Friday, Melanie and I endeavored in a day of museums and bike rides, and what a day for it. For once, the weather was on our side with no rain and no humidity to boot; just open skies and beautiful scenery. We woke up early, tied our bicycles to our car, and made our way to Seaford, Delaware for our first stop: The Seaford Museum. This little place, situated in what was once the town post office, boasts the largest collection of wax mannequins in the state, one of which is the infamous Patty Cannon who was responsible for the capturing and selling of freed and escaped slaves.

Of all the exhibits (with the Sports Hall of Fame as an exception), this one has the most intrigue. As the mannequin rocks ever so slowly on her porch, her eerie smile dripping off her face, you can walk around her stage and read of her ruthless history. With every panel of facts finished, the exhibit gets increasingly odd. Finish a placard and glance up, the smile becomes more diabolical. Finish another, and her eye seems to twinkle, as if the mannequin is plotting her next capture. The rest of the museum walks you through the history of Seaford from before its inception to its present, as if turning the pages of a history book. It begins with the Nanticoke Indians and ends with installation of the Dupont Factory. (Seaford is actually known as the Nylon Capital of the World.) From the last exhibit, you enter the hall for rotating exhibits. This is where our real treat was. Unknowingly, we had stumbled into the opening day of the museums latest exhibit – a sports hall of fame. With most of the exhibit on loan from the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame, it showcases all the wonderful local talent that had come from the surrounding areas. Memorabilia from sports stars like Mike Hall (a body builder from Dagsboro) and Mike Neill (a professional baseball with an Olympic gold medal) adorn the walls of the hall. Watching the opening - listening to each introduction, hanging on every word of the speaker, Ben Sirman – I became lost in the rich cultural history and honor that even sports brings to the area. After we listened to all the introductions, had a beer and a hot dog (in true American sports spirit), we headed back outside to the warm summer sun and mounted our bikes. We had about 5 miles lying ahead of us in the midday heat, but with the Seaford Museum behind us, we were hungry for more tidbits and interesting knowledge of the region.

To the Days Gone By Museum; a museum, so we were told, that sat tucked away in a gentleman's backyard. Now it doesn't get much more rare than that... To be continued... Protips: The Sports Hall of Fame exhibit is running until mid August. The rotating exhibit changes every 4 months or so, so makes sure to keep your eyes and ears open.