We saw signs for a trail, but when we got to the parking lot, could only see a gravel trail. The man in the truck next to us had a bike in the back, so we asked him about it. He said that trail led to the trail we were looking for, so I expected that we'd find a a paved trail then. But no, when we got there, it was unpaved as well. I started out have attitude about it-- I'd read articles online about how great it was that they'd completed a trail from Rehoboth Beach to Lewes--to me, completing a trail means paving it.
The difficult part of an unpaved trail on our trikes is that we rest our heads on headrests, so our heads were being bounced like they are on the sections of our roads with tons of potholes. But after a few minutes of irritation, we got used to the head bouncing and were able to appreciate the trail. Almost all of it is shaded by the trees on both sides, so we were protected from the sun. There were a few spots where we went over bridges and could see salt water flats that lead to the ocean. A deer crossed the path in front of us at one point. Beautiful! Here's a picture of Liz on the trail:
By the time we had done the whole trail back and forth, we'd only gone 7 miles. What!?! Why had the media described it as a 6 mile long trail? Another one of life's mysteries.
We loaded our trikes in Liz's van and headed for Dogfish Head. Their parking lot (their very big parking lot) already had tons of cars in it at 11:30 in the morning. My favorite car had "To Rehoboth or Bust" sprayed on the back window. With Texas license plates. And people thought it was crazy to drive here from Massachusetts. Dogfish fans are loyal!
They had pieces of Liz-like art here and there on the grounds and in the brewery. This tree house--which you could climb up into via the spiral staircase--was my favorite:
We each got a souvenir glass for testing the beer, which came in handy, because I could get 2 kinds of beer at once. They had a bunch of different beers available--I started out with the goal of testing them all. A few sips into the first one made me realize that I'd better get some food in me if I was going to be able to test more than one. They had a vendor there who sold barbecued ribs, so we each got a serving. Wow--those were great ribs! They may have been the best ribs I'd ever eaten. I ate very slowly, getting more beers to drink with the ribs. It was good having the two glasses, because there were long lines to get beer. This was the first time they had done this festival and they didn't have the systems down to handle the crowd.
Liz finished her ribs and I settled down on a couch to continue eating and drinking. With my broken vertabrae, I can only sit with no back support on with on a hard backed chair for a limited time. Or stand for that matter. I had been worried about whether I'd have a place to sit at Dogfish Head, so was relieved to see leather chairs and couches in the reception area, with half beer barrels as coffee tables. I shared the clinch with a 6 month old baby named Gabriel and his mother, so I had entertainment while Liz checked out the exhibitors and the company store. She need up buying a piece of art by the guy who designs the Dogfish Head labels, some T-shirts, and a hat.
After trying about 8 types of beer, I had a pleasant buzz and was done. I hadn't tried the IPAs, but I don't like super hoppy beers, and while I like a buzz, I don't like being drunk. It was time to go. We drove out the coastal highway and found a nice beach with not many people on it. The Reboboth Beach beach was a city of umbrellas. Here's Liz on the beach:
We stepped into the water, but didn't go swimming. The eater temperature was good, but the waves were crashing right on the beach and there was a big drop off where they were crashing. I was worried about being tossed in the surf--that's happened to me many times, but never when I was worried about having my bones broken. So I layer in the sand while Liz hunted for shells. The great thing about electronic books is I can download them on my phone and iPad, and whichever one I'm using, it takes me to the furthest page I've gotten to on either device. I first thought I wouldn't like reading on my phone because of the small screen--now I don't notice the difference.
After hanging out on the beach, we explored the coastal highway. On the map, it looks like you're driving on this narrow spit of land with water on both sides of you. And while that is true, the unfortunate part is you can't see the water on either side--it's just far enough away so you can only see traces of it down side streets here and there. After driving for a few hours, it s time to return to Rehoboth Beach for dinner.
We drove down the main drag looking for parking, and there was none to be found. What choice did we have but to return to the Dogfish Head restaurant, which has it's own parking lot. I had learned the night before--too late to use the knowledge--that it was possible to get a flight of beers. Now I could put the knowledge to work. Here's what I got:
The two I liked best were Theobroma, which dates from a 1200 BC recipe, and Black and Red, which has mint in it! Are you surprised to hear that I'm having trouble remembering what I ate. Oh yeah, I had pizza.
Afterwards, we came back to the motel and crashed. And in a Sunday miracle, no hangover. I don't know why, but I'm grateful. And not interested in drinking beer today. We're heading off for a long bike ride on the coastal highway, which has a wide bike lane, and to find a beach we can swim in.
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