Sometimes we choose a journey due to constraints of time or money, to a place within driving distance. We might have visited a place earlier in our lives and only had time to skim the surface, so we want to return and delve deeper.
This the case with our call to Delaware.Β We have several days we can venture out in January and we want a place within a short drive from our home in Virginia.Β We’ve also visited a couple of places in Delaware over the years, but have only skimmed the surface.
Why Delaware?Β The second-smallest U.S. state has a decent-sized city in Wilmington, some cute historical and beachfront towns, state parks, and a wildlife refuge.
On DecemberΒ 7, 1787, Delaware became the first state to ratify the Constitution of the United States, and has since been known as “The First State.”Β As I’m still on a quest to fill up my National Park passport, we’ll make a stop at several of the seven sites that make up First State National Historical Park. These are spread throughout the entire state. The park focuses on the story of first settlement through the ratification of the United States Constitution. The sites include: Wilmington: Beaver Valley, Fort Christina, and Old Swedes Church; New Castle: New Castle Court House; Dover: The Green, Dover and John Dickinson Plantation; and Lewes: Ryves Holt House.
As second smallest state in the USA after Rhode Island, Delaware should be easily navigable.Β There are sites in Upper Delaware, which include Wilmington and New Castle.Β Lower Delaware includes shore areas such as Lewes, Cape Henlopen State Park, Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach, the Delaware Seashore State Park, and the Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge.
In June of 1990, when I was only 34, Mike and I, along with our friend Carroll, took part in a sprint triathlon on the grounds of St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Delaware.Β A sprint triathlon consists of a half-mile swim, 12.4-mile bike and 3.1-mile run.Β As in most events such as these, athletes are seeded according to their normal speed, and since I’m so slow, I started in the last wave. My friend Carroll was in the wave ahead of me, and Mike was in one of the earliest waves.

The swim portion of the sprint triathlon at St. Andrews School.
After the swim, and at the end of the bike ride, I was at the tail end of the pack.Β Race course sweepers on motorcycles were following closely behind me, and I got so irritated, I jumped off my bike and yelled at them, “Back off!”Β By the time I reached the trail through the woods for the final 3.1-mile-run, I was truly at the end of the pack. I wasn’t happy about being last, as I’d already finished last in a 5-mile run in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho in 1982, an icy course called the Hangover Handicap on New Year’s Day.

I take off on the bike, not looking very happy!
As I plodded along, I saw Carroll running ahead of me, which motivated me to pick up my pace.Β As I caught up with her, we ran together for a bit, and then I apologized and told her I was NOT going to finish last, at which time I mustered all the energy I had and pushed ahead.Β I finished second to last and Carroll last; she actually would have been last even if we had crossed the finish line together because she had started a wave ahead of me.Β I still laugh about that incident, even though it is quite embarrassing, and very selfish! π
One of my favorite films, the 1989 Dead Poets Society starring Robin Williams and Ethan Hawke, was filmed almost entirely on the St. Andrew’s School grounds. It is a gorgeous campus, and visiting there took me back to scenes from that fabulous movie.
In 2004, I went to a writer’s conference at Books and Coffee in Dewey Beach, Delaware, which has now vanished, as have so many independent bookstores.Β At that conference, I met the author Debra Puglisi Sharp, who had recently published her book, Shattered: Reclaiming a Life Torn Apart by Violence, which tells the story of her abduction and her husband’s murder by a man on crack cocaine.Β She had been living an easy middle class life in her quiet Delaware neighborhood when violence struck and sent her life careening.
I also went to Rehoboth with my best friend Jayne in 2008 for a short visit, although I didn’t explore as I would have liked to.
I dipped again into Delaware in June of 2016 to visit Winterthur, the estate of the du Pont family, one of the richest families in America. According to Forbes:
DuPont started as a gunpowder manufacturer, later expanding into dynamite, paints, plastics, dyes and materials. Its scientists invented nylon, Kevlar and Teflon. It eventually evolved into a chemicals giant.
Winterthur was originally the home of Evelina Gabrielle du Pont and her husband, James Bidermann, eventually passing into the hands of Henry Francis du Pont in 1927 (winterthur museum, garden and library: a delaware country estate).
I won’t visit Winterthur again on this trip, but I hope to visit Nemours Mansion & Gardens, a 77-room Louis XVI-style chΓ’teau built by Alfred I. du Pont. Β It also boasts the largest formal French gardens in North America, a Chauffeur’s Garage housing a collection of vintage automobiles used on the estate, and nearly 200 acres of scenic woodlands, meadows and lawns.
Last December, I ventured to Cape May, New Jersey (a mid-december escape to cape may) and despite its being freezing cold, I enjoyed walking on the beach and having it all to myself.Β Travelers can cross the Delaware Bay from Lewes, Delaware to Cape May, N.J. by ferry, but I drove directly to Cape May last year.
It’s fun and festive to visit small towns in America when they’re all decked out for the holidays, so I hope they’ll still be festive when we visit.
As none of our adult children will be home for Christmas this year, we hope to celebrate part of the holidays by having a little adventure. π

Winterthur

Winterthur

Winterthur
********************
βTHE CALL TO PLACEβ INVITATION: I invite you to write a post on your own blog about what enticed you to choose a particular destination. If you donβt have a blog, I invite you to write in the comments.Β If your destination is a place you love and keep returning to, feel free to write about that.Β If you want to see the original post about the subject, you can check it out here: imaginings: the call to place.
Include the link in the comments below by Wednesday, January 23 at 1:00 p.m. EST.
My next βcall to placeβ post is scheduled to post on Thursday, January 24.Β If youβd like, you can use the hashtag #wanderessence.
This will be an ongoing invitation, on the fourth Thursday of each month.Β Feel free to jump in at any time. π
I hope youβll join in our community. I look forward to reading your posts!
You find the most interesting places Cathy. I chuckled about your sprint triathlon but applaud the fact that you finished.
LikeLike
Thanks, Pauline. My husband is not convinced that Delaware can be interesting, but he wasn’t convinced about Nashville either. He always ends up having a good time though. That was my first and last sprint triathlon! I am not in shape for these kinds of events, and I’m very slow, much like I was on the Camino! π
LikeLiked by 1 person
Slow can be good as you get to see and experience more of your surroundings. I think Mike is maybe like Jack and goes with the flow as long as we do the organising….
LikeLike
Yes, Pauline, that’s exactly how Mike is! π
LikeLike
Teehee, you did make me smile! I come into the category ‘Some people is not sporty, they moves like a dead duck’ (the words of the late Jochen Rindt). I did find your call to place most interesting, must do one of my own soon…..
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hahahaha, Sue! I laughed out loud when I read this quote – it describes me perfectly. My husband got a good laugh out of it too. You’ll find as you continue to follow my Camino that I was very slow on that too! Some people is definitely not sporty!! π
Oh, and I hope you will do a call to place soon! I love to read yours. π
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you like the quote, Cathy, and pleased it gave the two of you a laugh!
LikeLike
I think my husband will be calling me a dead duck for some time to come! π
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh dear.. π
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes we both still laugh at your comment “Some people is sporty, they moves like a dead duck”. I think that comment will pop out every so often over our coming years. Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, thank the late Jochen Rindt….. He coined the phrase
LikeLiked by 1 person
Grrrr. π
LikeLike
Wonderful memories! I applaud your sportiness – I haven’t done any sport since I left school where I was actually very sporty and competitive! I must do another post about call to place as there is somewhere calling out to me.
LikeLike
Thanks, Jude. I believe that was my first and last sprint triathlon, but over the years, I’ve done many 10k runs and now 10k walks, but one thing is a constant: I’m ALWAYS slow!! I could never say of myself that I was competitive. Finishing was always my goal. Good for you in school, being sporty and competitive.
Please do write a call to place! I look forward to hearing about that “somewhere calling out to” you. π
LikeLiked by 1 person
I remember looking at Delaware on the map when we came to Virginia, but we decided we didnβt have time to include it in any meaningful way, so itβs still on my list of States not visited.
I have never done a race of any kind and will never do so!
LikeLike
I was surprised when I started thinking about it that I had visited it so often in the past! It is always under the radar as a place to visit; I guess because it seems a bit inconsequential. Though I’ve never spent much time at the beaches there, I think they’re quite nice. I look forward to exploring more of it. You’ll have to come visit, stay with us, and then make a foray into Delaware! π
As for the races, I’m not a big fan, although I used to run in a lot of 10ks. My aim is never to win, because that would be impossible, but at least I try to finish, and hopefully not finish last!! I still do walk in a 10k in Richmond mainly because my daughter runs in it and we have a feast after. π
LikeLike
I could probably manage a 10k walk! Definitely we will do that when Trump goes π
LikeLike
I hope that is sooner rather than later!!! I am so ready for him to be gone, as you know. π
LikeLiked by 1 person
Iβm very much looking forward to Delaware. Your United States is far more interesting than my preconceptions! I love the way you prepare so thoroughly – I could write far more about the things I miss out on because I tend to research post facto.
The greatest sportiness of my life involved running as fast as I could away from hockey sticks at school after I heard a story about a whack on the leg going gangrenous. You have my deep admiration. My Polish daughter runs the occasional marathon and cycles from Tokyo to Warsaw. Even her 5 year olds can ride 20 kilometres and next summer will be a cycling holiday, including granddad. Not my genes!!!
LikeLike
I’m looking forward to Delaware too, Meg. I had hoped we could go this weekend, but it seems rain is in the forecast so we may have to wait till mid-January. The U.S. definitely has a lot of variety in its landscape and cultures, much like Europe except there is no language difference (except for regional dialects). I like to research just for the sheer anticipation; it extends my “travel” time. Also, since we so often have little time in a place, I don’t want to waste time just driving around haphazardly.
That is so funny about you running away from the hockey sticks. I always hated any kind of ball sports after getting my two front teeth broken when someone threw a time bomb at me! I never like to catch balls now, especially as I have no hand-eye coordination and always miss. Don’t spend too much time admiring me… That triathlon was my first and last at age 34, almost 30 years ago. Now I’m lucky to walk, very slowly, a 10k. Cycling is what my husband does; I don’t like going uphill and neither do I like the pain in my tailbone. I’m really not very sporty at all, but I do enjoy walking in new places – slowly!
LikeLike
I’m wondering which is the smallest of the US states. That is a gorgeous staircase. I love how it curves around and down. Have a lovely adventure and exploration in January.
LikeLike
The smallest state is Rhode Island, Carol. I loved that staircase too! Thanks for the good wishes. π
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope one day I shall be in a quiz and I get lots of questions about the USA because I’ve learned such a lot from reading your blogs, things one never comes across in guide-books or magazine articles. But, bet your bottom dollar I’ll have forgotten the answer should I ever get a question on Delaware or Virginia or the canyons you’ve introduced me to over the last weeks and months. I’m not a runner, not even a sprinter, but I used to walk a lot, in fact, I did so until about a year ago when my arthritis decided to settle in my knees and hips and give me grief if I didn’t behave and refrain from walking too much. Mind you, I can still do the odd 5 Kl. but I tend to wobble from side to side now, a bit like a drunken sailor.
LikeLike
Your comment cracked me up, Mari, especially the part about wobbling from side to side like a drunken sailor. π Believe me, even after researching and writing about all these places, you can bet the information will be forgotten in short time! I’m no longer a runner, and can’t ever really claim to have been one, since I’m so pokey! Walking is my exercise of choice now, and I even find that boring unless I’m in a new place, exploring new vistas. π
LikeLike
I have not been to Winterthur yet (even when we lived in West Chester). It’s on my list of things to do before we move away from the Eastern Shore (if we move away — who knows what will happen seven years from now?). I see you put off your trip to Delaware. Good choice. It’s raining like crazy and they have flood watches up that way now.
I need to explore Delaware some more, too. It has a lot of offer for such a small state.
LikeLike
I didn’t know you were contemplating moving away from the Eastern Shore, Robin! But I guess we never know what will happen in 7 years! Yes, the rain forecast scared us off, so we’ll try to go later in January if we can find a good weather day. It’s not far for us, so we can just take off at the last minute on a good forecast. I mostly look forward to walking on the winter beach! π
LikeLiked by 1 person
Winter is my favorite time at the beach, too. Summer is just too crowded for me. Hot, humid, and buggy too, sometimes. I have not been able to settle into the Eastern Shore as home. I miss NE Ohio (which I know some people might think is odd but it’s very beautiful out there), and my children and grandchildren are in Ohio so that’s another reason to want to be there rather than here. That said, I did realize during our recent trip out there that I prefer the salt air here during the winter so we’re now pondering the possibility of getting a small place here for the winter months. But who knows? Seven years seems like a long time (although it will probably speed by!).
LikeLike
You and I have similar feelings about summer heat, Robin. I’d prefer to simply stay inside all summer! I don’t know that I’ve been to northeast Ohio, but I am planning a trip to southern Ohio, Cincinnati, this year. Maybe I’ll have to visit northeast one of these years. Having your kids and grandkids nearby is always a plus. I am all for having two small places in different parts of the country. I keep pushing that idea to Mike for when he finally retires. Especially if our sons decide to stay in Colorado! Now why do you keep mentioning 7 years? Did I miss something about the 7-year mark?
LikeLike
Ooops! I see I left out why we’re thinking of moving in 7 years. My husband will be retiring in 7 years if things go as planned (and the state of Maryland doesn’t change their requirements yet again). I kind of wish my youngest son had stayed in Colorado so I’d have an excuse to live there. I love Colorado. If you do go to NE Ohio, let me know. There are plenty of places I could recommend as far as sight-seeing, especially up in Cleveland (for example, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Christmas Story House, and I think you might like Lakewood Cemetery which is pretty amazing in the spring). Cleveland has been making a bit of a comeback over the past decade or so. Visiting the Lake (Erie) is always fun, too. Akron has some interesting places to see and visit, too.
LikeLike
Ah, thanks for clarifying that, Robin. I didn’t know if I’d missed something. Let’s hope your dreams come true, in whatever way they evolve. I hope my boys do stay in Colorado, because it would definitely be a place I’d love to live (as does everyone else, it seems, as it’s growing like wildfire!). Cleveland would be another trip, but it’s certainly on my radar. Thanks too for your other recommendations. They’ll go on my Ohio list for sure! π
LikeLike
Southern Ohio, if you travel along the Ohio River, is very pretty. (I lived in southeast Ohio for 13 years, along the river where Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia meet. It’s Ohio Appalachia.) If you’re interested in the Underground Railroad at all, it follows the river in spots (I think along U.S. 52). Also, there are at least seven covered bridges in the same area. I haven’t been to Cincinnati in ages. Have you been there? If not, some must-do’s always include Skyline Chili (can’t say I’m a huge fan but it’s worth trying at least once) and Graeter’s ice cream. Covington, Kentucky, which is across the river from Cincinnati, used to be worth exploring, too. I don’t know what’s there now.
LikeLike
I’m thinking of visiting my sister in southern Illinois, and then backtracking to do a triangle of cities: Cincinnati, Louisville, and Lexington, KY. Thanks for telling me about all these places, Robin. The covered bridges would be cool to see, as well as the Underground Railroad. I’ve never been to Cincinnati, or any cities in Ohio for that matter. So many great recommendations. I’m copying your whole note to my planning sheet. Thanks, Robin!! π
LikeLike