have ever seen one fish for itself, but have watched them chase an osprey for miles trying to steal it’s catch. They are majestic to watch as they soar but so are the local vultures!!
As we came into the little village of Chance we were greeted by my brother in law Joe, daughter Molly, her BF James, and my wife Roxanne. So did I get the great big hug and kiss? NO! I got the “oh my god look at your beard and long hair”. And the “WHAT? YOU PIERCED YOUR EAR????!?!!!!” Yes, I have not shaved or cut my hair since May 29! Never had a beard before but I kinda like it. And I usually keep my hair short since I sweat like a pig and don’t like it dripping in my face. Might let that grow too. Man bun? And yes, I got my left earlobe pierced while in Annapolis. I’ve been thinking about doing it for sometime, as a celebration of completing this trip…….and as a reminder never to do a tour this long again!!!! Just a quarter mile from my Annapolis motel was a very nice tattoo place so I figured I’d go over and if they had time, I’d do it, if not I’d let it go. They did, I did. It was really a good experience. The girl that did it, Kyndall of Lucky Bird Tattoo, was great. Told me everything she was going to do, explained after care, was clean and gentle. Didn’t feel a thing!. She brought out a tray of studs I could purchase including some rather expensive precious stone studs, but I picked titanium to go with Clunk the Titanium knee.
So whataya think? Keep the beard? Long hair? Piercing?
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Go ahead and let me have it. I can take anything now.
So, did we get rained on? Of course we did but not too badly. Was there a head wind? Always a head wind getting home on Deal Island Road!!! Did you expect anything else from this trip?
Now I’m sure some of you are expecting a synopsis of this adventure and maybe some words of wisdom. Or maybe some philosophical tidbit from what I’ve learn along the way or how I’ve changed. Maybe later when I sit down to go over the thousands of pictures I’ve taken. But probably not. It is what it is……just a bike trip cross the U.S. on steel and titanium!!!!
PS: Chase, our rescued GSD who only knew me for nine months and who hates guys, actually remembered me and acted like a nut when he greeted me. I got lots of dog hugs and kisses and he ran around barking and whining and telling everyone I was back!
Today's ride: 59 miles (95 km)
Total: 3,845 miles (6,188 km)
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By the way, your title for today brought a chuckle. Last Dec. driving through CO with my daughter, we saw a horse lift its tail and plop, plop, fizz, fizz... I started singing the song and my daughter was hysterical with laughter for a long time! She did not know of the relief song!
Thanks for all the great posts!
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