Cycle across Maryland rides across the Eastern Shore

Princess Anne, Md. (Map, News) - Margaret Palau, owner of Lucky’s Last Chance General Island, on Deal Island Road in Chance, Md., down at the bottom of Somerset County on the Eastern Shore, was born in Virginia and later lived in New England.

“I’m what they call ‘an implant’ here,” Palau said. “I came because it’s beautiful. The water, the wildflowers, the marshes — that’s what makes it a great place to ride a bike, too. I love it.”

More than 850 cyclists, participating in the 18th Annual Cycle Across Maryland, temporarily “implanted” themselves Thursday in the small town of Princess Anne, about 15 miles from Lucky’s. And as for Palau, the attraction was the largely unspoiled landscape, the peach summer lilies, the breeze and blue marshes. It’s also an opportunity for a little camaraderie.

The first day offered two rides, the first across the Wicomico River on the 300-year old Whitehaven Ferry and the second to Deal Island. Cycle Across Maryland is recreation, not a race, and the only things anyone tried to keep up with were the great blue herons flying overhead.

“I’ve done rides out of Salisbury and Cambridge and knew this would be a fun place to ride,” said John Kurpjuweit, who lives in Arnold and works in the Anne Arundel County Executive’s Office. “This is about biking, but also about meeting people and learning something. I like people and I like bicycling, and I like people who bicycle.”

The tours today swept past Somerset County’s stone jail and police station, the friendly downtown of Princess Anne, and a number of churches. The day served as prelim for Friday’s 75-mile trek to Trap Pond State Park in Delaware.

“I started riding a bicycle [when I was] 10 years old after a visit to the doctors — he said I needed to start walking or biking,” said Don Ford, Somerset County’s dog catcher. “I ride 20 miles every day — sometimes I ride to work, which is 35 miles round-trip. People around here think I’m crazy, but any day on a bicycle is a good day to me.”

rcassie@baltimoreexaminer.com

Advertisement