March 28 – April 1, 2022 Family, Cape Henlopen State Park and Home

We had such a great time getting together with our daughter, granddaughter, grandson in law, and the great grandchildren.  Thank you to Sheryl, Alex, and Steve for a great week and for sharing your busy lives with us. 

(As some of you know, this is a travel blog and it is a rare occasion that I post personal pictures on the blog.  Just an FYI.)

On March 28, we moved up to Cape Henlopen State Park for the remainder of our stay.

Stats for March 28:

Routes Traveled: Delaware: SR1; US9

Miles Traveled: 17 Miles

Our site:

Even though it was cold, we were able to do a campfire one day and all the kids came over.  What fun!

Cape Henlopen State Park contains many historic structures and one day we decided to check them out. (Some places were not open because it was too early in the season.)

A little history and information:

“Cape Henlopen, on Delaware Bay, has long been a public use area although it did not officially become a Delaware state park until 1964. William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania and early leader of Delaware, decreed that Cape Henlopen and its natural resources be set aside for the use and enjoyment of the citizens of the Delaware Colony. Penn's decree established Cape Henlopen as one of the first public use parcels of land in the Thirteen Colonies.

The cape was an important strategic location for the U.S. Navy and Army during the American Revolution, War of 1812, Civil War, World War I, and World War II. Cape Henlopen Light, the sixth lighthouse built on the Atlantic Coast, was constructed from 1767-1769. This lighthouse was in operation until 1924 when it was abandoned after it was extensively damaged in 1920 by a storm. The lighthouse now rests at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, after falling into the water on April 13, 1926.

A small gun platform was built by 1918 near the present site of Point Comfort parking lot. It was abandoned and removed prior to construction of Fort Miles.

During World War II, the U.S. Army built Fort Miles at Cape Henlopen. Numerous bunkers, concrete observation towers and the pier built to accommodate the laying of mines on the harbor floor remain today. Within the park grounds are a handful of fire control towers from that era, as well as underground gun batteries (bunkers) which were to be used in conjunction with the towers against the eventuality of air attack. Off the coast on the bay side are two lighthouses: the Harbor of Refuge Light and the Delaware Breakwater East End Light.”

Our first stop was one of the towers:

 

It was open so we made the trek to the top:

Along the way up:

Incredible views:

Another tower:

In the distance are bunkers.  They have a museum and tours but were not open.

Fort Miles:

View from the top:

Next stop was Herring Point:

The views, oh my!:

More bunkers:

No trip is complete without going to the beach:

One of the lighthouses:

We visited the nature center where there were quite a few aquariums. 

Isn’t he just the cutest!:

We really enjoyed our day and hopefully we will get back when everything is open and it is warmer.

On April 1st, we traveled the last leg of our journey to home.

Stats for April 1st:

Delaware:   US9; SR1; SR4; SR7

Pennsylvania: SR7; SR41; SR10; I176; US422; US222; SR183; SR901; SR209; Chestnut Street

Miles Traveled: 180 Miles

This is the last blog in this travel trip. We will home until late July/early August when we will do another journey.  If you would like to be removed or added to the email list, please send me an email at gardenhavens@gmail.com.

Thank you so much for following along.

Enjoy today and every day.

March 25-27, 2022 Travel, Crossing the Chesapeake, and Family

March 25, 2022

We woke to clear skies – YEA! - and continued our journey north into North Carolina (sorry, missed the sign):

This is I95 in North Carolina.  It was a beautiful road with little traffic:

Now into Virginia:

In Virginia, we turned east on US58 and settled at a Walmart in Franklin, Virginia. 

Arby’s was within walking distance so we headed there for supper.  When we got there, the inside was closed but the drive thru was open and we did a “walk-thru” – LOL!  The worker told us that it was not unusual. She was great with us.  The inside was shut down because of lack of workers – so sad. 

Stats for today;

Routes Traveled:

South Carolina: US301; I95

North Carolina: I-95

Virginia: I95; US58; SR671

Miles Traveled: 229 Miles

March 26-27, 2022

We were up early and on our way.  Today’s journey took us on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel.  On the way to the Bridge:

On our way across the Chesapeake:

A few tidbits about the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, not to be confused with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge further north:

“There are two one-mile tunnels beneath the Thimble Shoals and Chesapeake navigation channels and two pairs of side-by-side high-level bridges over two other navigation channels: North Channel Bridge (75 feet clearance) and Fisherman Inlet Bridge (40 foot clearance). The remaining portion comprises 12 miles of low-level trestle, two miles of causeway, and four man-made islands.

The CBBT is 17.6 miles long from shore to shore, crossing what is essentially an ocean strait. Including land-approach highways, the overall facility is 23 miles long (20 miles from toll plaza to toll plaza) and despite its length, there is a height difference of only six inches from the south to north end of the bridge–tunnel.

Man-made islands, each approximately 5.25 acres in size, are located at each end of the two tunnels. Between North Channel and Fisherman Inlet, the facility crosses at grade over Fisherman Island, a barrier island that is part of the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The columns that support the bridge–tunnel's trestles are called piles. If placed end to end, the piles would stretch for about 100 miles, roughly the distance from New York City to Philadelphia.”

There is a lot of information here as well as history “http://www.cbbt.com/”

We have traveled this bridge quite a few times and it is always amazing to me.  We have never stopped at the scenic overlook nor the restaurant/gift shop but some day we will.  They are currently closed due to building new tunnels.

We are on our way:

It was breezy.  Check out the whitecaps on the water:

The first tunnel under the Thimble Signal Channel:

And we are out:

Second tunnel is between those two islands:

The second tunnel under the Chesapeake Channel:

And we are out again:

Coming to the other side:

Right after we crossed the bridge there was a huge rest area. Since the road we were on was extremely rough and bouncy, we had to stop to put the inside of the MH back in place.  This is what it looked like (lots of stuff on the floor):

We did find out that the rest area allows overnight parking.  We continued north:

Into Maryland:

Then into Delaware:

Our site at the Delaware Seashore State Park:

This is beautiful park but it was so so cold and windy.  We were here about 9 years ago and it was the same.  Some day, we hope to be here when it is sunny and warm and not windy so when I go to the beach, I will not be sandblasted – LOL.

We are here to visit with our daughter, granddaughters, grandson in law, and our five great grandchildren.  Once we set up on 3/26, we went to supper with our daughter and then to a birthday party for our oldest great grandson who is 8.

Sunday was a rest day for us – we needed it from traveling.  Plus it was even windier and colder – BRRRR!

Stats for March 26:

Routes Traveled: 

Virginia:  SR671; US58; I64; US13

Maryland:  US13; US113; SR90; SR528

Delaware: SR1

215 Miles

Stay tuned and enjoy today.