So, it's a state park within the Assateague National Seashore, south of Ocean City. It's a barrier island on the east coast. Near Virginia, Maryland and Delaware intersection. I had no idea Delaware was nearby until I was reviewing topo maps for potential hiking opportunities.
So ... I head out there to meet up with a meet up group. In retrospect, I was in no mood to meet 20 new people at once, like a nonstop cocktail party of small talk. I was there less than 24 hours and made the following journal entries, and snapped a few pics.
THE FIRST OBSERVATIONS
After hours of packing gear, I finally got in my rental car, and drove out here! It's funny that regardless of what sort of gear, I am a gear fetishist and it takes me forever to get ready.
I must say, I missed the dog, as he is the best to while away several hours with gear organizing and reorganizing, and searching, and completing various missions. LOL, Leather Retreat being a great case in point when we actually missed meals and parties because we were 'getting ready'. It's so in the zone, to over-use a worn phrase.
Yesterday as I pulled in to the Assateague State Park, there was a small herd of ponies at the gate, just as I pulled in. They are charming little brown and white painted ponies and also some solid brown ones. After going to the Park Ranger building to get my camping assignment, I encountered more while looping towards the campsite!
I suppose I should have expected that beach camping would put me elbow to elbow with other people. This is like camping in a field of sand.
The wind was magnificent, coming off the Atlantic. My hair was straight up in the air, except for that covering my eyes. I quickly put on a giant rubber hair band to hold it back, and set in to pitching my tent.
I was mostly pitching it around in the wind, and in short order, a gentleman and his teenage son from the next site over came and helped me set up. I felt awkward and so did they, but they sure put things together quickly before going on their way.
They are part of a series of campsites of African American families with tents, trucks and U-Hauls. This isn't Detroit, because black people don't camp in the wilds of Michigan (probably due to the predominance of rednecks) just BBQ and throw big ass picnics. And it sure ain't Detroit without the metal drum retro-fitted BBQs!
So after getting my camp set up yesterday - tent, stove, chair, etc., I treked on out to the beach. I sat on a small rise as a gull came and ate a small see-through crab I'd noticed a few moments before. Then, as I walked along the crashing waves to let the rolling foam lap my ankles, there were these tiny little birds running along. I remember them from visiting N. Carolina's outer banks with Werner in 2002. These little guys are white on the underside and a mottled gray/brown on top, with a longish pointy beak. They run along the edge of the wavess, seeming to prefer where the water has just pulled back seconds ago. They scurry and quickly, so quickly poke their beaks in and out of the sand, while watching for the next crash of waves. Playing chicken was never so cute!
As I mentioned the wind was really something yesterday, and I continued to re-adjust the staking and rain tarp on my tent, to keep it both up and dry.
I waited to be sure it was going to stay up before bothering to load in my stuff. Once it had been standing a few hours without taking flight, I put my sleeping bag (red and 'Hungry Man' sized), under-pad, cute pillow, mexican blanket, and purple bag with my electronics, bathroom stuff, clothes, etc in there, plus my lantern (battery powered).
I was wondering if trail mix and protein bars were in my future for dinner, because the wind seemed too agressive for my new Coleman stove to possibly work. Well, I tried, and it worked! I made tri-color rotini pasta, cooked with a dollup of veggie oil in salty water, just like home. I tossed that up with pesto, and served it with grilled bratwurst.
It may sound like a small thing, but I am proud of getting that stove out of the box, and getting it set up, and connecting the propane, and making it work. I've never done that before.
A bit of technical cooking prep here: I bought a 15 USD cookset from Walmart on clearance (online, like how would I find a Walmart, living in DC?). I used the big pot to make pasta, with its handy cover. I dig the little salt and pepper shakers that are covered, and I just prepare myself for how much escapes during transit.
I put small portions of oil, pesto and miracle whip in little tupperware (rubbermaid) containers, put them in ziplocs, and put them in the cooler. Flawless thus far.
I brought way too much booze, as I managed to drink 2.5 Smirnoff Ice's, and most of the first one was while I was making dinner for myself.
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