Coasting into Summer’s End with a Lifelong Friend

“The crickets felt it was their duty to warn everybody that summertime cannot last forever.”

~ E.B. White

I love summer. I love the long days, and the embrace of the sun. I like flip flops and tank tops and sultry, starry nights. I love wading in the warmish water. I love the smell of Coppertone and the songs of the cicadas. George Gershwin had it right, “the livin’ is easy” in summertime. It is why I always slowly, slowly, with a bit of sorrow, surrender to autumn.

We are spending the tail end of August at Lum’s Pond State Park, along the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. I was so delighted that my dear friend (of 48 years…. but who’s counting?) was able to join us for part of the journey. We have been bosom buddies, soul-sisters, for nearly five decades, and have an uncanny ability to simply pick-up where we left off. Even with our incessant chatter, we were able to manage some biking, some hiking, some singing around the campfire, and a few card games. Because we noticed signs of impending autumn all around us, we squeezed as much summer as we could out of each and every day spent together. These are treasured times.

If you have not biked along the C & D Canal, you should add it to your bucket list. It is roughly 15 miles in length, extending from Delaware City, Delaware to Chesapeake City, Maryland. The ride has a few small hills, requiring a gear change or two, but for the most part it is flat and runs alongside a scenic canal. Delaware City has a quaint shopping area and several places to grab some crabs or a cold drink. Truly a must do for any cycling enthusiast or an amateur like me, who rides a Schwinn purchased from Target. I’m neither appropriately equipped, nor particularly skilled, but I make up for it in determination.

We are capitalizing on the recreational opportunities that are available to us at Lum’s Pond. We have biked the park trail, which is roughly 9 miles of varying terrain. There is loose rock, fine gravel, sand, mud, grass and a few interesting roots to navigate through. I am prone to panic and have been known to dismount and walk my bike when the topography gets too tough. Not my husband. He’s still got a bit of youthful, daredevil in him. He is the Evil Knievel of the senior citizen, trail riding circuit, and now he has the bruises to prove it. Public Service Announcement: Wear your helmet. He’s glad he did.

Even Gypsy is getting in on the action. Lum’s has a dog park with an off-leash hiking area that includes a beach. It is the perfect place for dog lovers who want their furry friends to have the freedom to run, swim and socialize.

As the few days left in August dwindle down, we will continue to enjoy this location. The campsite is spacious, the park is enormous, and the area offers much to do. I am not always overjoyed about life in a truck, but I am sincerely grateful for every day that I am surrounded by nature’s abundant riches. Homeless but healthy. It could certainly be worse.

College Park, here we come….

We are eager to spend football season with family and friends in our old stomping grounds. Stay tuned….