Leslie Atkins - Backroads & Byways of Maryland: Drives, Day Trips & Weekend Excursions (Backroads & Byways)

W hile an author gets a lot of attention, a book like this one is, in many ways, a group project. I would like to thank first and foremost the wonderful experts at Countryman Press, especially Kim Grant, Lisa Sacks, Kermit Hummel, Rosalie Wieder, Doug Yeager, and Tom Haushaltermy heartfelt appreciation goes out to them for their wise counsel, encouragement, and kindnesses.

I also appreciate the role of my parents, Esther and Arthur Atkins, who raised me in Maryland and taught me the joy of discovery. Dad always loved to take road trips and Mom loved to stop at roadside stands to buy fresh peaches or apple pie, which my brother Richard and I ate from the backseat. That was an idyllic time, when as a family we took unfamiliar roads to see what we would find.

My grandparents and great-grandparents came to America through the port of Baltimore to make their home here after traveling halfway around the world. It is not easy to leave the country of your birth, learn a new language, and adopt a new culture. I admire my grandparents and great-grandparents for that reason and for many others. I inherited my familys gene for exploration and the willingness to take risks. But my exploration of unfamiliar and isolated places in Maryland is tame in comparison to the journeys made by my ancestors.

I wish to thank all the people who welcomed me into their homes and hearts while I was researching this book. I was lucky to enjoy the assistance of many who opened doors and revealed vistas everywhere I went. These people are too numerous to mention, but I appreciate the help of each and every person who assisted me in uncovering the nooks and crannies throughout the state.

To my neighbors in Maryland who welcomed me with open arms, love, and friendship, I will always be grateful. And to the many strangers whom I met, the ones who shared their knowledge of local history and suggestions for places to see, you are the reason I love to travel, for it brings out the best in those you meet along the way. In the process, it brings out the best in me too.

M aryland is an easy place for everyone to feel at homewhether theyve spent most of their lives here as I have, or whether theyre visiting for the first time.

A sublimely drivable state with well-kept roads and backroads, Maryland brims with charm and history. Because of its ethnic diversity and varied geography, Maryland is sometimes described as America in miniature. That characterization is misleading, however, for though the state has a wide variety of attributes, it is unique unto itself.

I was born and raised in Baltimore, the center of my world as a child and the states largest city. Now that Ive traveled extensively outside Marylands boundaries and those of the entire United States, Ive come to love Maryland anew, for it holds up well under scrutiny and compares positively to the many other places Ive traveled.

When youre raised somewhere, it can seem old hat. But not so Maryland, which maintains its historic roots (and routes) while continually reinventing itself to keep up with the times. Im sentimental because this is my home, but dispassionately speaking, Maryland is a must-see and a must-do for those who love traversing backroads, for water lovers who enjoy fishing and boating or just looking out upon large bodies of water, for those who love great food, and for those with a penchant for American history.

Maryland certainly leaves an indelible impression. Theres so much to see that you can return many times without duplicating any single adventurewhether watching a baseball game, fishing along the rivers and streams, taking in the lighthouses on the Chesapeake Bay, hiking in the mountains, biking on the Ocean City boardwalk, or walking the side streets of Baltimores neighborhoods enjoying many hidden and historic attributes.

Canada geese on their way to US 50

Transportation routesby water, rail, and roadhelped define Maryland, and it is to those we turn in exploring the state. There are old mill towns, Civil War battlefields and scars, and tremendous shopping opportunities for those with a desire for antiques as well as those who like their acquisitions new. There are tremendous recreational activities, many of which are water-related. Sports are an integral part of life in the state, both the participatory and spectator varieties. Fans of baseball, football, and thoroughbred racing, in particular, will not be disappointed.

One cannot ignore Marylands closeness to its waterwaysthe Atlantic Ocean, the rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay, which permeate life in this state where fishermen and crabbers influence local culture. Yet the states immigrant roots also create an affinity toward European styles and ways, helping to make Maryland unique.

Among its other characteristics, Maryland is also a beach state, with the well-loved Ocean City and its extensive boardwalk leading to riches of seashore fun.

Literature, film, and television have captured the states appeal, and portrayals of Maryland are now woven into the fabric of popular culture. Maryland is actually filled with an assortment of real characters and intriguing characteristics, making visits ever interesting and always provocative.

Perhaps the best part of traveling in Maryland is uncovering the little-known yet appealing country store, vista, or historic markernot secret exactly, but certainly obscure. Discovery, after all, is one of the greatest factors in the desire to explore. Maryland is ripe for such exploration and it seems the more you uncover, the more you have yet to find.