Here it is, lucky 7...though, with my training schedule for my new job, it was a tough one to think up, orchestrate, and complete....oh well, at least i managed to focus enough to fulfill my commitment. Social Column 7

This is my first spring in Delmarva, and I find it breathtaking. I have never seen more beautiful flowering trees and bushes, and everything is magically green and lush already.
You know from last week's column on the first Ocean City Marathon that I am not athletically inclined, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy the great outdoors. The "great outdoors" here is truly that. What I find fascinating is that there is so much diversity. Like a peaceful walk along the beach? Go to Assateaque. Like a beach studded with bronzed bodies and 3 miles of boardwalk chock full of shops and an amusement park? Go to Ocean City. Want a serene forest with a meandering river? Go to Pokemoke State Park.
My personal favorite is Assateaque Island. Last year, as I contemplated my move here from the midwest, the wild ponies at Assateaque were an almost mystical draw for me. Where else in the world could I experience that? And to live in a place where seeing them was as easy as going to the corner store for a paper? The park is located 8 miles south of Ocean City, and may be reached via MD RT 50 to MD RT 611. Assateaque has the distinction of being Maryland's only ocean park ,and is a barrier island bordered on the west by Sinepuxent Bay, and the east by the Atlantic Ocean. Some of the recreational activities include fishing, swimming, canoeing, biking, crabbing, and clamming. Both the state park and the national park offer camping, too. A good bet if you want a full list of things to do is to stop in at the Barrier Island Visitor Center, located to your right before you cross the bridge to the island. Speaking of the bridge, it is awesome to park your car in the provided parking lot, and walk across the bridge. There are telescopes set up, and it's a scenic and painless way to enjoy the view and get exercise at the same time.
If miles of pristine beach, unbroken by manmade structures is too quiet for you, head out to Ocean City. I haven't experienced the hustle and bustle of the boardwalk in the summer yet, ( I think that will be a column of it's own), but even my winter walks have given me a taste of what that will be. The boardwalk stretches for almost three miles, from the inlet in South Ocean City to 27th St., and is chock full of shops, food pavilions, and amusements. In 1902, the first boardwalk was just a few blocks long and built of wooden planks that hotel keepers rolled up and put on their porches during high tide. The boardwalk as we know it today was lengthened and renovated in 1962, after a March storm leveled the existing structure. It is a great place to stroll , shop and people watch. A must is to ride Trimper's Carousel, which is the oldest continuously operating carousel in the county, with two tiers of painted and carved animals. It is also the location of the celebrated Spring Fest, a four day festival of entertainment, arts and crafts, and food, celebrated Thursday through Sunday, May 5-8. ( I will be there!).
Pokemoke State Park? I wouldn't do it justice if I squeezed it into my limited space in this week's column. I am planning a picnic there next month, with a tour of nearby Furnace Town, so look forward to an in depth story on my adventure. Enjoy our beautiful spring, and see you at Springfest this weekend!



omplete....