We left at a civilized hour this morning heading for the Virginia Eastern Shore. We arrived in Onancock in time to check into our VRBO...an absolutely wonderful house, enjoy happy hour and then head to Mallards at the Wharf for dinner.
Friday
First stop today was the NASA Wallops Flight Facility Visitor Center. There is a lot going on at this facility, more than we imagined....sounding rocket tests, drone development, space station resupply missions, high altitude balloon development for scientific missions around the world...wow!
We parked our cars in the town of Chincoteague and rode the bike trail out to and around the southern tip of Assateague Island. Our first stop was the Museum of Chincoteague Island where Laurel was very pleased to see Misty! We toured the Chincoteague Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center on our way to the Assateague Light House.
 |
| Completed in 1867. The lighthouse is 142 feet high and can be seen 19 miles out to sea. |
We hoped to see some of the wild ponies in the wild, but we had to settle for seeing them in a corral.
Our final stop was at Tom's Cove before riding the Wildlife Loop and heading back to our cars. Total miles rode today was 19!
Saturday
Our first stop this morning was the Onancock Farmer's Market on their opening Saturday! Then we rode a 14 mile loop through beautiful farm country to Accomack, the county seat and back to the house for lunch.
After lunch we rode an 18 mile loop south of Onancock through a forest which felt like one was riding through a tunnel of trees; beautiful rural countryside! Happy hour included the running of the Kentucky Derby, but we had no Mint Juleps!
Sunday
Our first stop this morning was the Onancock Farmer's Market on their opening Saturday! Then we rode a 14 mile loop through beautiful farm country to Accomack, the county seat and back to the house for lunch.
After lunch we rode an 18 mile loop south of Onancock through a forest which felt like one was riding through a tunnel of trees; beautiful rural countryside! Happy hour included the running of the Kentucky Derby, but we had no Mint Juleps!
Sunday
Emily, David, Gary and Laurel had not been to Tangier and wanted to see the island. So, we caught the ferry at 10 a.m. in Onancock. It's a little over an hour boat ride. Arriving at the island, we took a golf cart tour with one of the local ladies as our guide.
We walked around town and ate lunch at Hilda Crockett's Chesapeake House; a "must do" in all of the cruising guides. The food is plentiful (pickled beets, ham, potato salad, yeast rolls, crab cakes, clam fritters, apple sauce, coleslaw, corn pudding and pound cake), very tasty and all you can eat. We waddled out of there and headed to the beach!
Gretchen and I had not seen the beach on our previous trip and it is impressive, over a mile long! We sailed back to Onancock with a ferry full of islanders who were home for the weekend; apparently headed back to jobs and school on the mainland. Despite the rain, it was a wonderful day on the Bay!
Monday
Time to pack up and head home at the end of another wonderful Double Nickels Trip. Thanks Gary and Laurel for making all of the arrangements. The house, tours and bike rides were all fantastic. Thanks everyone for your camaraderie and friendship!
 |
| The bikers!! |
BTW Emily, how do you pronounce Onancock? 😎
