Delmarva weekend started after yesterday’s run in Rehoboth Beach, my last marathon of 20-14.
Delmarva is a large peninsula occupied by most of Delaware and portions of Maryland and Virginia.
After my post-race shower at Quality Inn, headed south on Coastal Highway (Delaware 1). Spent Saturday night in a no-frills Ocean City MD hotel located in town harbor. Like many beach towns, most store fronts & hotels were closed during winter.
Grabbed an early diner breakfast, then south 30 minutes further to Assateague Island. Windy winter day but saw sunshine – not the norm for Nov-March on the East Coast…so counted myself lucky 🙂
Assateague Island?
Wild ponies have inhabited Assateague Island for hundreds of years. While some have suggested that the wild ponies on Assateague Island trace their origin to horses released to forage on the Island by early settlers, the circumstantial evidence suggests that they are indeed the descendants of the survivors of a Spanish galleon which wrecked off the coast of Assateague. A fence along the Virginia/Maryland State line separates Assateague Island’s ponies into two herds. The Maryland herd is owned by the National Park Service. The Virginia herd is owned by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company. The US Fish & Wildlife Service allows the Fire Company to maintain a herd of approximately 150 adult ponies on Assateague Island.
Called ahead to secure a pony tour – closed. Kayaks – closed. Nothing open & available ‘til next April. UGH!
Oh well…still great to see the ocean – even in winter. Would start off on Assateague, then an extra hour to Chincoteague to visit the lighthouse & NASA Visitors Center. (NASA Visitors Center: closed on Sunday – bad luck, huh?)
Crossed the bridge to Assateague & near swerved off road in excitement – PONY!
Took a tens of pics of the lone pony, thinking this my one opportunity. Nope. Not only had the park to ourselves (not a lotta December beachcombers – HA!), but saw several wild ponies grazing near the tree line. WOW, what luck!
Not sure how wild the ponies are – one came to the car window. I did not feed but guessing tourists past have broken this rule. Beautiful animals. Took rural roads to Chincoteague, short hike to the Lighthouse, more ponies & a beach walk.
Whatta year – grizzly bears in Montana & the wild ponies of Assateague Island. Crazy blessed life; life is good.
Autobahn’d back to BWI in under 3 hours, crossing the [Chesapeake] Bay Bridge into Baltimore. Thought I had overcome my fear of high bridges – NOT – spanning almost 5 miles over water, felt white-knuckled near the end.
5 weeks off ‘til marathon season picks up next year in Mississippi. Fingers crossed — snow on Christmas 🙂
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- wild ponies of Assateague
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- sizing up the situation
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- getting curious
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- up close & personal
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- salt & snow
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- winter beach day
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- had the beach to myself – surprise, surprise 🙂
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- last pass at the ponies before Chincoteague
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- big fan of lighthouses
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- 10 degrees warmer on Chincoteague
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- held pose — seemingly still in the gusting wind
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- sea foam sudsing, rolling on the surf
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- love the ocean – even in December!
Started the tradition last year – end of July, Cheyenne Frontier Days.
This year I brought along my housemates Ash & Tom. It was an entire weekend of sharing firsts – Ash & Tom’s first 14er on Saturday, today their first rodeo (certainly their first Wyoming rodeo).
Hit the food court hard – spiral fries, elk burger & fresh squeezed lemonade – what’s not to love? Ash tried camel burger, Tom went with rattlesnake bratwurst. And the winner was? Tom. We’re all going bratwurst in 2015….tasty.
Rodeo was in full swing by the time we finished stuffing our insides.
M Stand tickets this year – Chute 9 view, but tough locating 3 seats together on Finals Days. Missed the bulls but still plenty of rodeo left – buckin’ broncos, steer wrestling & roping, ladies barrel racing, and calf roping.
Folks were packing up early (last day of the Rodeo) so missed a few favourites like the Chuckwagon Cutoff but still came back with a couple new cowboy-isms from our Oklahoma-based announcer:
2014
- More fun than taking your mother-in-law to the airport
- He’s taken to him like hopping to Peter Cottontail
2013
- There’s a guy not afraid to shake loose and shake his boots
- He stuck to him like spots on an Appaloosa horse
- More moves than my city cousin peeing on an electric fence
- He stepped off that broncing horse like he was stepping out of a barber shop
- That lasted as long as a Hollywood husband
- He rodeos in the summer time (‘rodeo’ used as a verb)
Finished the day with red velvet funnel cake. Great idea Ash. Dee’ lish 🙂
I’ll say it again — Next life, I’m coming back as a Cowboy!
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- red velvet funnel cake – YUM!
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- spiral fries
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- Cheyenne’s infamous Chute 9
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- steer wrestling
Cheyenne Frontier Days 2014
Up at dawn & on the road by 6am – must be on vacation 🙂
Drove 2 hours around the south rim of Glacier, then north to Many Glacier Trailhead. Country 95 FM on the radio, Southern Alberta’s best country – only 18 miles from Canada. Stopped a mile before the Visitors Center – first view of Glacier’s big peaks, horse & riders cutting across the valley. WOW, just beautiful – well worth the 2 hour drive.
Far away in northwestern Montana, hidden from view by clustering mountain peaks, lies an unmapped corner—the Crown of the Continent —George Bird Grinnell (1901)
George Grinnell worked to establish Glacier National Park in 1910. Additionally, he was prominent in movements to preserve wildlife and conservation in the American West. Notably, Grinnell worked to pass the National Park Protective Act in 1894 – protecting the last 200 bison remaining in Yellowstone.
In George Grinnell’s honor chose Grinnell Glacier for my day hike.
Passed 2 signs just past the Trailhead. “Grinnell Glacier hike is not recommended because of snow.” Second sign – Beware of Grizzlies. Not fearsome of snow, bears however…hmmm.
Lotta people on the trail early on — meadows overflowing with mountains flowers. Additionally, crossed over numerous waterfalls created from recent snow melt (snowed 18 inches just 3 weeks ago).
Saw my first Grizzly. Took a minute for me to register what was happening. I’m outside & there’s a bear – a real bear, not in a zoo…but on my hike. A ranger came out of nowhere & sternly told me to keep moving. Wasn’t the nicest guy but good to know I wasn’t alone. He told me this was a juvenile Grizzly foraging for summer berries. WOW – a bear!
Ducked under the ‘Not Recommended’ sign & hiked above glacier-fed Grinnell Lake before stopping for lunch. Soaked in scenery & lost myself staring into a large waterfall. Solitude & solo hikes can be a-ok. Amazing experience.
CLICK to WATCH ‘Grinnell Glacier (Montana)’
Saw my second bear on the hike return. Seriously, my second bear. No ranger this time. Was I suppose to curl up & play dead? Should I run downhill? Decided to keep moving, eyes straight ahead & not make a lot of noise.
Later came across a couple wearing jingle bell-covered hiking boots. Have you seen a bear today? Heck yeah I say enthusiastically – look at my pics! Don’t think that’s the answer they were looking for 🙂
Reported 2nd bear at the ranger station, then traveled Going-to-the-Sun Road across the Park to West Glacier. Stopped by Lake McDonald for one last chilly swim (felt good to wash the hike sweat off).
Ended the day with spaghetti at a diner. 9am heli tour tomorrow. Super excited!
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- Swiftcurrent Lake
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- Many Glacier Trailhead
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- Grinnell Glacier hike – stunning!
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- Beargrass
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- young Grizzly (berry season)
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- pic of the day – Grinnell Lake
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- peak reflection in glacier-fed waters
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- soaking it all in; amazing day hike
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- 2nd bear of the day – WOW & yikes!
