From Fredericksburg, VA to Solomon's Island, MD.

Our instructions were to be ready to go by 8:15am in order to meet the deadline for buying tickets for the boat ride this afternoon-which translated to up at 5:30, shower, pack, get the car from the parking garage and move it to the lot at the Visitors Center across from the hotel, eat breakfast,  get gas and be rolling by the deadline.  Well, we made it. Whew.

It was a very pretty morning, temp near 80 and a forecast for high of 88 today.... great top down weather with lots of sunscreen.

The morning packing routine,

The Visitors Center was kind enough to let us gather our

forces in their parking lot.

Bruce Foster and Reg Hahn fettling..

  

Jock Powell and Bruce ready to roll.

 A fairly short 75 mile run to Solomon's from Fredericksburg on nice smooth roads with many sections flanked by large trees offering nice shade from the sun.  Soon we were at the river and a stunning bridge to take us to the Bug Eye capital of the world.  Bug Eye refers to boats with a port-hole on either side of the bow, making it look like a bug, or somethin...

The high bridge into Solomon's Island

over the Patuxent River--140 feet above the water.

Solomon's Island, now a vacation resort area was originally called Bourne's Island (1680), then Somervell's Island (1740), Solomons takes its name from 19th century Baltimore businessman Isaac Solomon, who established a cannery there shortly after the Civil War. Solomon's home still stands on the front of the island. The area has been inhabited since colonial times.^[4]

During World War II, the island was the site for training amphibious invasion forces which proved invaluable on D-Day, and Guadalcanal, over 60,000 troops trained at Solomon’s during the war in three Naval bases there.  Coincidentally, many of the servicemen who trained at the Solomon’s base in Maryland were sent to fight in the Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean.--Wikipedia

Parking Lot at the museum... we always park for photo

opportunities.

 Our first stop in Solomon's was at the Calvert Marine Museum to buy tickets for an early afternoon boat ride.  There was fear if we didn't get the tickets early they might sell-out and some of our group couldn't go.  We made it.

Drum Point Lighthouse and Museum

We took a short drive around the island to see what the layout of the land was. 

A very neat traffic circle at the southern end of

Solomon's Island.

Compass Rose in the traffic circle.   

Reg decided the traffic circle was like a

race track.

The McKenna's found the world famous Tiki Bar, where thousands of people

gather in April for the season opening.

After lunch we went back for the boat ride on the William B. Tennison Cruise Boat.  A pleasant hour down Back Creek and up the Patuxent River

The William B Tennison cruise boat.  Built in 1899

and still afloat...initially as a sail boat, then converted to a power boat

and worked in the fishing business unlit late in the century when it was purchased by

the museum.

Ships Captain at the controls.

Missy McKenna send me this photo of the view from their 5th floor hotel room.

Pretty special eh?

As an aside...some observers have asked how we can carry a weeks worth of clothes and other stuff in our tiny sports cars.  Along with a small parcel shelf behind the seats (about 14" by 30" and 6" high) most of us hang luggage on a rack on the back of the car...

Waterproof motorcycle bag

Metal waterproof camera bag

Large soft luggage bag

Suitcase inside plastic bag

You may have seen my Pelican Camera Cases on the back of my car, shown in yesterday's blog posting.  They are waterproof and fit the requirements for carry on luggage racks on an airplane. Except they are small inside due to thick non-flexible walls on the case.

More tomorrow from Annapolis.