Annapolis and Chick and Ruth's Delly

We hit the road on a Sunday morning to visit nearby Annapolis, Maryland. It was my first trip and I was excited to see Maryland's waterfront capital city and to check out another Man v. Food restaurant. It was a gorgeous Fall day with brightly colored leaves as far as the eye could see. We brought our bikes so that we could get some exercise and maximize the ground covered during this short trip.

No visit to Annapolis would be complete without a stop in the Maryland State House. It is "the oldest state capitol still in continuous legislative use and is the only state house to have ever served as the nation's capitol." The State House is also famous as the place that George Washington came to resign his post as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army in 1783. Tours are free and all you need is a photo I.D. to enter the building.

Across the street from the State House is a memorial to Maryland native Thurgood Marshall. The benches surrounding the memorial provide a nice place to sit, relax, and reflect.

Another must-see Annapolis attraction is the United States Naval Academy. The waterfront campus is a beautiful place for a walk, with many interesting buildings and memorials to explore. The chapel steps provide a raised vantage point overlooking the activity in the Yard.

Located in the center of campus is the Tecumseh statue which is painted by the Midshipmen for special events. On our visit, it was painted in a "Where the Wild Things Are" theme for Homecoming Weekend.

It wouldn't be a Two DC roadtrip without a stop at a special restaurant. This time, we went to the scene of Adam Richman's Man v. Food challenge: Chick and Ruth's Delly. While Adam Richman completed the Colossal Challenge (6 lbs. milkshake and 1.5 lbs. Colossal Sandwich), we opted for a tamer meal.

The Delly has been serving up good food in large portions since 1965. It's bustling and colorful, and has an overwhelmingly large menu selection. The tables are packed in so you get to know your dining neighbors.

We started with milkshakes (peanut butter moose tracks for me and cherry vanilla for B) and found that the small size was plenty. It would be fun to come back with a group and try the 6 lb shake served in the comically large glass.

The onion rings were crispy and my burger was juicy. I ordered the smallest burger (1/3 lb) and it was still a ton of food! Chick and Ruth's is not the place to go if you're counting calories. But everyone loves a splurge, and this is a fun place to do so.

The star of the meal was B's deli sandwich. He ordered pastrami and roast beef with provolone on wheat bread. Though it appears to be a simple sandwich, he couldn't stop raving about the tender deli meat that was packed full of flavor. We'd drive back to Annapolis just for this sandwich.

I'm eager to return to Annapolis to check out some of its waterfront attractions and sample some famous Maryland seafood. We just might have to pay a visit to Chick and Ruth's to see if their milkshakes and sandwiches are still up to par...

Second Thoughts From B

I love roadtrips. I love quaint towns. I love historical landmarks. And I love sandwiches. Need I say more? Probably not, but I will anyway.

This was my second time to Annapolis (the first time was with my dad a couple of years ago) and I still think it is a perfect destination for a day trip. Having it less than an hour's drive from DC is something we need to take advantage of more often if this pleasant October day was any indication. J mentioned the fall colors briefly but let me reiterate what a wonderfully fascinating occurrence this is for us. I only wish I was able to capture the brilliance better in my photography. And while I'm on this topic, let me mention The Foliage Network which is a website that tracks and maps the progression of color every fall. For people planning trips, this is a great resource.

As for that sandwich... wow. I do love a good sandwich but plain ol' deli meat sounds pretty boring, right? High quality is usually guaranteed but seldom, if ever, is it something that makes you groan, roll your eyes back, and celebrate each bite with a fist pump. I don't know what their secret is but that is the exact reaction this sandwich generated in me and it will forever raise the bar for what a simple sandwich can be...