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Jon Scott

Logistics

Updated: Dec 4, 2022

At some level, this entire undertaking is about logistics. Where to stay, what roads to ride, what to pack, etc. That is the low-hanging fruit of the planning process. As I was figuring out my route, I determined that my trip through Virginia and Maryland would be through the Eastern Shore, away from the traffic of Richmond, Washington and Baltimore. For anyone that’s been here before, it’s very peaceful. For anyone that’s tried to get here, that’s another story altogether.

There are only 3 ways I’m aware of to get to the Eastern Shore. From the north, down from Philadelphia or Baltimore, essentially going around the Chesapeake Bay. From the middle, across the Bay Bridge from Annapolis, or from the south, across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (why not the Brunnel?) from Norfolk. Since I had to return the rental car this morning at the Norfolk airport, and the fact that the other options are both well over 100 miles out of the way, the Brunnel it was. Slight problem. The Brunnel is over 15 miles long and bikes are not allowed. (For that matter, they’re not allowed on the Bay Bridge in Annapolis either, so really my only riding option was to go all the way up to Baltimore and around). When I was looking at my maps from Adventure Cycling, it suggested there was a shuttle that, for a few, would take riders across to the Eastern Shore. However when I started to investigate hours of operation, etc. I couldn’t find any information. Apparently, no such option exists.


There were some suggestions about finding a bike shop and trying to bum a ride from a sympathetic person, but it’s not cheap. First of all, for a driver, it’s an hour round trip. Second of all, the toll is $14 each way. The only thing I could come up with was an Uber. I drove over the bridge last night, dropped all my gear at the hotel, then drove back to the airport, dropped off the car, and for the low, low price of $89 plus tip, (I had to cover the toll both ways) a ride back over. All I can say is that was WAY better than had I been able to ride over the bridge yesterday!


Bridges and tunnels are engineering marvels and occasionally artistic masterpieces as well. I believe I’ve already documented my general opinion of riding over them. The fog was sufficiently thick that you couldn’t see the signs that said “CAUTION FOG AHEAD” until you were passing them. The bridge appeared to simply disappear into the horizon, which generally wasn’t more than 100’ in front of you. Then there are the two times the bridge does ACTUALLY disappear, dropping into mile-long tunnels, only to reappear above water and head back into the unknown. At a very solid pace, it would have taken me an hour to cross such a thing, but for the winds that were so strong, the bridge had actually been closed a couple days earlier. What I could see of the water had waves and whitecaps. It makes sense because the right side of the bridge is the Atlantic Ocean.



2 comments

2 kommenttia


Daniel McCormack
Daniel McCormack
13. toukok. 2022

With photos like that, you’re going to give people the impression that this whole cross-country trek is just a pretext for you to consume 3,000 calories in a single meal.

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Jon Scott
13. toukok. 2022
Vastataan

It took a month for someone to figure it out.

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