Day 3: October 9, 2011
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There are three Tastee Diner's so I guess it's kind of a chain but all are classic factory built structures and all are in Montgomery County, Maryland. The one in Laurel, originally called the Laurel Diner, was about a mile and a half from my motel. It's housed in a 1951 Comac. Apparently the company was in business only four years so there aren't many around. It serves a breakfast that looks like a diner breakfast ought to and it guards itself against those who linger too long over coffee. Recommended.
I took this picture of a place across the street from the diner because I thought it was a cute building. From the internet I've learned that it not only serves some very good donuts but hamburgers as well. The building was once part of the defunct Little Tavern hamburger chain. After enough people asked for 'burgers, they were added. They're copies of those sold by Little Tavern but "now we buy a better grade of beef". I thought the place was closed but, since it's 100% carry out, I may have been wrong. Sounds like a place worth stopping at someday.
I wanted to reach the eastern terminus of US-50 but, rather than take Fifty there and back, I took I-95 around Chesapeake Bay's northern end. I thought things might get a bit more interesting once I turned south on DE-1 but I was greeted by miles of strip malls, restaurants, and motels. As I got closer to the coast and picked up the Coastal Highway, high-rise and high priced condos became the norm along with more restaurants and motels and the occasional miniature golf course. The Fenwick Island lighthouse promised something of a break but it wasn't open despite a sign indicating that it should be.

But it was a worthwhile stop, anyway. First there was the 260 year old Transpeninsular Line Marker with the good looking coat of arms of the Calverts on the south side and the rather bland one of the Penns on the north. Second there was the couple from New Jersey. She's a photographer who likes shooting lighthouses and he is, at least for today, her spotter. A friend had recently told them of this lighthouse and they'd made a day trip to see it. I gave her a card and she promised to send a link to her pictures. When she does, I'll post it here.

ADDENDUM: Oct 14, 2011 - I just got a note from Linda, the gal I met at the lighthouse, and learned that her website is here. She says her pictures from Fenwick Island aren't posted yet but will be shortly.

I stayed at the Sea Bay Hotel though not in the building with the big sign. The hotel is a block from the beach and the west building, where I stayed, is a little farther away than that. The second and third photos are from and of my room. It's third from the left on the first floor of guest rooms (second floor of building). I understand that upper floor rooms do have a view of the ocean and rooms on the other side overlook Isle of Wight Bay. Those rooms and rooms in the main building are a bit higher priced than mine. My room, on an off-season Sunday night, was $29.95 plus tax.
After checking in, I walked over to the beach. I saw no one in the water but there were quite a few folk enjoying the sun and sand. There were several of these "DUNE CROSSING" signs around although they seem quite unnecessary. I suppose it's nice to provide a warning but the things move so slow it's pretty much impossible to get run over by one.
From the beach, I headed north a block or two for a crab cake at Dead Freddies. Now that's tasty!
The walk back to the hotel included the sun setting over Isle of Wight Bay. Those rooms on the other side of the building probably are worth a few extra bucks but the walk is free.
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