Friday Photo Post: Ocean City, Maryland

I found these pictures of Ocean City when I was going through my digital picture files. They brought back some great memories. It's been a rainy week here in Minnesota, and it's nice to remember warm and sunny days.



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Frederick's 25th IN THE STREET Festival

Every fall, there is an IN THE STREET festival in Frederick, Maryland. Market Street is closed off for eight blocks of musical entertainment, children's activities, community booths, and food from local restaurants.

Doug and I were in Frederick this year during the 25th Anniversary of the festival. We enjoyed walking up and down the streets, listening to the music and smelling the wonderful foods. People were doing everything from swing dancing to testing their strength at the Marines' pull up bar to trying out skateboard tricks on ramps and rails.

It was also fun to walk along Carroll Creek, seeing the beautiful renovations that were done after our last trip. At the international stage next to the creek, there were martial arts demonstrations, Indian folk dancing, Middle Eastern belly dancing, a Chinese Dragon Dance, and Scottish country dances.

Later in the evening, friends joined us on the roof of Carroll Creek Parking Deck for the ON THE DECK party. We had a great time listening to The Reagan Years play rock music from the 1980's. After the party, everyone moved to bars like Brewer's Alley, Firestones, or Bushwallers on Market Street.

If you have the opportunity to visit Frederick in the fall, and you like festivals, make sure to experience IN THE STREET.


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Cunningham Falls State Park, Maryland

If you are in Maryland, I highly recommend visiting Cunningham Falls State Park in the Catoctin Mountains, just west of Thurmont. There are 9 hiking trails ranging from easy to difficult. We chose the 3/4 mile cliff trail and had fun hiking through the woods, climbing over rocks, and exploring the Falls.

After exploring the Falls, we walked back to the beach at Hunting Creek Lake and cooled off in the water. The boys also played in the sand, building castles with moats while Doug and I relaxed on a blanket. We brought a picnic lunch, but couldn't resist buying the boardwalk fries with vinegar for an extra snack.

Sugar Loaf Mountain, Maryland

A fun place to explore in southern Frederick County is Sugarloaf Mountain. Not too far from Washington D.C., Sugarloaf is just north of Montgomery County, and close to the state of Virginia.

From the base of the mountain, you can drive up to the Potomac Overlook. Park on the east or west side and hike up one of 2 trails to the Bill Lambert Overlook. Each trail is just 1/4 mile long, but they are very steep in places, and can be strenuous. We had fun climbing all over the rocks at the top.

If it is crowded at the overlooks, try the more remote 5 mile Northern Peaks Trail and stop at the White Rocks viewpoint. If you want a longer hike, you can extend it with the 2 1/2 mile Mountain Loop Trail. Another option is the 7 mile Saddleback Horse Trail that circles the entire mountain.

Crabs in a Bucket, Beer in Another

If you are ever in Crisfield, Maryland (or any other town along the Chesapeake Bay), I recommend finding a restaurant on the shore, and ordering a bucket full of steamed crabs and a bucket with bottles of beer. Spend the afternoon looking out over the water, picking apart crabs spiced with Old Bay Seasoning and drinking beer to cool off your burning lips.

During a road trip down the Eastern Shore, we stopped for dinner at Captain's Galley in Crisfield. It was early in the evening, and there were only a few other customers when we visited. We sat outside on the crab deck, and the bartender took some time to show us beginners how to pick the meat from the crabs.

Picking crab meat is like shelling peanuts, something to do while you drink your beer. It's delicious, but there isn't much meat on the crabs, so order extra food if you are really hungry.

* While looking for the Captain's Galley website, I found out the restaurant has moved, and is now at the top of some new condominiums in Crisfield. Hmm... a different experience, I guess.

Friday Photo Post: Driving on Gas House Pike

I mentioned the winding roads of Frederick County in an earlier post. We discovered several while we lived there, and one of my favorites is Gas House Pike. The road goes from New London Road, just off Hwy 75 in New Market, to downtown Frederick.


The only bad part of the drive is the lack of shoulder so you can pull over and walk for a bit. This was especially disappointing in the autumn, when the trees were blazing in bright colors, begging for a closer look.


There is a slide show on YouTube with more photographs, including shots of New Market.

Ocean City, Maryland

We visited Ocean City several times during the year we lived in Maryland. The first time, we stayed overnight, and the other times we drove out for the day.

We had a great time playing in the ocean and bought boogie boards to take full advantage of the big waves. The shops had a large selection, and it took awhile to find the perfect designs in the right sizes. The boys were good about sharing their boards with us, because we wanted to join in the fun. It was as close to surfing as I will ever get!

The boys played in the sand, building castles and burying each other. It was good to rest after all that time in the water, and to let the sun warm our bodies. The beach is a great place to relax and people watch.

We also had fun walking along the boardwalk, shopping and eating. Thrashers fries were a big hit, as was the salt water taffy from Candy Kitchen.

The boys loved it when the sun went down, and we stayed late. It was like a big party with all the people, but it wasn't too wild for young children. The stores were all lit up, and the bright neon lights made it seem like a carnival. We miss being that close to the ocean, and hope to go back to Ocean City again sometime.


More pictures are on flickr and there is a slideshow on YouTube.

Frederick, Maryland

We lived in Frederick for one year, and I fell in love with that town. I was amazed at the old buildings in the downtown area and the fact that our church was used as a hospital during the civil war.

Set in a beautiful rural area full of winding roads, Frederick has been delightfully preserved. Incredible restaurants line Market Street and antique shops can be found on Patrick Street. South of Patrick Street is Carroll Creek Park.

I really miss Frederick, especially the restaurants. We are planning a trip back to the area so I can visit some of my favorites like Dutch's Daughter and Isabella's Tapas Bar. I also want to visit Carroll Creek Park, which has gone through a renovation since we've lived there. My favorite part of the park is the trompe l'oeil ("fool the eye") mural on the Carroll Creek Community Bridge. William Cochran transformed a plain concrete bridge into an incredible work of art. Whenever I visit the bridge, I find new details that surprise me.

Thank you to Lowell Carpenter for the picture of the community bridge.

I have more pictures of Frederick posted on Flickr and a slideshow on YouTube.