Great Escape: Maryland Backcountry

Where: Pirates Cove Restaurant, on the West River in Galesville, MD

Why I went: Initially, of the Hyattsville Police Department invited me to come out and hear him sing with Tony Thurston. The duo plays classic rock, country and Top 40 music.

What I did: Drove about 50 minutes through Maryland’s backcountry to the West River. Some friends and I waded through the packed crowd on Big Mary’s Dock Bar outside of the inn and restaurant. Thurston and Purvis’s voices weaving harmony into some of the songs we grew up on relaxed the kinks out of the long week.

We ate some bar food, had a beer and enjoyed the swishing of the water against the boats in the harbor next to us.

Would I recommend it? Oh yes. The drive alone, though long, was beautiful and peaceful. The music was great and the ambience was gorgeous. The food – eh, so-so – and not cheap.