May 2021 Seven Eastern States Pickleball Tour Overview

 May 3-8 2021

This was our fourth multi state pickleball tour. It's essential to plan ahead, make local contacts and then be flexible. I am extremely thankful for those individuals who are local contacts, many of which are pickleball ambassadors. They are the reason these trips are successful. Originally, this was going to be an eleven state tour, but the time it would take did not mesh well with other already planned events we had in May. So, we chose to do NY, VT, NH and ME at another time. Perhaps in the fall. While we did take time for other activities which included visits with family and friends, we regret that we didn't take more time for local sightseeing. 

Monday May 3rd

Unless absolutely necessary, I like to limit our driving to 4-5 hours at a time, no more than 6 hours a day, and no night driving. This made a stop at Cuyahoga Valley National Park a great option. We brought our bikes with us, but the morning rain put a damper on any riding. We settled for a little walking on the towpath and will plan to return another time specifically to  bike.

When traveling, we like to eat at local establishments as much as possible. So after a short visit at Cuyahoga Valley National Park, we stopped in Youngstown OH for some Wedgewood Pizza and Handel's ice cream, both of which were recommended by a friend. We were not disappointed.

We then finished that day staying a short distance away from Pittsburgh Indoor Sports Arena (PISA) in Cheswick PA where we would play the next morning. I much prefer staying close to where we will play in the morning than getting up early and driving an hour or more. 

Tuesday May 4th

The courts were indoor, but shared the gym floor with numerous other sports. The numerous lines on the floor for other sports was a bit overwhelming, but we overcame them. We thoroughly enjoyed playing with Lisa and Amy who had just come to drill in preparation for an upcoming tournament but graciously played three games with us. Good luck Lisa & Amy. Cheswick PA #25

Our next play was scheduled for the following morning in Frederick MD. This would be about a 4 hour trip allowing us plenty of time to make a side trip to Little Orleans MD and ride a portion the C&O Canal Towpath and Western Maryland Rail Trail. I rode the entire C&O Canal Towpath years ago and was excited to share the experience of this trail with Barb. The entire 3 hour drive to Little Orleans MD was engulfed in rain, but just before arriving, the rain stopped and it appeared that the trail did not endure hours of rain that we had been experiencing. After our ride, we completed our trip to Frederick MD and then met up with Barb's cousin who lives about an hour away. We dined at BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse. Their Bistro Burger included goat cheese. Being a fan of goat cheese, I ordered that and was not disappointed.

Wednesday May 5th

Our morning play was at Trinity Recreation Center in Frederick MD. This was inside with two courts lined on a gym floor sharing lines with basketball. It was good that the courts were inside since there were puddles outside. Play here was limited to 12 players who were to register prior to the day of play. I had trouble registering, but we were allowed to play a few games. When playing, you did not have to wear a mask, but when waiting to play, you were to be masked as a COVID-19 precaution. We enjoyed our play here and some of the players were intrigued to hear our Pickleball The States story.  Frederick MD #26

We weren't scheduled to play again until tomorrow, Thursday. We were only two hours away, so we had an afternoon to explore. Some research in bike trails in the northern DE area revealed the Michael Castle C&D Canal Trail was a perfect fit. It runs from Delaware City DE from the Delaware River along the C&D Canal and the trail ends in Chesapeake City MD. It is a 15 mile trail which means we would have a 30 mile ride. Unfortunately it was another rainy morning and it was still raining when we arrived in Delaware City. We thought that maybe while we ate lunch, perhaps the weather would change. We chose Edna's Kitchen & BBQ. The pulled pork nachos were an excellent choice. By the time our lunch was over the sun was shining. This made an enjoyable ride on a paved trail. About halfway back, the sky was looking a little threatening, but fortunately the rain held off.

 

Thursday May 6th

Today was going to be a double header with our morning play in Newark DE at Deacon's Walk Park at 9:00am. We had spent the night in Newark DE and found Sinclair's Cafe this morning as a good choice for some breakfast. I had a California Benedict which I enjoyed. 

It was a little windy, and we were told that if it was too windy, they would not be playing at Deacon's Walk Park, but at Fraim Center for Active Adults which would be two courts inside. We much preferred playing at the outdoor 6 court location. We arrived a little early and there were no players. Not wanting to miss out on play time, we headed to the Fraim Center which was 20 minutes away.  When we arrived, they said if players were to show up, it would be at 11:00 which was the scheduled play time there. We headed back to Deacon's Walk Park and were delighted to find a few players there. We joined a couple players and before that game was finished, players were showing up providing us with additional individuals to play. As we were leaving, we crossed paths with the well known Harold Holeman, my contact and the local pickleball guru. We were interviewed by him and he informed us he was going to make us honorary Diamond State Pickleball Club members. That made us feel extremely valued. Newark DE #27

Thursday was one of those days where we played morning and late afternoon. Cherry Hill NJ, an hour away, was our next scheduled play for 5:00 that evening at DeCou Fields. After our games, we had a 3 hour drive to Fairfield CT dealing with New York City traffic. It sure would be good if we were able to play sooner. We arrived at the park at 1:00 and there were players there. It wasn't open play and they weren't interested in playing a few games with us. They indicated that at 3:00 there may be the possibility of play at the courts. There was a place called the Verdant Café not too far away where salads seemed to be a popular dish. It was in a little strip mall and wasn't the most attractive from the outside. We decided to give it a shot anyway. Inside there were only two tables and no rest rooms. This was primarily a to-go place. The salads were good and I'm glad we stuck with it. By 3:00 there were other players at the six dedicated courts at DeCou Fields, and they were willing to play with us. This would mean that we would get on the road two hours earlier than we had anticipated. After the first game, one of our opponents had time to start a second game, but he wanted to split Barb and me up with me being his partner. Barb teamed up with a younger player and before long my partner had to bring in a sub so he could leave and we proved no match for Barb and her younger talented partner. Cherry Hill NJ #28

Friday May 7th

We awoke at the Circle Hotel in Fairfield CT and enjoyed breakfast at Harborview Market which was a popular place for locals before heading to the four dedicated courts at Tunix Hill Park. We were fortunate to run into Mark, Barb and Liz. Had we been a little later, Mark and Barb would have been gone and the other players would not likely have wanted us in their games. Mark, Barb and Liz were great players and formidable opponents. We would enjoy playing with them again and hope to cross paths in the future. After our games we connected with friends who live in Fairfield and enjoyed conversation, a walk on the beach and lunch. Fairfield CT #29

Saturday May 8th

Saturday was going to be another one of those two states in one day. Not morning in one state and evening another, but both in the morning. Early morning play in Raynham MA with the Lakeville Pickleball Club and late morning play in Bristol RI. Our contacts in both locations were top of the line. Lakeville Pickleball Club had just moved outdoors to the Edgewood Pool & Tennis, a quiet location surrounded by woods. They were our most challenging play on this tour. Kimberly was a delight to meet and play even though we lost to her and Bob. Truth be told, we didn't win any games in Raynham MA #30 . It was a short drive to Bristol RI for our last state. We were quickly spotted by Cliff and on the courts with him and Bernhard. The six courts were in the town square and were lined over the tennis courts which saw little play and had little maintenance. Hopefully Cliff working with the town can get this improved. There were players enough to fill the six courts, and they were very friendly. If you are in the area, we would recommend stopping by to play Bristol RI #31. 

After our morning of play, we dined on Mini Chorizo & Clam Cakes followed by New England Clam Chowder at Portside Tavern. We were now able to begin the long drive home and to make it back before the end of Mother's Day. We also were able to have lunch Sunday at The Winking Lizard in Peninsula OH, where we ran into Jennifer a fellow Cuyahoga Valley National Park trail enthusiast.

• 
  Most challenging play - Lakeville Pickleball Club at Edgewood Pool & Tennis Raynham MA
• Most pandemic cautious - Trinity Recreation Center Frederick MD
• Most welcoming - Diamond State Pickleball Club at Deacon's Walk Park Newark DE
• Best courts - DeCou Fields Cherry Hill NJ
• Second Best courts - Tunix Hill Park Fairfield CT
• Courts that could significantly impact the community once improved - Bristol RI
• Worst court lines - PISA Cheswick PA
• Best lodging - Circle Hotel Fairfield CT
• Best lunch - Pulled Pork Nachos at Edna's Kitchen & BBQ Delaware City DE
• Best breakfast - Harborview Market Bridgeport CT
• Most enjoyable non-pickleball activity- Michael Castle Canal Trail Delaware City DE