When I originally set the goal of paddling around the Delmarva peninsula (11 years ago!) I didn’t know that kayaks were prohibited in the C&D canal. So my circumnavigation idea can never truly be completed unless there’s some kind of special event to paddle the canal one day. However, a nice alternative to paddling is biking, and there’s a bike trail that runs almost the entire length of the canal, so Brian and I rented bikes and biked the 15 miles from Chesapeake City to Delaware City, and the 15 miles back. I’m not a strong cyclist so 30 miles is a lot for me, particularly on a bike that isn’t mine!

The town of Chesapeake City has a cool bike rental kiosk that was super easy and convenient to use. I downloaded the app ahead of time, scanned the QR codes on the bikes we took, and the app unlocked the bike. No bike rental staff necessary!

We took off to the east and enjoyed the waterfront view the whole way. Most of the ride was pretty flat, but there were a few spots where the trail went up a hill, back and forth on a few switchbacks, and back down the other side of a marina or a trail wash-out. It was really cool to bike underneath the Route 1 bridge – totally different view than the dozens of times we’ve driven across it!

We took some time to eat, hydrate, and explore the waterfront of Delaware City, and then we headed back to Chesapeake City. I definitely struggled on the ride back. My thighs were burning by the end! Totally different experience than kayaking, that’s for sure!