Deep Creek Lake, Maryland - October 15th to 17th, 2021
When traveling for months at a time, we look forward to relaxing with friends. Just sitting and chatting with friends would be special enough, but doing it in a beautiful setting is icing on the cake. This time it was our friends Doug and Leslye who live on Deep Creek Lake in Maryland.
We hit the road at 7:30 am on Friday. From Delaware Water Gap, we needed to reach Deep Creek Lake in McHenry Maryland by dinner time. However, our secondary goal for the day was to stop in the state of Delaware along the way. It was not on the direct route, but Delaware was a state we had not visited yet. Our rule for counting a state is to participate in some kind of activity in the state, such as hiking, spending the night, or purchasing something such as food. We picked out a bakery in Wilmington Delaware and let Google Maps lead us there.
The Riverfront Bakery in Wilmington was wonderful. We both had a butter croissant with jam. Right Buddy (RB) had raspberry jam while Left Buddy (LB) had strawberry. To wash down our treats, RB had a cup of hot chocolate. LB had a latte. The croissants were some of the best we’ve ever had, nice and flaky. The hot chocolate was smooth and creamy.
Since it was a long driving day, we let Google Maps take us on the fastest route, which meant we were on interstate highways most of the day which included paying tolls. Our E-ZPass that we purchased earlier in the season was coming in handy again (Quechee, Vermont - September 14th to 17th, 2021). We went right through Baltimore, Maryland and through the Fort McHenry Tunnel which traverses under the Patapsco River on I-95. RB was surprised how long the tunnel was. It is shorter than the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel on I-895, so she can only imagine how long that tunnel must feel to drive through.
As we approached Deep Creek Lake, the autumn colors started to return to the hillsides. Although we were farther south than before, we had climbed in elevation. The elevation of Deep Creek Lake is about 2400 feet.
Our friends Doug and Leslye have a lovely house on the lake. We were excited that they were willing to host us for two nights. Their home is nestled among oak trees. While we sat out on their deck that evening, we could hear the acorns falling all around us. Luckily none of them hit us.
It was a warm evening, in the high 60’s to low 70’s, so our friends took us out on the lake in their boat before it got dark.
It turned cold on Saturday and rained most of the day. Leslye cooked wonderful home-cooked meals for us while we caught up on each other’s lives, reminisced about old times, and watched football games. In the afternoon, Doug drove us around the lake and showed us the surrounding area.
Later in the evening, the rain finally stopped. We drove over to Swallow Falls State Park to wander around the hiking trails and see all the waterfalls along the Youghiogheny River. The waterfalls were beautiful and it felt good to get out and stretch our legs, even if it was a little cool outside. The name of the river was familiar to us. While we were in college in Ohio, we had gone over to Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania to go white water rafting on the Youghiogheny River. That brought back memories.
The sun came out on Sunday so we went on a three mile walk with our friends around their neighborhood. It was fun to check out all the different houses. Some of them must cost a pretty penny.
Leslye filled us up with more delicious food on Sunday before sending us on our way. We didn’t leave until afternoon, so most of the rest of the day was spent driving. Our destination was Matthew Arms Campground in Shenandoah National Park on Skyline Drive.
We feel fortunate to have wonderful friends who live in wonderful places. A big thank you goes out to Leslye and Doug for fun conversations, showing us around Deep Creek Lake, and providing such delightful meals for us.
Check out our related video: Deep Creek Lake, Maryland
(RB)