So I’m finally back home & back on my own bike!
So much smoother, so much faster, and so much smaller?! After riding three weeks on the upright hybrid bike, my “real” bike felt strangely small this morning?! I’m sure I’ll get re-accustomed to it quickly. I’m already re-accustomed to the sunrise routine!

Since my last trip to Bombay Hook was so cloudy, I decided to give it another try this morning. Headed north of Dover. Fewer clouds gave me a completely different sunrise. Clearer, brighter and a lot more sunrise reflections!

While the sun was rising, all around me the snowy egrets were fishing in the marshes. Hundreds of them. They were everywhere. Slowly stalking their prey. And a little skittish when I would get too close to take a picture. Still pretty cool.

So it was another beautiful ride through Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge. And once again, not a single car or another person anywhere to be found. Just me, the sunrise… and hundreds of snowy egrets!!!

Riding south towards Port Mahon, I went past several farm fields. One of them had a great irrigation sprinkler which looked kind of “prehistoric”... kinda like an industrial praying mantis!!!

Once at the beach, the sun was just rising and creating some beautiful glowing colors!

The finally popped over the horizon with wide open skies… and beautiful water reflections!

This morning it felt great to be back on my bike for a morning sunrise ride. We’ve been so busy with the Firefly Music Festival that I just haven’t had the time to ride in the mornings. But today was the day… so I’m back on the bike and went further south this morning to Pickering Beach. A small little resort town with about two dozen beach houses… and nothing else!!! Except a very private little stretch of beach!

While returning to my bike, I ran across these really sweet little cactus plants growing on the side of the sand dunes. Looks like they’re just about ready to bloom. Who knew that these cuties could survive the winters here on the beach?

This morning I decided to go further north of Dover to find another spot for a morning sunrise. I went north of Leipsic, and found the Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge. It was pretty cloudy as I was headed in, with beautiful red clouds low on the horizon.

Once I made it into the park, I rode around the circle trail and found that they clouds were kind of “winning” over the sunrise. I loved the huge, open marshy areas… and the starkness of the trees. It was very moody this morning. And a little odd as I didn’t see a single person all morning long. No one in the park besides me and a bunch of migratory birds!

Soon enough, the sun was up behind the clouds. The color may have been gone, but the clouds were still beautiful… as well as the reflections on the water.

As I was leaving the park, I took one quick look back and saw that the sky was covered in a blanket of clouds. Okay, so I had to stop for just one or two more photos!!! Shoot me.

Finally, the sun made it over the horizon. Beautifully reflecting off the water. I especially liked the structure of the pier and how it created such great geometric silhouettes.

On the way out of the Little Creek Wildlife Area, I found out that it is also an estuary for shorebirds. Apparently, it’s a destination on the migratory path of many water birds. With lots of swampy, marshy areas for them to hang out in.

So it’s my first chance for a sunrise bike ride while I’m in Dover. We’re staying close to the Dover Downs Speedway. We’re not far from the Delaware Bay… so I knew that I could find a sunrise over the water somewhere?! I decided to pedal over to the town of Leipsic. It’s a little port town on a river that connects to the bay… and then to the ocean!

After the sunrise, I was also treated to beautiful sweeping clouds across the sky!

On the ride back to the hotel, I found some beautiful dogwood trees in bloom. Unfortunately, they look like the flowers are close to the end. And I’m not really sure what’s happening to the bottom ones that are turning pink with spots?!

Red skies in the morning are generally not a good sign. But with such great cloud cover this morning, I saw it as huge potential for a beautiful sunrise to come. When the sun made it up, the red sky sparkled with stunning layers. A beautiful sunrise with a lot of drama in the sky.

Potential fulfilled.