The heART Of The Eastern Shore

What is it my Mom used to say? Oh yes, “It’s OK to make plans as long as you don’t plan the results.” It should be a mantra for RVers. The cancellation of our stop in northern Pennsylvania meant we had to drive straight through to Maryland. Normally we stick close to the 244 rule (200 miles, 4 hours of driving or arrive by 4pm.) There was a domino effect on plans until we were back in Charlotte. We tried to move up our stay at Elk Neck SP in Maryland but there was no opening for our size rig. We changed our reservation to Martinak SP which is located along the Choptank river near the small town of Denton. This is the first time we’ve been able to  use our Maryland State Golden Age Pass which gives us half price rates Sunday-Thursday. One stay paid for our passes plus almost $50 more. A very good deal!

Originally we’d come here with the idea of kayaking the Choptank. However, the weather turned much cooler (down to 26 degrees one night) and quite breezy. So we chose not to paddle. Biking, walking and exploring the coast occupied most of our time. We drove down to the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and out to the Hooper Islands. Loads of birds were in the refuge especially eagles. It was a bit early for the snow geese. Seeing a blast off of these geese is on my bucket list! We also drove 1 1/2 hours to the Baltimore area to see a friend from Charlotte that had moved there.

Crossing The Hooper Island Chain

Cute As A Button

Relaxing On The Eastern Shore

One day Steve went to a local liquor store and came back with a photo of a poster. It was advertising an event sponsored by the Caroline County Arts Council for the following Saturday evening. The event was a fundraiser for the Council called an Evening With Edgar Allen Poe. When we went on the CCAC website for more information we also learned of an event in the neighboring town of Greensboro for a music performance about the War of 1812. Who says drinking isn’t good for you? We were lucky to get two of the last five tickets for the Poe dinner.

The music performance was given at the public library by Lee Murdock, a folksinger who specializes in music about the Great Lakes. Most of his performances are in the midwest. He’d put together the show we heard for the bicentennial of the War of 1812. He interwove history, legend and song for a very entertaining (and free) evening. There were only eleven people attending. The War of 1812 has local significance as many battles were fought on the Chesapeake Bay and of course at Fort McHenry. We bought a CD so we could enjoy the songs again. If you are interested in where he is performing check his website http://www.leemurdock.com .

Hidden In Downtown Denton

History In Denton

The Evening With Edgar Allen Poe was also a great event. Every year the CCAC picks an author and features a variety of speakers about the person, their contributions to literature and culture and selected readings. Before dinner we mingled as everyone tried to find the answer to their Poe related question issued upon arrival. My question was “How much was Poe paid for his poem The Raven?” The answer will be hidden somewhere in the post. It was a great way to meet some local people. The keynote speaker was an English professor from a nearby community college.  A local teacher and musician gave a talk on Poe’s influence on music. The presentation we enjoyed the most was a one man reading of The Telltale Heart by another teacher and thespian. He was terrific and received a standing ovation.

As I finalize this post we are beginning a two week stint in NC for Tweak Week #2. The answer to the trivia question is $9 (about $20 in today’s money).  For those new to our blog, Tweak Week is when we take the trailer in for maintenance/repair and ourselves in for doctor and dentist visits. Repair from our earlier Attack of the Tree Branch post will require us to find time for a new roof before heading south for the winter. During this time we will try our best to get caught up with the rest of our wonderful Canadian Maritime travels.

Where next? Check out our next post.