Rehoboth to Dover

Before departing Rehoboth Beach today, I stopped at the boardwalk to see what was the big deal. It was Memorial Day proper and rainy, so the area was relatively quiet. A few brave souls were on the beach or walking on the boardwalk. And the beach patrol was out training in their signature red suits (see the photo).

I then drove the short distance North to Dover. A drive which took far longer than it should have because of two accidents. No doubt the result of a bit too much Memorial Day weekend partying.

For the first state of the Union, there is not a lot to Delaware. A couple of wildlife refuges and an Air Force Base. As far as I can tell so far, that is about it. Yet, it produced a U.S. president.

When I arrive in an area, I like to get out, if only for a short while, to get a feel for the place. I either talk a walk downtown or on one of the ubiquitous riverwalk. Dover has neither; it is a town that grew up around a military base and caters to that demographic. My next step is to look for green spaces on the map. I saw that Silver Lake park was situated only about a mile from my hotel, which would make for a good walk after the drive. While it was an adventure crossing the four-lane highway with no light or crosswalk, I made it without incident.

This is a lovely park, built around a pleasant lake and tributary. Families were out enjoying the holiday and the pleasant weather. Many people were fishing, competing for the bounty with ducks and a Great Blue Heron. I took a different route back, one with a traffic light allowing me to safely cross the highway. The hotel manager mentioned they have been lobbying for a traffic light at that location as many hotels are on the other side of the highway from the town and businesses.

Tomorrow I will visit Bombay National Wildlife Refuge.