As mentioned in our previous post on St. Michaels, we rented a car. Traveling at speeds over 10 MPH again is quite exhilarating for us. We were docked in Crisfield, MD (more on that later). The closest rental car company was in Pocomoke. However, they never answered the phone. So we talked to the folks at the Salisbury location about 30 miles away. They said they would come as far south as Princess Anne to pick us up. We figured out we could take a bus to Princess Anne. The deal was done.
One snag remained: We do not own a car. Meaning, we do not have car insurance. The insurance sold at the rental car counter is a rip off. The hunt was on for an alternative. The best deal I could find was so very simple. American Express offers a flat fee service. If I sign up for the service, rent a car and put the charge on my AMEX, they will automatically charge an additional $19.95. This serves as a primary insurance and covers any damage on the rental car up to $75,000. We rent tiny cheap cars so $75K is more than enough to cover us having to replace the rental. The AMEX charge covers the car for up to 30 days and can be used as many times per year as we desire. If we were to use the insurance at the rental counter, it would have cost about $30 per day. We had the car for a week so, we saved about $190.
The car re-opened an old world we are familiar with: the ability to shop. We made a couple of stops at Wal-Mart. We stocked up our boat pantry and freezers. While out and about doing some sightseeing, we noticed farmers markets along the side of the highway. We have been to farmers markets in the past and I swear the vegetables there were purchased from the grocery store that morning, labeled as organic and resold for twice the price. This is not the case with the (reputable) markets on the Delmarva Peninsula. The peninsula is farm country. The farmers hold back some crops to sell at their own outlets. They can make a little more money and cut out the middlemen. For us, the benefit is ripe fruits and vegetables. The market we visited labeled the produce as locally grown or “otherwise”. There was no confusion. The tomatoes and corn were beyond delicious.
Wright’s Market
Fresh veggies
Locally grown peaches – Oh so good!
In the farmers field two days ago
Shopping for the Puffster
A town on the Delmarva Peninsula not accessible by boat is Easton, MD. If you find yourself driving Route 50 on the Delmarva Peninsula, please take the time to do the historic bypass. Like us, you’ll be glad you did. Easton’s population is about 16,500 and their claim to fame is they are ranked as “the 8th Best Small Town in America”. Don’t get too excited about this. I tried to find the source of their claim as it is not referenced on their website. I Googled “best small town in America”. Easton never seemed to make the lists that popped up. Regardless of their rank, we found the town quite charming and positively enjoyed our walkabout.
North Harrison Street
South Washington Street
Brasserie Brightwell’s on Gravel Alley
Penny Farthing Detail in Railing
East Dover Street
North Harrison Street
