Cycling at the Beach

Bikes abound at the beach, but they’re not just for the boardwalk. The landscape is universally flat, and bike lanes and trails are easy to find. Here are a few places to point your wheels and enjoy the great outdoors.

If you’re staying in Ocean City, Md. . . .

Ready to get away from T-shirt shops and arcades? The wild horses of Assateague Island National Seashore Park are about 12 miles away. Grab sandwiches from Fat Daddy’s (216 S. Baltimore Ave.; 410-289-4040), toss them in your bike basket and go.

On paper, Ocean City to Assateague is a simple ride: From the boardwalk, head west across the Route 50 bridge, then turn left onto Route 611, also known as Stephen Decatur Highway, which will take you straight into the park. The ride can be frustrating at first – the designated bike lines occasionally jump from one side of the road to the other, change into vehicular turn lanes or disappear altogether, and the road sees a good amount of trucks and other heavy traffic whizzing by at 50 mph – but traffic thins closer to the park.

Once you’ve cruised through the gates of the national park – it’s more interesting than the nearby Maryland state park with a similar name – it’s time to gawk at free-ranging wild ponies or relax on the wide, sandy beaches. The nature trails don’t allow bikes, but all of them have bike racks at the beginning of each trail. Park your wheels there and get up close to the park’s marshes, forests and dunes. Best reason to be smug? Cars pay $15 to enter the park, but cyclists get in free.

Where to rent a bike: There are many shops near the southern end of the boardwalk, including Dandy Don’s (10 N. Division St., Ocean City. 410-289-0221; www.dandydonsbikerentals.com). Renting a standard one-speed beach cruiser costs $6 for the first hour and $4 for each subsequent hour.

If you want to bike in the park but don’t want to ride on the shoulder of busy Route 611, try the rental stand in the Assateague park. Bikes rent for $6 per hour or $20 per day.

If you’re staying in Lewes or Rehoboth Beach, Del. . . .

It’s easy to spend a few hours or a full day at

To read the whole story, visit here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/05/29/3276554/cycling-at-the-beach.html

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