Saying Goodbye

This is just a notice to all friends and family who didn’t receive any post cards from Carl and I during the month we’ve been camp hosting here in MD. I don’t want you to feel left out. We didn’t send any cards to anyone so, you see, I didn’t forget you. And now it’s time to say farewell to all the things we love about Assateague. Goodbye to the Decatur Diner with all of it’s menu items which are large enough to serve two, each entrée with home made potato chips. And goodbye to the Dumser’s Ice Cream Stand where they make 15 flavors on site, each even tastier than the one previously enjoyed. And goodbye to countless pizza places, all making thin crust pies and some even fired in real brick ovens. I must say goodbye to the dozens of White Tail and Sika Deer who have given us hours of pleasure as we’ve watched them browse throughout the campground. A fond farewell to the hundreds of rabbits hopping in and out of the bushes along the sides of the road, some have even played tag with our golf cart.

It’s been a pleasure to spend an entire month in one location. We can comfortably find the locations of    Laundromats, barbers, liquor stores, the tastiest restaurants, seafood markets and even the local Wal-Mart. Gas stations, Arby’s, RV Repair shops and a dozen or so “Sun-sation” locations where they sell super cheap souvenirs of Ocean City made in China and even cheaper made tee-shirts made in Sri Lanka or Pakistan are now common stops. We haven’t left yet and I’m already looking ahead to when we can return.

Sadly, this means I also have to say goodbye to the resident bands of horses we’ve had the pleasure to observe during the month. There’s the chestnut stallion and his 3 mares that call the Bayside campground  and surrounding marsh home. We’ve also watched a beautiful sorrel stallion, 2 chestnut mares, 1 bay mare and one of my favorite brown and white pinto mares, with a waving flag on her left side, who roam near the Over Sand Vehicle Path at the end of the paved roads. It’s been fun to keep our eye on a solitary bay stallion trying to stay out of trouble while actually squatting on the border belonging to the two dominant stallions and their mares. In time, he’ll mature, steal a mare or two and fight to carve out a piece of the island to call his own. A small territory near the ranger’s station has been claimed by a chestnut stallion and mare. The marshy area that includes the state park campground is grazed by a bay and white pinto stallion with a map of Georgia on his left side, 3 chestnut mares and that darling 5 month old tri colored filly. If it were possible, I would have followed her all day long. I’m really looking forward to watching her as she matures. And finally, grazing rights just before the Verrazano Bridge belong to a beautiful chestnut stallion, a brown and white mare and a white and brown two year old. Last year we watched this same youngster sitting like a puppy dog while the rest of the band munched on marsh grass in the afternoon sunlight.

And last but by no means least, we have to say so long to the staff of Assateague Island National Seashore Park Rangers who were very tolerant of us beginners. We hope to see you next year, Dick, Ethan, Mike and Cari. Gee, I hope I haven’t forgotten anyone.