October 13, 2011: Greenbelt, MD to Grasonville, MD (47 miles):

It rained most of the night and was still raining this morning. We did not rush around this morning, but when it slowed down to a mist, we got Cal on the road. It actually kept raining off and on all day until about 3:00pm when the sun came out. By the time Cal stopped riding this afternoon he was completely soaked.

After about the first half hour this morning we were in very rural areas. We rode through the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Henry A Wallace facility.  Henry A. Wallace was an Iowan who served as Vice President (1941-45), and United State Agricultural Secretary. We also went by the Beltsville NASA facility. 

  

Here are some photos of colors I saw today – trees along the road, flowers, pumpkins plus a horse farm.

We made it to Annapolis on the Chesapeake Bay.  As we crossed the Severn River Bridge Cal stopped and took photos of the Annapolis Naval Academy.

Naval Acadamy from the Severn Bridge - Acadamy Bridge

Actually it was pouring rain when we drove over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. It was so cloudy that we did not even try to take any photos of the bridge. Hopefully when we return we can snap a photo or two.  On the eastern side of the bridge Cal picked up a bike trail to Grasonville where we had reservations for tonight.  We needed to stop early as Cal had a meeting he needed to attend by phone.  Would you believe about the time we stopped the sun shone for about an hour.

Later tonight we ate at a local seafood restaurant – delicious crab cakes!  For some reason, tonight high tide is to be 2 feet higher than normal – warnings have been posted. Low spots in parking lots were filling up with water.  When late restaurant patrons leave they could be walking through several feet of water to get to their cars!   

      

Tomorrow we are going almost straight east toward the coast.  At approx 3:00 we will stop where ever we are to drove north to Dover, Delaware.  We will spend the evening and night with dear friends in Dover.  One summer while they lived Mt Pleasant, they went along with our group on RAGBRAI.       

As I am writing this tonight it is pouring rain again!