Day 1: Late Night

Departure: 5pm

Arrival: 11pm

Miles: 209.2 (plus a couple bc I did not zero my odometer until after we left)

Bridges: 5 including the Bay Bridge

Temp: 52*-74*

Pretty boring day today, road-wise. We just followed 50/13 from home and down the MD/VA peninsula (I just made that up). Since we left late it got dark pretty soon and was not well-lit, so it's just as well that we were on a highway today. Note: when we go camping, we also leave at 5 and get in at 11. 

We stopped at Panera in Easton, MD for dinner at 6 and made a reservation for a hotel in Cape Charles, on the tip of the peninsula. A guy in the parking lot took this picture. 

At a gas station, I used a car windshield washer thing on my motorcycle windshield. Smelled it first to make sure no one urinated in the cleaner reservoir (fool me once...). 

Around 9p, I say: "Lesson learned -- don't make a reservation at dinner. We have passed two viable hotels already." Jaron says: "I like my hotels like I like my embryos." (QOTD) A discussion ensued on what constitutes a viable hotel. I am less picky than Jaron is when it comes to hotels. Also, we are learning how this whole "spontaneity" thing works. Also also: I consumed caffiene at 8pm in order to arrive alive. 

As dark approached, I turned on my Purple Lights for Safety. (They are legal in MD as a safety feature. Clearly, that's why I got them.) A guy on a motorcycle had green lights and came up even with me and honked his horn. I honked back and he went on his way. A lot of hootin' & hollerin' went over the intercom to Jaron. 

We are both wearing mesh w/ armor gear + rain/weather liners. I am impressed with this liner taking me from 74 to 52 degrees. I was definitely cold tonight, but I've been sooo worse off before. Because we have good gear and are constrained on space, we're both going with shorts + t-shirts under our gear, which is a new thing. We will be doing laundry on day 4. We are planning on being out for 7 days/6 nights. 

Our hotel is right before the tunnel & bridge to Virginia Beach. We had to be careful to find our turnoff in the dark and NOT cross the bridge yet. It'll be our first order of business tomorrow!